Mick Paskins Blog

2024 Spain

2024 Spain

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  • Wed 27th Dec
    An increasingly blustery day, big motorhome pack, left for the tunnel around 3.30. Easy drive, and Josie’s EU passport eliminated border cufuffle. Train booked for tomorrow morning, but offered one at the exacting time of 6.36 this evening – less than half an hour wait, so ended up the night in Lidl car park in Coquelles.
    An otherwise excellent day marred by the news that Ted has died. Sue met Ted’s wife, Anne, on her first day at primary school. Only heard a few days ago that Ted was ill, so for us at least rather sudden. He was apparently OK at our wedding anniversary do last July.
    Increasingly windy overnight. Driving may be a challenge.
  • Fri 29th Dec
    Yesterday, we left our very windy and overcast Lidl car park, and set off for Chartres. However, as we went round Rouen, the sky lightened, the cloud was thinner and higher, and there was some cheerful sun. Stopping for lunch just south of Rouen, we decided to instead stop at an Aire I had heard about on a motorhome website on the bank of the Seine. (The Aire, not the website).
    And so pleased we did. A small village called Pont-de-L’Arche, lots of houses clearly mediaeval.

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    The view from the Aire.
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    Looking the other way, a fine gothic church.
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    And the fine gothic pile again.
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    Today, we set off for Chambord via Chartres. Did shopping at the excellent Bio shop there. The drive from there towards Chambord was slow, monotonous and uninteresting. The weather was heavy cloud, and when we saw a sign pointing to an Aire about 30 kms from Chambord, we decided to stop for the night.

    Interestingly, walking Josie along the Seine, the next village is called Les Damp. The village we are now in is called Dry.

    Does that forbode an improvement I wonder……..

  • Chateau Chambord
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    A huge Château, very imposing. And, very strange inside. The centre is dominated by a huge staircase, with extravagant spaces radiating out.
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    One of these spaces, the enclosed staircase in the centre of the picture.
    A lot of small rooms, often connected by stark stone very narrow passages.
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    Over the centuries, the surrounding, very extensive, woodland must have been the scene of much slaughter.
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    Too many antlers to put on the wall….
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    Still, perhaps I should be circumspect – we had venison for Christmas dinner!
    The second floor was given over to an art exhibition. Sorry, “art” exhibition.
    Seemed to be large sections of tree trunk carved into rounded boxes, apart from several oversized and rather deformed bums, tits and pricks.
    The outside around the third floor was much more fun.

  • The roof balconies
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    The top of the central staircase.

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    Close up.

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    Another staircase (off limits to us), from the central courtyard.

    Just as I was leaving, three musicians started playing, an early recorder, what looked like a bassoon, and a chap who alternated between a side drum, caster nets and a tambourine.

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    Everyone gravitated towards the sounds, and the room was way too small.
    Definitely preferred the outside to the inside.

  • And, the formal garden
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    The green stuff is genuine manicured grass. The exact opposite of everything in our garden!

  • Sun 31st Dec
    Morning drive to Limoges, started with clear sky, a very low sun at this time of the year, and driving south. Sort of aimed the motorhome and hoped.
    Then, the clouds rolled in and it rained. Not heavy, just wetly. With a final flourish of an incredibly violent hailstorm, the clouds rolled away, and we were able to stick to our original plan of walking round the old town of Limoges.

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    The step climb from La Vienne, the river spanned by a 13century bridge, not very obvious in the background.
    Many medieval houses, and a somewhat muted cathedral.
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  • Mon 1st Jan
    Happy New Year
    Drove from Limoges through frequent showers to Bordeaux, arriving early afternoon. A very confusing and difficult drive then to a town centre car park, wouldn’t have stood a chance without the ever patient SatNav.
    Missed the entrance to the car park, but managed to park in a side street whilst trying to get back to the car park.
    The centre of Bordeaux has the largest square in France, and one of the largest in Europe, but we would never have known without reading about it, as it was swallowed up by a huge circus, together with all the support vehicles. A pity, Bordeaux doesn’t seem to have a lot to offer, and this was definitely a main attraction.
    However, we did enjoy a remarkably flamboyant statue.

