A new adventure to Africa

Helen Ariel said:
They look awesome. Barcelona is a city we haven't made it to yet but hope to one day.
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You’ll both love it. That’s a view of some of the chimney pots on Gaudi’s Casa Milà - be sure to check out his other buildings when you visit. (And be very aware of personal security in the more central touristy areas).
 
Morning all. We have landed in Seville at last! Yesterday we woke to a grey, drizzly day in the Basque region so skipped our original idea of a walk and just grabbed a few supplies from the local Lidl. Not our supermarket of choice but the Carrefour had height barriers (reinforcing my non motorhome friendly vibe)

It was actually a pretty nice Lidl and I do like the fact that whatever country you are in the layout is the same so it does make for a quick and easy shop. Plus they always have products of the country you are in, so to feel like we were actually in Spain we picked up some manchego, lovely purple beefsteak tomatoes, iberico ham and some boquerones.

After checking the forecast for Seville we found that wed was going to be warm but cloudy and Thursday is rain all day then turning brighter but cooler the rest of the week so we calculated that we could get to a park up 40km from Seville if we spent the day driving and hopefully get a dry day to wander around and get some much needed leg stretching.

Most of the drive was grey, very windy and through very boring agricultural land but eventually the landscape became more interesting with rugid, rock strewn hills and craggy mountains and then we started to see miles and miles of rolling, managed pasture covered with the classic Holm oaks (we have a young one in our garden at home and it had it's first acorn this year) This is in the Extramedura region of Spain and these pastures are known as La Dehesa.

As avid foodies we were quite excited to see a couple of herds of fat black pigs (the Iberian pig) which feed on the Holm oak acorns and become the iconic product that Spain is so proud of. I did a bit of buffing up online about the various hams and was reminded that the pigs we had just seen roaming free range and eating exclusively acorns give you the Ibèrico de Bellota. Hopefully we will get to taste this in Seville today.

The drive was 500 miles and about 2 hrs from our destination the landscape changed again and became much drier with olives, oranges and palms and we were treated to the most spectacular candy floss skies that kept changing to deeper oranges and reds as we drove on directly into the sunset. I couldn't get a good pic but this one is a bit arty.

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It really brightened my mood as I was itching for that feeling of actually being in a different climate.

We arrived at the park up at 8pm and it was supposed be a scenic spot over looking a reservoir but almost immediately after turning off the small country road there was a low stone bridge/ tunnel. As we approached I said to Paul 'that looks low shall I jump out?' and he said no we'll be fine. Well we got 6m in (very slowly) and then heard a faint noise. Panic ensued and we crept back out and I jumped out with the torch. I could see the tiniest of marks from ground level so we had been very very lucky.

Paul was quite upset with himself but really he was just so ultra focused on getting us to our spot after a massive drive and it was a useful reminder that tiredness can lead to poor judgement.

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Just shaved the paint off 🫣

We stayed the night next to some bins in a very quiet layby and it was a gorgeous, starry night and not a breath of wind which is so welcome as it has been so windy at home the last few months.
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Up early and we had a half hour drive and are now settled in an aire by the port. It's very industrial but gated and serviced at 14e a night and the sun has just come out which was unexpected so we are off to explore!
 
Well it's been a whirlwind 48 hrs of eating, drinking and sight seeing and Seville did not disappoint despite mixed weather.

I've taken far too many photos and so has Paul so I think we'll do a few posts with them all. Apologies if it's a bit much 🤣

On Wednesday morning we had a beautiful start to the day so headed out to explore mid morning. The secure gated parking is quite a strut from the centre but we were relishing some exercise and taxi's are an option if desired.

We thought we'd have another look at the Plaza de Espana 1st as it's closet and looks best with the sun lighting up all the tiling work (we visited Seville on our last trip 2 years ago in 20+ sunshine)

We've both got much better camera phones now so I was keen to get more pics of it.
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We did lot's more walking about just soaking up the place and then headed to a particular restaurant, Sal Gorda, that a friend of ours had highly recommended. As he used to live in Seville and shares a passion for food it was something a bit special. A modern take on tapas.

