Summer in Spain (again)

[jumartoo]

Just as we were leaving As Somozas we passed a farmacia. Martin "nipped" in to get our prescriptions filled, and also to buy a couple of Covid tests, 'cos he had a cough and slight temperature.

I was left in the van, for ages. I thought he'd had a big problem.

Eventually he returned.

The guy in the pharmacy wanted to know all about Martin, why he could speak Spanish, cos Brits often can't, where we lived and what we were doing in Galicia, and did we like it? He was very happy that we loved his region.

People came, and went, Martin was still there. I was getting warm in the van and ... the fridge was in the sun also, but it coped.

Anyway, the Covid test was negative after all

 

[windboy]

P4N is down. Shock, horror

With a little use of the grey cells, and a knowledge of this area, we "managed" to travel to our present spot. The motorhome parking at San Sadurniño. We're Billy no Mates atm, except for a parked up caravan.

We had a short stroll through the park, with the coloured sculptures, and back along the river. If it's quiet here, we'll stay until Monday morning and then ... go into (or the outskirts, preferably) of Ferrol. The van Aircon isn't very cold, so it may need a recharge, and I need some brake pads for my bike. (Stop press the brake pads are ordered to a pick up at a petrol station in Naron). We will also need some GPL/LPG before we go more remote.

Last year we met up here with Estefania, from Murcia. She's been in touch with us, but she's a week or so (for us) further west already so we may not meet up again, this time. Danko, her old dog, is still going strong at 14 years +

A bike ride tomorrow from here

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Hi Judith and Martin, we remember you visiting the sculpture park before so when we were visiting family last year we took our grandchildren to the park, they live in Pantin and had never been before. We love following your adventures especially in the Galicia area. If you are going to Ferrol make sure you look up the artwork which you will find on buildings, cannot remember the area but sure you can Google it, worth a look. We are hoping to be visiting family in Pantin in September.

Jenny & Terry

 

[jumartoo]

Hi Judith and Martin, we remember you visiting the sculpture park before so when we were visiting family last year we took our grandchildren to the park, they live in Pantin and had never been before. We love following your adventures especially in the Galicia area. If you are going to Ferrol make sure you look up the artwork which you will find on buildings, cannot remember the area but sure you can Google it, worth a look. We are hoping to be visiting family in Pantin in September.

Jenny & Terry

Thanks. We're hoping to avoid actually going into Ferrol. I'll have a look on Google though. By total coincidence we've found a place with cheap LPG, a supermarket and a bike shop (Martin's bike front wheel needs a bit of attention), all very close to the Amazon drop off point where my bike brake pads are being delivered. All north of Neron, so we don't even need to get tangled up there.

Have a nice family visit. September should be lovely.

 

[gus-lopez]

We had another fridge defrost yesterday.

I only have occasional problems,mainly side to side it insists on being 100% level. Seriously considering a 12v compressor fridge. Some reasonable prices about.

That seems like a time to be well away from Viveiro

you are out of luck anyway Judith as all the "earlybird 2025" tickets have long gone

My view

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prices V weight are good .I thought France had reasonable prices

 

[jumar]

I only have occasional problems,mainly side to side it insists on being 100% level. Seriously considering a 12v compressor fridge. Some reasonable prices about.

you are out of luck anyway Judith as all the "earlybird 2025" tickets have long gone

prices V weight are good .I thought France had reasonable prices

Richard...never had much in the way of fridge problems...and the need to be perfectly level...but just now it's become needy...must be a age issue...

We had a compressor fridge in a VW many years ago....couldn't keep the battery from going flat ..but now with lithium less challenging...but our set up is aimed at keeping our bikes charged.
I'm also appreciate the ease of obtaining GPL in our adopted country....
However...an interesting concept...

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[royandsharont]

Those photos of the sculpture park were great

 

[jumartoo]

Most people arrive here to use the service point. A few late travellers spend the night and then move on. That's all good for us. We like to get out and about and explore the surrounding area. So as long as places like this, and a few others we've used recently, exist, we're very happy.

We had a lovely, satisfying, ride. Unfortunately it wasn't particularly photogenic. The views were great to our eyes but not the camera lens.

So, not so many photos today and some are maybe a bit mundane.

It'll be a "mundane" day tomorrow.

I wonder where we'll spend the night? P4N being back, makes it so much easier. We have now downloaded the Spain and Portugal map to use offline.

 

[jumartoo]

So today was a day of mixed fortunes. We couldn't get Martin's bike wheel fixed, but I did do a good Mercadona shop. We also couldn't get the van aircon looked at/regassed. But we did fill up with LPG. 35 ltrs, the most we've ever needed. We didn't get my brake pads. We waited until 1.45 and then headed to our present spot, on the coast with lots of other motorhomes.

