Heading home

Snow on the mountains near Granada

It was with some trepidation that Harvey was packed up ready for the off on the 13^th of February as there had been a lot of snow farther north and the Madrid ring road had been closed for a couple of days. We must have been mad to think of journeying home in the middle of winter but both the van and the car needed to be MOT'd so it had to be done.

The Motorhome Area at Alcazár de San Juan

We left Málaga Monte Parc at 09:00 and headed to Granada with the intention of getting LPG but when we got to the Repsol station that we wanted to use they didn't have an adapter. So we had to go to the main depot and it is not really constructed to cater for larger vehicles so getting in to the pump involved unhitching the trailer and then manoeuvring so that I could reverse alongside. It took much longer than I had anticipated, pretty much par for the course, so an unscheduled stop for the night had to made once we got back onto the motorway.

It was a motorway service area but, despite all the horror stories of people being gassed and robbed in motorway services, we thought it would be OK as trucks would be stopping too. By midnight we were still the only vehicle in this huge truck park and we were getting a bit worried. We went to bed but I got up after about half an hour, got dressed and dosed on the sofa. At about three AM the trucks started to arrive so I headed for bed but when we awoke in the morning at about 07:30 we were already alone again. After tostadas and cafe con leche for breakfast it was back on the road to Alcazár de San Juan, our first scheduled night stop.

Entrance to the bull ring at Alcazár

The A4 is a pretty good road and we made good time, arriving at Alcazár in the middle of the afternoon. The Motorhome Area is situated right next to the Bull Ring and was easy to get in and out of but I had to park Harvey across the marked bays taking up four out of the twelve. We just hoped that there wouldn't be too many other motorhomes on the road at this time of year. There was a nice park across the road and, as it was a lovely sunny afternoon we had a walk around then headed back towards the town, passing the bull ring. The doors of the bull ring were open so we had to have a nose around and a chap caught us but he just told us about the museum that was also a bar. So went and admired the matadors sequinned suits and the heads of defeated torros. There were no heads of defeated matadors. Walking on further into the town, after having a beer in the bull ring bar, we came across a statue of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza still tilting at windmills. The main shopping precinct was bustling with people and we joined them for a little while before heading back to the van and having some dinner. We turned in quite early in order to get an early start in the morning.

The bull ring museum and bar

Next morning saw us on the CM-42 heading for Toledo and a Repsol garage that was supposed to have LPG. It was a bit of a detour but LPG stations are pretty few and far between so it was with great relief that it was available and the access to the pump was fairly easy. After filling up it and getting on the road again, Madrid was successfully negotiated by going around it in an anticlockwise direction and getting onto the A-1. It was an easy run then to Aranda de Duero.

The Motorhome Area in Aranda is behind the railway station and equipped with water and a waste disposal point. To get there, though, we had to drive into Aranda and negotiate a busy junction with a left turn that was pretty tight. It was a bit hairy but once surmounted it was easy to find the Area and it was empty so we could park across the bays again.

Don Quixote and his faithful companion

A Repsol garage supplying LPG had been spotted as we drove into Aranda so Harvey was filled up again in the morning before hitting the road north. Once again on the A-1 and making good time towards Burgos where I had intended turning left and cutting across to the A-67. The Burgos ring road was pretty confusing and I ended up heading anti-clockwise around the city and eventually we found ourselves on the N-623. This wasn't a bad road but it was a bit disconcerting to see snow lying on the verges. When we pulled into a service area for lunch there was snow on the car park but it was melting turning the area into a muddy quagmire. We had passed a Routemaster London bus on the A-1 a while back but, as we had lunch, it  pulled in so must have been following us and heading for the ferry too.

The elephant enclosure at Cabárceno

Although there was snow all around and the mountains looked as if they were frosted the sun shone all the way to Santander and it was a lovely day when we pulled into Cabárceno Nature Park for the night. The Motorhome Area is near the lake and is reached by passing the elephant enclosure but instead of pulling in there we carried on down the the lake and stopped there. It was a lovely spot to spend the night.