We had loads of small plates some more photogenic than others.

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It was warm but overcast the rest of the day and we went for a walk by the river, watching the rowers and crossed over the bridge into Triana where it was packed with locals and offers less touristy and better value places to eat but we just had a nice glass of wine and people watched.
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On our way back to the van we heard drumming and whistles and stumbled across a parade of horses, people in fancy dress including black face 😱 and being followed by an excited crowd of families with children as the horse riders were tossing out sweets and small toys to them.
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We messaged our friend about it and it turns out this week is a huge festive week in Spain ending in 3 king's day on Saturday so that explained why town is so busy with tourists and locals alike despite being midweek.

We got back to the van early evening having covered 12 miles on foot and had a restful evening watching some downloads.
 
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On Thursday the forecast was originally for rain all day and we awoke to puddles and a very light drizzle but super mild and no wind.

Mid morning we did a short walk to a long pedestrianised shopping street on our side of the river to go to a ham shop and got fresh bread from a really nice artisan bread shop.

Then back to the van to do a mini tasting of the Bellota ham Vs the Lidl cheap stuff.

The Bellota won unsurprisingly.

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We held off going into town proper until 2.30pm as we were aiming to manage to stay out until after dark to experience the Christmas lights and evening vibe. We tend to do lunches out in Spain as it fits better with vanlife and we struggle to adapt to late night eating especially in winter.

A 40 minute fast paced walk got us back into the heart of town and a particular restaurant that had caught my eye the day before. The Spanish do late lunches which is perfect for us.

This place was more traditional but the venue was gorgeous with a really lovely ambience and friendly service.

We ordered scallops, huelva white prawns and 2 types of fresh fish from the display that were cooked to order, chicken croquettes and beef with truffle croquettes. Lot's of beer in lovely delicate glasses and sat for ages enjoying the music and bustle.
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We wandered a bit more and then it started to pour with rain so we dived into another lovely looking place and squeezed onto some stools over looking the open kitchen and ham carving station. This was the perfect place to wait out the rain with loads going on with food prep for the evening and fresh produce such as black trumpet and winter chanterelle mushrooms arriving. Paul is not shy about asking for a photo so we got some great shots. The tuna belly in particular looked stunning.
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This was another great place for people watching. It was nice to see little kids with their parents tucking into plates of olives and ham and I can't say I've ever seen such a thing as a children's menu here in Spain. Seems like they have a great introduction to food from a young age.

After several vermouths and red wines and another cheeky plate of ham we realised the rain had ceased and it had gone dark so we went out to see the Christmas lights. The rain just added to the experience and I got a bit carried away with the photos!
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A magical end to a great couple of days and we both agreed this is our favourite city and one we will most likely visit again and again.

Today brings a big change of scene as we are heading out to the sticks to stay with friends of ours who have bought some land about 30 miles from here. We met Andrea and Chris in 2020 during our 4 month stay on a campsite in Sagres, Portugal. They are full time van lifers and were our neighbours on the campsite for several months when there were some travel restrictions in place. Andrea is Hungarian and speaks multiple languages and Chris is German speaking some English too.

They were traveling about for several years looking for somewhere to buy to settle down and we have no idea what to expect but I believe they are living in the van still on the land and they have set up a small animal rescue which we occasionally sponsor. They take in stray cats and dogs from the local area as Andrea in particular is a huge animal lover. They spay the animals and treat any illnesses and send copies of all vets bills to a WhatsApp group they have set up for the rescue.

So after we have done our services this morning we are going to a big pet store to get some supplies for the animals. I think it will feel a bit strange going into a pet store again but I'm looking forward to meeting the animals today and hopefully having some cuddles.
 
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Helen Ariel said:
Well it's been a whirlwind 48 hrs of eating, drinking and sight seeing and Seville did not disappoint despite mixed weather.