We got, as far as we're concerned, a prime spot here. No-one between us and a sea view (except for a few cars). It's definitely not somewhere we'd have chosen if we weren't hanging around for the delivery, which eventually arrived at 2.12 pm! We'll pick it up tomorrow now.

We've not been out to take any photos yet. Lunch was more important. We may do a ride from here in the morning, before we go back for the delivery.

We'll then get past Ferrol and A Coruña and back into our comfort zone.

Photos from around here will (maybe) follow ...

 

[jumartoo]

We've had a stroll. It's busy, comfortably, busy, but too busy for us. We'll ride in the morning and then leave.

 

[jumartoo]

Haha bloomin' Green Spain, it's raining. We're all ready to go out on the bikes as well. And ... it's not forecast to rain here!

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[jumar]

Just a moment...it's stopped raining...people surfing, people sailing...what's a bit of rain...well for me...can be disastrous...I wear glasses to see where I'm going and follow the GPS...easing now....the surfers are bound for the beach...suppose it matters not to them..
..

 

[scousebird]

Just a moment...it's stopped raining...people surfing, people sailing...what's a bit of rain...well for me...can be disastrous...I wear glasses to see where I'm going and follow the GPS...easing now....the surfers are bound for the beach...suppose it matters not to them..
..

I started singing that in the style of "Hello mother, hello father, here I am at Camp Grenada"

 

[Russell's Dad]

Camp is very entertaining, and they say we'll have some fun if it stops raining 🌧

 

[jumartoo]

Well we've had a change of plan, after going out in mizzle and ending up being drenched right through to the skin. We've showered and we're staying here again tonight and looking for a laundrette in the morning before skirting Ferrol and A Coruña and getting back to quiet places.

I took a few photos at the beginning of our ride but then I had to put the camera inside my rucksac to protect it. We didn't see much more from then on, but I think some of the scenery would have been stunning.

This is the first time, for years, we've had a rainy ride. We've definitely not ridden in rain since we've had ebikes (2018). It was an experience

These would have looked even nicer under blue skies.

 

[jumartoo]

We had a quiet night, after the Italian surfers had finished cooking (11 pm).

We're now doing all the boring, but necessary, jobs.

My new bike brake pads have been collected from an Amazon locker. I'm now sitting in a Leroy Merlin carpark whilst Martin is visiting bike shops with his wheel to see if one of them can repair it for him, or at least supply some bearings.

(He's done that before, in Seville, and had some interesting conversations whilst walking around the city )

The next stop is a laundrette, nicely sited just off the motorway at a fuel station with a motorhome service point.

So far so good. Martin's just let me know the wheel is almost ready

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[jumartoo]

Ah well. Lesson learnt. Don't type, even on here, without saving.

So the laundrette stop was successful, and the loo emptied. Martin sorted out his bike wheel whilst this was in progress. I also popped to Gaddis and got us a few bits. Another 3 ltr wine box for when our, opened today, needs replacing.

We then drove on the pay motorway. Just over €4 and saved us some time, and some ups and downs on the old road.

We'd decided to come back to a parking we've used a few times before. It's through the town of Caión, and I posted last year about the way in and the way back out. When you've driven it once it's no big deal. There's a huge, flat parking area, allowed by the town, right on the sea, room for about 50 and yet we've never seen more than four here. Why? It's one of our favourite, allowed, areas. Long may it continue being quiet (except for the sea).

View from our kitchen window.

Until someone parks there ...

And in front.

 

[LesW]

Ah well. Lesson learnt. Don't type, even on here, without saving.

So the laundrette stop was successful, and the loo emptied. Martin sorted out his bike wheel whilst this was in progress. I also popped to Gaddis and got us a few bits. Another 3 ltr wine box for when our, opened today, needs replacing.

We then drove on the pay motorway. Just over €4 and saved us some time, and some ups and downs on the old road.

We'd decided to come back to a parking we've used a few times before. It's through the town of Caión, and I posted last year about the way in and the way back out. When you've driven it once it's no big deal. There's a huge, flat parking area, allowed by the town, right on the sea, room for about 50 and yet we've never seen more than four here. Why? It's one of our favourite, allowed, areas. Long may it continue being quiet (except for the sea).

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View from our kitchen window.
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Until someone parks there ...

And in front.

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Ooh that looks nice, do you have a map reference for it?

 

[jumartoo]

I'll search out the info for you.

 

[jumartoo]

Caión parking.

Parking for 100 is a bit ambitious, 50 would be sufficient, and there are plenty still parking in the 5m+ prohibited area.

We were three last night here, so far today we're now alone.