Camping by the lake at Cabárceno

In the morning it was off to Santander to catch the ferry with a brief stop on the A-8 to get LPG. Getting on board the ferry went off without a hitch and we were soon stowing our gear in our cabin. The cruise was great, the Bay of Biscay flat calm, and we arrived in Portsmouth in brilliant sunshine (it was a tad colder than we were used to though). We were soon on the road to Wareham and Wareham Forest Tourist Park which would be home for a few weeks.

Christmas and New Year in Málaga

A Nativity scene created with flowers

Along with Tricia's sister, Jane, and brother-in-law, Sam, we took a train from Cartama Estacion into Malaga to see the Christmas lights. The four of us walked from the station into the old part of the city and did some window shopping as we waited for it to get dark. As darkness fell the lights were revealed and they were pretty spectacular.

The lights on a Malaga street

Instead of Christmas trees there were giant mesh cones covered in lights, trees were clothed in lights and the streets were hung with illuminated decorations. It was all very pretty and well worth the trip out to see. When we got off the train at Cartama Estacion we went for a meal in a local restaurant.

The tree in the Square

Christmas Dinner

Tricia and I were invited to have Christmas dinner with Jane and Sam and stay over till Boxing Day so that we could have a drink or three. The girls produced a magnificent spread which I would have liked to eat outside in the sunshine but was outvoted.

The Church Square as people start to arrive

Coin church square was apparently the place to be on New Years Eve so we headed up there about 22:00. The place was almost deserted despite having been told there would be people dressed up and floats and things. We all decided to go and have a drink in one of the bars until things started to get busy.

A whole Indian tribe

Sure enough, by 23:00 people were passing the bar in all manner of weird costumes so we joined them in a stroll back to the church square. People just kept pouring into the square until it was pretty crowded until, at midnight, everyone opened the bottles of sparkling wine they had brought with them, including us, shook them up and sprayed the fiz everywhere.

Tricia with some fishermen

Good job we had been advised to wear jackets with hoods. It was totally crazy but great fun and very good natured. When the festivities calmed down a bit we headed to the Olive Tree, a British run bar that had recently opened in Coin, and stayed there until about 03:00.

The crowd on the church steps just before midnight

The Alhambra

Jamón y Queso Tosados

It has been a couple of months since our trip to Granada and I did promise that I would write an account of our trip. It won't be long before our return to the UK so I thought I had better knuckle down and get it written, so here it is.

In October we went to the local travel agent in Alhaurin el Grande and enquired about a trip to Granada including a visit to the Alhambra Palaces. About half an hour later we came away with a two night booking for the Hotel Don Juan and instructions to pick our tickets up from the ATM machine at La Caixa bank. So heading round the corner to the local bank branch and putting my credit card into the ATM duly had us furnished with our Alhambra tickets.

Tricia in front of the Towers of the Alcazaba Fortress

On the 6^th of November we set off for Granada, a journey of about 140 kilometres, and arrived at our hotel at around lunchtime. The hotel receptionist was very helpful and explained where to go to get the bus to the Alhambra and how to get to the city centre attractions. He also asked if we would be interested in a visit to the Albayzin Muslim quarter, the gypsy quarter of Sacromonte, where people lived in cave dwellings, and taking in a Flamenco evening in a cave restaurant. We thought this would be worth checking out so signed up to the trip for the following evening.

The Alcazaba Fortress

After inspecting our room and unpacking we set out in the rain to time how long it would take to walk from the hotel to the cathedral where the Alhambra bus stop was. Unfortunately we set off in the wrong direction and were trying to figure out where we were when we were helped by a kind Spanish lady. An about turn was done and we stopped in a local tapas bar called Chaplins for lunch. We ordered a couple of jamón y queso tostados (ham and cheese toasties) and were a little nonplussed when the waitress asked if we wanted half ones or whole ones but we plumped for whole ones. To our horror, the biggest tostados you have ever seen arrived a little while later but we were hungry and did manage to eat them.