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    Would look better with water, but ever mind.

    Thence we wandered round to the other things mentioned on Google, two town gates.
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    Being New Years Day, most places were closed. I’m sure that, on a warm weekend when everything is open, it would be a vibrant and lively place. We did, however, find a bar for a glass of wine, orange juice for the driver, and chips for the dog, which she generously shared with Sue and myself.

  • Tue 2nd Jan
    Laborious drive from Bordeaux to Biarritz, made more so because we went through Bayonne to avoid the overpriced three sections of motorway peage.
    Parked up in Intermarche car park, did the washing, had lunch, and went to the bio shop on the other side of the road. Stocked up on goodies before entering Spain, where organic will be much more difficult and very variable.
    Drove to the motorhome parking, and turned out not to be the one we wanted. And, turned out to be full. The one we wanted was about a kilometre away, and was busy when we arrived. Loads of motorhomes arrived, if not now full, must be very close. Not nearly as busy as last April, when we stayed here en route to collecting Josie.
  • We’d 3rd Jan
    A leisurely start, and drove the short distance to cross into Spain, and thence to Donostia / San Sebastián. Parked up, some way from the old town, but walking distance to the beach and a funicular railway, so off we went. The city is built round a spectacular sandy bay, very bright yellow sand. Not as it is shown in this rather pessimistic photo. It was actually not a bad day for early January, very overcast but astonishingly mild and no wind.

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    The funicular is a bit lost in this photo, two carriages partly obscured by trees.
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    The view from the top looking down.

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    And, the view over the city.

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    We decided to walk back to the motorhome from the top – after all, it is downhill!
    Made for a much longer walk.
    The motorhome parking area we are in is totally full, I counted 44 vehicles. In the UK, the fire people insist on at least 3 meters between vehicles, as they all have gas, and any closer a fire could easily spread from one to another.

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    Hmmm…..

  • Mishaps in San Sebastián
    Not really mishaps, we decided to drive to a car park in the harbour. From comments and reviews, things were being reined in, no overnight parking, restrictions for residents only. When we arrived, told no parking at all, so we returned to our overnight place after being taken on an alarming journey through the old town by the SatNav.
    Looked up Google maps, and found a nearby bus. And, can pay on the bus. BUT, dogs must be carried. Josie hates being carried, and fights tooth and nail to get off sitting on one’s lap. Made for an uncomfortable journey.
    So, went round the old town, which turned out not to be very old. Apparently, a lightening strike during a storm in 1813 started a catastrophic fire, as it hit an ammunition store.
    So, the cathedral.
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    Built in the 1890’s.
    San Vicente.
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    Basilica of Saint Mary of the Chorus.

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    Certainly the most interesting, and not just because of the name!

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    A carved last supper.
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    Inside the church.
    We’ve seen so many nativity scenes, and astonishingly (to me), people queueing to look at them. And geneflucking. (Is that a word)?
    Very obviously many of then a plastic display to be wheeled out year after year.
    Cynical me now shows admirable restraint, says no more,and goes onto the journey back to the motorhome.
    For goodness knows what reason, my iPad disconnected from the internet, and would not reconnect. Sue still had the bus ticket from the journey here – no 16. And, as she found this, a number 16 bus came along, so we chased it, fortunately not far, to the bus stop. Seemed to be going a funny way. I was hanging onto Josie, who fortunately was less of a problem, whilst Sue watched our progress on the off line map, as we failed to get any nearer our stop. Eventually, we headed back into town, things become increasingly familiar, and we ended up getting off the bus at the stop we got on !
    It was an unusual way to tour the suburbs!

    Went to the TIC, and we were able to use their Wi-Fi to identify the correct bus and stop. Even Josie was less of a problem, perhaps resigning to be clutched on buses. Within a short while of getting back, my iPad connected to the internet.
    How strange!

 

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