I've taken far too many photos and so has Paul so I think we'll do a few posts with them all. Apologies if it's a bit much 🤣

On Wednesday morning we had a beautiful start to the day so headed out to explore mid morning. The secure gated parking is quite a strut from the centre but we were relishing some exercise and taxi's are an option if desired.

We thought we'd have another look at the Plaza de Espana 1st as it's closet and looks best with the sun lighting up all the tiling work (we visited Seville on our last trip 2 years ago in 20+ sunshine)

We've both got much better camera phones now so I was keen to get more pics of it.
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We did lot's more walking about just soaking up the place and then headed to a particular restaurant, Sal Gorda, that a friend of ours had highly recommended. As he used to live in Seville and shares a passion for food it was something a bit special. A modern take on tapas.

We had loads of small plates some more photogenic than others.

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It was warm but overcast the rest of the day and we went for a walk by the river, watching the rowers and crossed over the bridge into Triana where it was packed with locals and offers less touristy and better value places to eat but we just had a nice glass of wine and people watched.
View attachment 851207

On our way back to the van we heard drumming and whistles and stumbled across a parade of horses, people in fancy dress including black face 😱 and being followed by an excited crowd of families with children as the horse riders were tossing out sweets and small toys to them.
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We messaged our friend about it and it turns out this week is a huge festive week in Spain ending in 3 king's day on Saturday so that explained why town is so busy with tourists and locals alike despite being midweek.

We got back to the van early evening having covered 12 miles on foot and had a restful evening watching some downloads.
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Yeah find a good town for Jan 6th , the 3 Kings parades are fantastic. I caught my first one last year in Almeria, I even got to fulfill a lifelong dream of petting a camel.


And a few sweets
 
Northernraider said:
Yeah find a good town for Jan 6th , the 3 Kings parades are fantastic. I caught my first one last year in Almeria, I even got to fulfill a lifelong dream of petting a camel.


And a few sweets
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Our friends live near a small town so after a recovery day today we will hopefully go and enjoy some very local festivities tomorrow.
 
Just caught up …. Thank you for such an interesting informative thread!
The spot you chose for Beech is beautiful. A lovely memory created.
Loving the photos of Seville, the 6th from the bottom particularly - so atmospheric!
Your post brings back the Michael Portillo Andalusia series as he too focussed on food and the white Huelva prawns and the jamón ibérico - visiting the pigs grazing amongst the oaks.
 
Grianan said:
Just caught up …. Thank you for such an interesting informative thread!
The spot you chose for Beech is beautiful. A lovely memory created.
Loving the photos of Seville, the 6th from the bottom particularly - so atmospheric!
Your post brings back the Michael Portillo Andalusia series as he too focussed on food and the white Huelva prawns and the jamón ibérico - visiting the pigs grazing amongst the oaks.
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Ha funny that you mention the Portillo series. We loved it and it definitely inspired us to sample those things when we spotted them on the menu.

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Lenny HB said:
Flipping heck I thought you were on holiday not a torture trip. :LOL:
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Ha it was a bit much and we are pretty tired now including the city experience but the weather was so depressing further north and we have a lot to pack in before our insurance with LV kicks in for Morroco on the 9th.
 
We have had a restful day and night with our Portugal pandemic buddies. Not surprised but their land is VERY basic. They have been there 2 years and took on 6000m2 plot of grape vines. They had a set back at the start as they started their habitation at the bottom and found out it floods so had to redo stuff higher up the plot.

They are still living in their van with only solar and well/rain water and cooking with meths. They would feed the stray animals that come onto their land before themselves and I was glad we arrived with a big bag of dog and cat food and some natural treats. They are slowly developing the site by removing vines and turning it to organic permiculture to become self sufficient.
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The animals were very affectionate and I had cuddles with the biggest dog I've ever seen. He arrived there really skinny with sores on his neck but is looking good now.
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I sponsored and named this cat Lua (Portuguese for moon) when they rescued her a few months ago
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The pictures don't quite capture the size of this guy. His head was so huge I couldn't believe it.
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Despite the sun it's actually quite cold here and due to get colder so we only stayed last night and headed south to a park up near Algeciras ready to get our ferry tickets sorted tomorrow hopefully for departure around Tuesday.

