What a find! Turned out to be a mix of a country park come zoo with facilities for picnics and barbecues and a horse riding stable attached. Also bars, restaurant , crazy golf and children's play area and an all important car park with motorhome service point . There were also regular Guardia Civil security patrols. They had free wifi in the bar/ restaurant and the food was cheap and plentiful if not always to our taste. The bar was well patronised until the early hours of the morning, Weather is now much more like the Andalucian temperatures we are used to touching 30 degrees at time .
Sunday 1st May
Awoke to the sound of barking dogs which proved to be the regular weekly dog obedience / training class. They were all very large dogs ; a Great Dane; German Shepherds; Akitos etc and were learning a mix of skills from simple sit and stay to attack training as guard dogs. The Great Dane in particular looked so soppy with its owner that I think it’s only deterrent would have to be its size!
Took the opportunity of going out on the bike to visit a local village which didn’t have a lot to commend it other than another ruined castle with far reaching views. We even struggled to find a bar for a cold drink!
There was in influx of pensioners via cars and coaches back at the park during the evening in contrast to the families and children the day before but everything went quiet by 11pm so we had a good night’s sleep.
Monday 2nd June
Awoke with the realisation that today being Monday would mean that everything official would be closed. Confirmed this on the web site for Cordoba so decided to take a leisurely drive through the local area to check out a motorhome Aire at Alanis which turned out to be in the centre of the small town in a very pretty square, It is a real credit to the local municipality that they have provided these facilities. Have already found a local bar which is convenient and friendly. The only downside is that there doesn't seem to be any internet access in the area.
Spent a pleasant evening sat outside the bar eating and drinking and watching the to’ing and fro’ing of the locals with their trailers loaded with horses. We never managed to work out what exactly was going on! At one point a horse drawn cart came up to the cross roads with a horse toed to the back and it stopped for several minutes and everyone stared when suddenly a little foal appeared which obviously had got left behind. They were reunited and all set off again out of view.
By the time we got back to the motorhome there were quite a few families in the square enjoying their evening walk. All went quiet at 10pm and we had a relatively peaceful night.
Tuesday 3rd June
Alcazar Pathetic Pansy display |
Had a rude awakening from the local farmers off to work! Set off early for Cordoba but unfortunately followed the directions of the sat nag which we use for the car not the one for the larger vehicles and it too us through a Parque Naturel through the Sierra Norte on a road which deteriorated by the kilometre until we were driving at speeds of only 5 - 10mph. It seemed to last forever and I have never been so glad to see a proper tarmac’d road with white lines! Arrived in cordoba at around 2pm in the extreme heat of the day . with temperatures around 35 degrees we struggled to enjoy the sights and were very disappointed on a return visit to the Alcazar Palace to see the gardens in such poor state with wilting flowers and dried up flower beds - not a patch on last year’s display.
Grumpy Old gardener? |
Eventually admitted defeat and set off for La Campina camp site where we have stayed for the past 2 years and have enjoyed so much. Had a warm welcome from Mathilde and her husband Rick and parked next to a Dutch couple who we met here last year. Fortunately the pitch is orientated to allow for satellite reception so I can continue watching the French open tennis!
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