A view of the Almayzin from the Alcazaba Fortress

Carrying on towards the cathedral in the rain we eventually found the bus stop and headed back towards the hotel. The cathedral was shut for renovation which was a shame because we had heard it is worth visiting. After spending the rest of the afternoon in our room watching TV, a rare treat, and dozing we went out to find somewhere to eat. The hotel receptionist had recommended both the restaurants on the opposite side of the road and said they were both reasonably priced. We decided to try one but would go back to Chaplins for a drink first. Every time we bought a drink the bar staff tried to get us to have tapas but, as we were eating later, we kept refusing. At about half past eight we walked back to the restaurant and found a table. We were perusing the menu and trying to work out what the offerings were, it was all in Spanish, when a young chap who was eating with his family on the table next to us offered to help with the translation. With his help we managed to order a very nice, reasonably priced, meal and then retired to our room for the night.

The Interior of the Alcazaba Fortress

On our ticket it stated that we had to enter the palace complex one hour before our allocated entry time to the Nasrid Palaces at 10:30am. Our walk to the bus stop had been timed at about 10 minutes so we doubled that and decided to set out for the bus at eight o'clock, after having eaten a hearty cooked breakfast in the hotel. The bus arrived on time and whisked us up the hill to the Alhambra in twenty five minutes or so and so we entered through the main gate in plenty of time.

The Albayzin and Ermita el San Miguel Alto (top left)

Granada Cathedral from the Alcazaba Fortress

The Alhambra was so called because of its reddish coloured walls and the name means Red Castle in Arabic. It is located on top of a hill known as al-Sabika, on the left bank of the river Darro, to the west of the city of Granada and in front of the area known as the Albayzin. You enter the Alhambra complex into the Un-irrigated Land where there are lots of ruins of Arab and Christian buildings. This area got its name because the irrigation channels that carried water into it were destroyed in the 16th century.

Walking down through the Upper Alhambra we went into the Carlos the Fifth Palace which is a two story building with a circular central courtyard. The Emperor ordered the construction of this palace next to the Nasrid Palaces and work started in 1527 but was not completely finished until 1957. The construction went through several stages, the works being stopped due to lack of money and revolts, and the building was sometimes neglected to such an extent that the ceilings collapsed. It was built as a winter residence for the Emperor who used the other palaces as summer residences.

The Courtyard of the Carlos V Palace

The upper rooms contained a museum and a lecture theatre but neither were of much interest to us so we then moved on to the Alcazaba fortress and walked around the walls until it was time to visit the Nasrid Palaces. The Alcazaba is the oldest part of the Alhambra and it is thought to have been built on older constructions that pre-date the arrival of the Muslims. Its existence was first referred to in the 9th century. From the walls there were fantastic views of Granada, the Albayzin and Sacromonte, the gypsy quarter.

The Ceiling of the Hall of the Boat - Nasrid Palaces

At ten thirty we queued up for entrance to the Nasrid Palaces and what we saw on entering was remarkable. The ornate plasterwork, the marble and intricate painting were all spectacular. The Nasrid Palaces are so called because they were built by the Nasrid dynasty of rulers. There are three independent areas within the palaces: the Mexuar, which would have been the semi-public part of the palace for administration and state affairs; the Comares Palace, which was the official residence of the king; and the Palace of the Lions, which was the private area of the palace, where the Harem was located. Because of their functions these areas have different architectural characteristics becoming more and more opulent the further in you go. Everywhere you looked there were carvings and intricately moulded plasterwork, on the walls, ceilings and columns. The photographs do not really do it justice.