Before leaving I gave Andrea a few seeds from my collection that I will be sowing in the van before we head home late Feb. I like to grow chillis, peppers and aubergines which need a long season and so will get a small head start by germinating them in plastic containers and kitchen roll a week before coming home.

She was so happy and appreciative of my small gift it made me very happy to see.

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Stunning sunrise over Gibraltar from our overnight park up this morning. Pretty chilly down here this morning but glorious light.

We’ve booked on a little site for tonight and are re-stocking the van with food, booze, LPG & diesel before heading off on a bike ride which will be the first of this trip. Then we’ll source our ferry tickets. Hanks for the tips Jimbohorlicks
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If you go to the Carlos area in Algeceras to park up( it's free) there is a garage there also with deisel as cheap as morocco. 1.36euros. Everywhere else around Algeciras was 1.54. In morocco its 14.0D and in some places 13.4.
 
Jimbohorlicks said:
If you go to the Carlos area in Algeceras to park up( it's free) there is a garage there also with deisel as cheap as morocco. 1.36euros. Everywhere else around Algeciras was 1.54. In morocco its 14.0D and in some places 13.4.
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We’ve seen diesel as cheap as €1.29 on this trip
 
So ferry tickets bought from Carlos. €280 for an open return.
We leave tomorrow morning at 10:00! Very excited to visit Africacacaca where it began apparently - bonus point if you get the very vague band & song reference!

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As much as I cajoled Helen to get a pic with the man himself, it was a very firm no…
Beautiful blue skies and some warmth from the sun, but the weather has been quite a bit fresher than our last visit here 2 years ago.
Big shop at the nearby Carrefour plus diesel & LPG top-up in preparation for our impending departure.

We then headed to a paid P4N spot called Swallows Rest just outside Algeciras, €18 per night plus €3 for EHU as we wanted to go for an MTB ride on our new eBikes and recharge them.
Nice enough spot but a real PITA to go anywhere on the bikes as you had to navigate the nearby dual carriageway.

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Loads of space, the hosts were friendly and the facilities were clean. Helen even had space to do some yoga and we got everything out of the garage to give it a good clean and rearrange our surf & bike kit.

The trails we found weren’t great tbh; too sandy and not really much fun, but it was nice to get out in the sun and it was obviously a very popular family picnic place. We saw several big groups cooking over wood fires on our ride.

The trip back had the potential to be a bit of an ordeal as we had to go quite a circuitous route to cross the busy road. Neither of us fancied riding along it so we used Google maps to plot a cross country route. We ended up having to double back on ourselves a couple of times but the eBikes made it much less of a chore. We ended riding further than expected but the last few miles turned out to be the best bit! Result!

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Great views of Gibraltar as well as our first sighting of Morocco!
Once we got back we had our first bbq with a couple of gorgeous dorado/sea-bream washed down with a superb bottle of 2013 Rioja Reserva we bought for €8.

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We were woken by the sound of traffic on the road so had a lie in this morning before we cycled to La Linea passing a big refinery. We got close to the border and stopped for a quick bite to eat and a drink before coming back to empty the loo and fill the fresh water tank.

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I’m just waiting on Helen cooking a chicken & aubergine curry, then a bit of TV, early night and early start tomorrow.
Next update will be from Morocco once we sort out our new SIM cards!

Cheers, Paul
 
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Sitting waiting to board the ferry. Great day to be leaving as it’s very overcast with rain due later.

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We’re both quite happy to be leaving the Algeciras area. It’s not the nicest spot and La Línea was a bit of a hole tbh.
When we do this trip again we’ll drive in from a little further afield.

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This will be our last post until we get our new Moroccan SIMs. I promise!

Paul

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