 

[jumartoo]

After a promising sunrise, we had grey skies, but it was dry, so we went for a ride.

Looking back from the viewpoint on the road.

And a close up of our area. We're hidden behind the building.

San Pedro do Sal.

Heading back. The way in is at the side of the last white building.

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[jumartoo]

We've now got blue skies and sun, but the breeze is keeping the temperature just right.

On our way back in I took a couple of photos of the square, showing the way through.

The road seems to end at a left turn, into a square with bars, shops and the church. Fear not. Turn left into the paved Square and then right between these buildings. You're heading to the Port.

The yellow signs show the way.

We didn't ride that way because we were chasing after the bread van

But the road goes down towards the port and then goes left at the side of a bar. Keep going straight, and the parking is as far as you can go.

I posted last year of the way out. But you emerge into the square here.

Where the person in red is. You then drive across the paved Square to turn right back onto the main road.

It's simple when you've done it once. (For normal sized motorhomes, anyway).

 

[jumartoo]

So, whilst I'm waiting to go out and explore our new area. A grass parking area on the coast near Malpica (recommended by Stef. How have we missed it in the past ??). We stopped off, en route, at Carballo, and had a nice 30km ride.

Anyway, I digress. Especially for Peavy (and maybe he already knows).

The meaning of donuts!

"There's a local guy, in Caión, who's a donut (idiot) who has been reviewed on P4N as driving donuts on the carpark (spinning circles in his car) and ... the real meaning of a donut is an awful dough and oil pastry (similar to a churro) but in a ring shape.

A plain donut. Apparently (but I don't get close) they can be filled with various jams and even covered with sugar and icing

When I was in college I had a Saturday job at Woollies (Woolworth store, now gone) on the fresh cream cake and pastry counter. We had a donut making machine. I smelt of nasty, smelly oil, every week. It was bad enough to have put me off donuts ever since .

Here endeth my donut lesson

How can you tell I'm bored with nothing to post about

 

[Peavy]

I always thought "donuts" was an anglicism to Spanish from doughnuts. Have you tried rosquillas?
Edit: Google says in Murcia rosquillas are like some kind of small bread thing, totally different to the rosquillas I mean.

 

[jumartoo]

When we left our two nights spot, this morning, via a agua potable fuente (drinking water fountain) and the service point nearby. A guy in a rental motorhome, with three kids, was ..... trying to fill his water tank.

Martin went to help. A good few minutes later, after Martin tried all his hose attachments, the guy was filling the fresh water tank. We were then tied there until he'd finished

Meanwhile, Martin emptied our loo and had a chat.

Then, the rental van toilet needed emptying. The paperwork came out ... we left .

He was a nice guy, from Madrid, who recognised that Martin had a Murcian accent but he was still not nice enough to do the black emptying for!

We're now parked, near to Malpica, (for reference only as the biggest place around), on a huge, "grassy" parking area. Near a small river and the sea. There appears to be a restaurant above us, but so far we've not been out to explore.

When siesta (for one) is over, we may get out for a look around.

First impressions are that it's amazingly low on motorhome numbers, given its nice position

A nice weekend may change this impression.

We're here .. blue dot on the left.

 

[jumartoo]

I always thought "donuts" was an anglicism to Spanish from doughnuts. Have you tried rosquillas?
Edit: Google says in Murcia rosquillas are like some kind of small bread thing, totally different to the rosquillas I mean.

Yes, doughnuts are the Brit way of saying the American donuts (I think).

It's all merging into one mixed language.

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[jumartoo]

Yes, doughnuts are the Brit way of saying the American donuts (I think).

It's all merging into one mixed language.

If rosquillas smell anything like doughnuts/donuts then, no thanks

 

[Nigel Crompton]

We're here .. blue dot

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Marked as a favourite from our stay in '22

 

[jumartoo]

Marked as a favourite from our stay in '22

Maybe that's why I had it already marked as a favourite. We've definitely not been here before, even on the bikes.

 

[jumar]

I always thought "donuts" was an anglicism to Spanish from doughnuts. Have you tried rosquillas?
Edit: Google says in Murcia rosquillas are like some kind of small bread thing, totally different to the rosquillas I mean.

Never tried them....however the Murcian ones like everything else from Murcia, must be different...

 

[jumartoo]

We've been out. From the end of the grass parking area is a river, with a sandy beach all along it in the direction of the sea. Lots of families here. The sheltered, shallow water, is great for kids.

Then we emerged onto the beach, with a view back towards the lighthouse that seems to be on the island of Sisarga Grande.

It must be one of the loveliest beach areas we've been to so far. We're looking forward to a ride from here tomorrow.

Heading to the river, and along it to the beach.

And on the beach with the lighthouse in the distance.

Our parking.

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