Trip to Spain – Feb & March 2020

 

Sunday 23 February:

Left home at 2030 to catch Portsmouth - Bilbao ferry. Quite a wait to get on board. The Finisterre cabins are much smaller than the Club cabins and two single bunks rather than a double bed. Questionable whether worth the extra cost compared with the standard outside twin cabins.

 

Monday 24 February:

Has been blowing quite hard in the night so some bumping and banging. Into Roscoff at 0900 for a couple of hours to change crew then passage down the Chenal de Four and inside the Ile de Sein, however visibility poor.

Very good supper – a starter of raw cod and salmon with beetroot done several ways then a sturgeon stew with black lentils and a Grand Marnier soufflé to finish. Not cheap at £83 but well cooked.

 

Tuesday 25 February:

A croissant and coffee on board before 0745 docking on time in Bilbao. Drive for 30 minutes to a little bar, Txakala in Ugao-Miramalles village. A basic locals’ café but friendly and good rolls and coffee for breakfast and freshly made baguette sandwiches for lunch.

Stop at the Celtic village at Numancia which has been thoroughly excavated showing the walls and streets of a substantial settlement. Had been closed when we were last here.

 

 

SMB overlooking Numancia

 

Picnic lunch just outside Bermejo which has a XIIIc castle on a high hill, an old church and town hall.

 

 

Castle and church of Bermejo

 

Saw a dozen eagles circling above – probably Bonelli, possibly Golden – on the back road to Calatayud.

Stayed in the Meson de la Dolores which had been a palace before becoming a posada. A very old building with stone and wood floors, thick internal walls, some with windows. The décor looked unchanged for 100 years – but not meant in a derogatory sense. Our room was perfectly adequate although the window looked across the street – all of 3 metres – to a blank wall. Explored the town with its three mudejar churches and watched flocks of storks returning to roost.

 

Mudejar church door in Calatayud

 

Supped at the hotel but chose to eat á la carte rather than the €15 menu del dia which would have been better value. Started with the local specialities – migas aragonesas and garbanzos con congrio, neither particularly good, then grilled lamb cutlets and boar stew, both passable but ordinary. €69 for the meal.

 

Wednesday 26 February:

A good breakfast at the hotel – yoghurts, omelettes, cold meats, cheese. The tablecloths almost coming down to the floor – a brasero could easily be hidden underneath. Paid €69 for B&B – excellent value – and €69 for supper – not good value!

The 250 mile drive to Cartagena was pretty straightforward, mainly on motorways. Stopped for a late lunch at La Bodega de Don Gil on the motorway a few miles before Alicante. An excellent choice set in an ancient and huge barn with a very high ceiling, the walls decorated with old farm implements (and an ancient typewriter!). Very good value €11.5 menu del dia.

Arrived at the boat at 1730, so able to unpack in the daylight. Boat dry and in good order.

 

Thursday 27 February:

Visited the office to chat with Julia and pay €100 to reserve a berth for July & August. Huge Carrefour shop. After lunch take top off fuel tank to check for bugs – seems OK. Changed both fuel filters – much easier with the suction pump.

Joined for drinks by Horken(?) and Colli(?), Swedish,  from the Bavaria 40 next door.

 

Friday 28 February:

Visit yard to see Fran and confirm lift at 1000 on Monday.

Engine service: change gearbox oil and engine oil (easier with new suction pump), change engine coolant, clean raw water strainer, check alternator belt tension, check impellor which looks fine, general check and grease.

Excellent multi course supper at Techo Bajas for €32 together.

 

Saturday 29 February:

Coronavirus / Covid 19 seems to be spreading a bit both in Spain and UK. Spend morning cleaning all carpets & rugs with Bissell cleaner.

 

Sunday 1 March:

Work on heads. Take out diverter valve and clean with acid. Take out tubes – unable to refit long tube, luckily have spare 3 metres so replace both tubes. Late for barbeque but still have an enjoyable time.

