Pete, Nic & the two Sue's tour - Pete's Blog part 2....

Monday

Sunday evening was spent having an 8.30 pm meal - no restaurants open before 8pm

Lazy morning - girls shopping while I had a beard trim & haircut...hope it goes back lol !!!

The afternoon spent visiting all the ancient buildings which were incredibly cool compared to the heat of the day . Tomorrow off by 10 am for the 79 mile journey north to our next Parador.

"Pete Rowlands as you have never seen him" (Nic's comment on the barber visit...lol...!!!)

Tuesday

After a session in the cocktail bar then late evening in the restaurant we decided breakfast at 9am . Cars out of underground garage ready to load up. Nic told us he had to have a major luggage sort out as he had brought 32 pairs of everything!!! Shirts, socks & pants. We wondered why he needed a luggage “cart” at every hotel!

Set off at 10 am. After an hour my car lost all power! fortunately we glided into a wide slip road, bonnet up & blocked jet we thought. Carb bowl off, which was full of crud, bowl scrapped clean and all 3 jets out - 2 ok but compensator jet really blocked. All sorted we thought !!! Car would not start and petrol pump lever not pumping fuel? Pipes disconnected and the we found one the brass inlets into the pump was not tight.

Righted and we were on our way after approx 45 mins, girls had been left sweltering in the cars, very grateful to be off. No more problems and arrived at our Parador in Basque Country at 1 pm.

Tomorrow a full day exploring Vitoria Gastiez.

Wednesday

Great day being proper tourists!

Off back from town, four up in Nic’s car, he's driving, me navigating.

Sack cloth & ashes for my navigating skills 40 km extra plus two sessions on motorway...even saw the airport & signs for Portugal !!!

Hola...Nic has offered to service the tractor...lol

Thursday

Set off at 9 am with hoods up as it had rained in the night!... stopped after an hour for petrol

( lots of E5 98 available in Spain ) - I had 13L Nic 31L stopped for coffee and snack lunch 8 miles from our parador.

Super 100 mile country run through twisty minor roads. Arrived 2.30pm to enjoy beer on the terrace.

Only place we are going tomorrow is by the pool as forecast is for 39. Cools off from Sunday onwards , a very comfortable 28.

Friday

We are staying at the Limpias Parador & after breakfast we took a 2 hour walk to the small town and along the river bank. The river is tidal & was a very important port hundreds of years ago. The enormous wetlands are protected.

Move off tomorrow...gave the car a half pint of oil & topped radiator.

So far we have travelled 675 miles ( 475 in Spain ).

Rowlands on tour!

Saturday

What a day!!!

Late breakfast only 32 mile journey to hotel, left 11 am . Enter hotel in Google maps and off we go. After about 5 miles made turn and started an ascent both over & through the mountains on rough dirt round. Lots of 1in 4, first gear and very steep double hairpins - stopped most of way up...lost Nic!

In the end agreed Sue would put the hotel in her Sat Nav and we would meet there. We finally arrived at hotel 1.30pm to be told that 2 hotels have same name and ours is a further 52 miles away. Rang Sue T with the bad news and she entered new location. We set off again knackered in heat of the day, so I decided to jump on motorway for 45km. Sue rang to say Nic had stopped to adjust brakes and was now starving so stopped for lunch. We arrived at correct hotel 4 pm. Nic & Sue arrived 5.30pm

Interestingly we thought it was cloudy & might rain but our host informed us it was a haze from the servers fires further east.

Footnote...

Severe fires - we have had to put the hoods up on the cars as the ash from the fires is raining down !

Sunday

Excellent 115 mile journey - Coffee, Fuel & Lunch stops, found a great place for meal last night & ordered paella for four tonight.

Off to a town on the coast Monday.

Our hotel up in mountain, sun obscured by ash cloud! Very traditional grain store on stilts outside our hotel. A feature of the area.

Monday

Spent most of day exploring Cudrillo, girls shopping, Nic & I puffing to top of viewing point. Rewarded with shared lunch of fresh sea bass & mixed salad washed down with local wine while watching the fishermen landing their catch.

Picture is of Goose barnacles a delicacy of the region...

Tuesday

Only just over a week left !!!

Relaxing 45 mile drive to our hotel 3 miles outside town of Oviedo - 4star with huge pool & spa, cars in underground garage.

Taxi into the town at 12 noon, I had a newspaper article from 2023 on this place so we set off to find the famous La Paloma tapas bar which certainly did not disappoint. Then on to the famous cider street for more alcohol ! Taxi back for 3.30 pm them a relaxing hour in the pool & spa for Pete. Everyone else had a siesta!

Taxi back to Oviedo tomorrow to see the cultural sites.