RondaWe decided to have Easter here in Turis and travel to Cordoba on Easter Monday, when most of the Spanish traffic is heading home from Hols. This turned out to be a good decision as the volume of traffic on the other carriage way was considerable. We also had two good coffee stops which eased the trip. One stop was a place called Alacon an old fortified town over looking a river and Dam, our first coffe and cake of the trip the next stop was in a service station which was also very good with a great hunting shop.
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After a long (400km) drive we arrived just out side Cordoba and are camp-site for the night in a village called Villafranca The site was La Albolafia and was all we could ask for, large pitches good facilities and not many people. We had a quick walk round the village to get milk and find somewhere to eat later.
We had quite a meal in the Village with Flo ordering the most expensive wine in the restaurant and Lotti hiding under the table.
We found great parking right on the edge of Cordoba just a short walk in to the old town. We meandered around the old town until lunch time and found lunch in the newer part of Cordoba. Cordoba was impressive with a mix of buildings and history, the unbroken sunshine also helped. Crossing back over the huge bridge back to Blu we went into a shopping center for supplies, and Lotti got to buy a new dish.
On the way to Seville we stopped in Carmona a hill top town for fuel (€0.87 a litre) another lovely spot and very busy.
We arrived in Seville around 12:00 and we could see roughly where the Aire should be after a bit of faffing around we found it but it just did not appeal especially to me so we tried to find parking in the City but it wasn’t too be, just to much traffic and no parking so we decided to call it a day and headed off to Ronda. Driving out of Seville we still managed to see a lot for the city again impressive.
Turns out there is Bull fighting next week and the place is already crammed with people setting up stall etc.
Flo had found Camping El Sur about 3 km outside Ronda. Once again the facilities where good and it had a nice restaurant which we where happy to use.
After a leisurely breakfast we walked into Ronda, what a difference a day can make we arrived here last night and it was 27c to day it’s 12c with a bitting wind. One we found a drink link and it spewed out some cash, a relived Flo was able to enjoy a coffee in the lee of the wind,here we planned our assault on Ronda.
We wandered around the town dodging the masses of Japanese and their selfie sticks. On our way into the town we saw a restaurant which looked promising and on further investigation it was perfect, out of the wind and in the sun, our meal was good and a glass of wine topped it off.
Then we explored the old City walls and walked down from the town centre to look back up at the new bridge and then back to the campsite.
Ronda
Last night was very cold but we woke to a beautiful sunny morning, and being well organised last night we where on the road for 10:00. The drive down from Ronda is spectacular to say the least, much better weather than when Garth and I where here on our cycling trip.
The road from Ronda brought us into San Pedro and passed the Hotel Garth and I stayed in a few years ago when we came here cycling, we continued on to Marbella and Flo found the Skoda Hotel that she stayed in with the family back in the day. Unfortunately we could not get parked as the whole town was jointed so we drove back to La Canada shopping and grabbed a coffee here before continuing on to Malaga.
Arrived in Malaga and found parking with out any trouble. Flo took me through the City to La Canasta a coffee shop she used with Florence Sr on their last Holiday. Then Lotti took us both back to Blu head down no messing.
Our days journey continued on up the coast and through the Sierra Nevada which I have always wanted to see, the mountains looked spectacular with the snow on top in the sun, and finally we arrived in Granada and our Site for the night.
We found La Zubia and La Reina Isabel tonights camping, the site on first look was a bit disappointing, small and cramped but actually turned out to be more than adequate with good facilities and the best showers so far.
I couldn’t sleep so got up 07:30 and showered etc and we where on the road for 09:00 and about 20 mins later we parked up ready to tackled the Alambra, Unfortunately Lotti was bared a quick rethink and we walked up to the old town for the views of the fortifications, and of course the necessary coffee, we then wandered around the Alambra city walls and back to Blu.
We returned home via Juen, Ubeda, Alcaraz and Albacte, and for a good part of the way we followed the Ruta Del Don Quijote a long walking trail built on an unused railway line taking in 148 towns.
Granada