 

Monday 2 March:

Blowing hard. Bicycle to yard – won’t lift today but rearrange for Wednesday 1000.

Collect serviced liferaft and EPIRB. Big Carrefour.

Still blowing hard at lunchtime but warm and blue sky.

Drinks on Guardian Spirit with John and Carrie.

 

Tuesday 3 March:

Fran was quite right to delay lift as it remains gusty.

Decide to cancel trip through France and book Santander ferry home for 14 March. It seems stupid to spend several nights in French hotels with Coronavirus Covid 19 getting worse, particularly in Northern France.

Drinks on Ione with Ken & Jane from Saltair next door.

 

Wednesday 4 March:

To yard. Lifted on time at 1000 but no work done today as several boats lifted.

 

Ione at ASCAR

 

Thursday 5 March:

Yard working hard. Anodes replaced, scratches on stern glassed, prop cleaned and primed, first coat of antifoul.

Lunch at La Marisqueria with David & Vicki Lane from At First Sight (USA).

In the evening go to Beethoven concert by the Cartagena Symphony Orchestra: Coriolanus Overture, Concerto 56 for piano, violin and cello, and Symphony No 4.

 

Ione in yard next to Acier

 

 

Friday 6 March:

Will be blowing hard in the afternoon, so will stay in yard for the weekend.

 

Saturday 7 March:

Polish starboard hull in the morning then drive to Puerto Mazarron for good lunch at Nueva Bodeguita which we think was previously del Puerto.

Drive up steep and twisty road to the fort by Cap Tinosa.

 

 

 

Fort Castellitos

 

 

Wonderful views from near Cap Tinosa.

 

Sunday 8 March:

Do some hull polishing before social barbecue in the marina.

 

Monday 9 March:

Finally launched at lunchtime and return to our berth.

 

Tuesday 10 March:

Treat decks with AGlaze. Now 2 cases of the virus in Cartagena. The whole of Italy is in lockdown and, in Spain, so is Vittoria Gasteiz.

 

Wednesday 11 March:

Much packing etc as we prepare to leave tomorrow.

Evening drinks on Acier with Malcolm and Verlaine then bike into town for supper at Columbus. We are the only ones eating and the Plaza Mayor is almost empty – no paseo!

 

Thursday 12 March:

Brief trip after breakfast to Carrefour for some supplies to take home then shut up Ione and drive to Javea, arriving around 1320 to stay with Glenn and Gwen.

Driven round to see the sights of Javea and hills nearby (plus a couple of bars) before a boozy supper.

 

 

View over Javea

 

Friday 13 March:

Leave Gwen and Glenn after breakfast for a lengthy but uneventful drive to Calatayud, roads fairly empty.

 

 

Storks on Calatayud rooftops

 

Check in again to the Meson de la Dolores, this time with a rather better room. Before supper have a glass of wine at a local bar. We are the only people there and it shuts as we leave, as are all bars in town by decree. Choose the €15 menu del dia at the hotel, rabbit very dry but at that price we cannot complain. At breakfast the restaurant is shut due to Covid 19 but the café has an adequate breakfast. We check out and are the last to leave before the hotel shuts.

 

 

Meson de la Dolores, Calatayud

 

Saturday 14 March:

Drive north towards Santander taking a slightly circuitous route to the west to avoid getting near Vittoria Gasteiz which has many cases of Covid 19. See a huge flock of vultures in a field by the road – an omen?

Picnic by the Embalse del Ebro before driving to a bay on the coast near Suances to kill time before catching the ferry.

 

 

Picnic by the Embalse del Ebro

 

Board the Cap Finisterre ferry in Santander which leaves on time at 2030. Lurk in our cabin with a picnic!

 

Sunday 16 March:

A smooth crossing on the ferry, passing inside the Ile du Sein and up the Four after breakfast. Lunch in the restaurant – not too many people and they are seating everyone at alternate tables to keep the distance.

Arrive on time in Portsmouth at 2030 and home at 2200.