A Tiled Wall in the Comares Palace - Nasrid Palaces

The Court of the Myrtles - Nasrid Palaces

The Court of Myrtles - Nasrid Palaces

The Entrance to the Palace of the Lions - Nasrid Palaces

Ceiling of the Hall of the Ambasadors - Nasrid Palaces

The Hall of the Mocarabes - Nasrid Palaces

The Hall of the Mocarabes - Nasrid Palaces

The Emperor's Chambers - Nasrid Palaces

The Patio of the Lions - Nasrid Palaces

The Emperor's Chambers - Nasrid Palaces

The Emperor's Chambers - Nasrid Palaces

The Emperor's Chambers - Nasrid Palaces

The Emperor's Chambers - Nasrid Palaces

The Generalife

After leaving the Nasrid Palaces you are guided through the Garden of the Partal and then through more ornamental gardens along the outer wall till you reach the path that leads up to the Generalife. This is another citadel that is above the Alhambra and was the kitchen garden; producing vegetables and flowers for the palaces. Water is collected in cisterns higher up and flows down to the Generalife through pipes and channels on every side.

The Generalife

This citadel occupies the slopes of the Hill of the Sun, from which there is a fantastic view over the city and the valleys of the rivers Genil and Darro. Its name may have derived from the "Governor's Garden", the "Architect's Garden", or the "Vegetable Garden of the Gypsy Festivity Organiser" which is probably the least likely. Built in the 13th century, the Generalife became a leisure place for the kings of Granada when they wanted to get away from the official affairs of the palace.

The Generalife is today formed by two groups of buildings connected by the Patio of the Irrigation Ditch but it has been altered and rebuilt so often throughout the Christian period it is difficult to know what it originally looked like. 

The Patio of the Irrigation Ditch - Generalife

Unlike the Nasrid Palaces, in the Generalife there is very little decorative plasterwork or points of architectural interest. The buildings are quite solid but in general simply built. The main attraction are the gardens and water features. These provided a more intimate and peaceful atmosphere that encouraged the kings use these gardens to rest.

Cave Dwellings on the Sacromonte

All too soon it was time to leave as morning visitors have to be out of the complex by 2:00pm. So it was back to the bus stop and onto one of the buses that run every ten minutes to get a ride back into the city. On the walk back we stopped at a bar advertising 10 tapas for 10€ so we shared those for lunch before wandering about the area around the cathedral and having a look in the shops. It had rained most of the morning and now it started coming down torrentially so, after sheltering under a shop awning for a few minutes till it slackened off a bit, we headed back to the hotel.

The Cave Restaurant - Sacromonte

Waiting for the Flamenco Show - Sacromonte

That evening we decided to go back to Chaplins for a drink and when we order were told by one of the bar staff, who spoke very good English, that the tapas was free with an alcoholic drink. So we had a few drinks and sampled the tapas instead of having a proper evening meal. Later on we were picked up by coach for our trip to the Albayzin and, after wending its way through the narrow streets, it deposited us at the restaurant in the gypsy quarter where the Flamenco show would be held. We were treated to a brilliant demonstration of the dancing in the traditional gypsy style; not a frilly red gown or a castanet in sight. After the Flamenco it was back on the bus for a short distance followed by a short walk through the narrow streets of the Albayzin to visit a view point and get a spectacular view of the Alhambra all lit up and the city spread out below. Unfortunately, because the bus was delayed at the start of the excursion, we didn't get to see the Sacromonte but that will be one for next time.

The Wall at the Ermita de San Miguel Altos

We spent another night in the hotel and ate a hearty breakfast once again before driving up to the Albayzin to see it in the daylight and get some photographs. There was a wall that we had seen from the Alhambra and had to be checked out so after parking in Calle Jardines el Alto and climbing the hill following the wall we reached the Ermita de San Miguel Altos. A bit of photography ensued and then we began the return journey to Malaga. It had been a really enjoyable few days and there are still a few things that need to be seen which will require a return trip sometime.