Team Muz on tour in Iberia

If you are going away somewhere and don't mind meeting up with other Bongo owners or if you've been somewhere & want to tell us about it & stick up your photos, put the details here.

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Muzorewa
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Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by Muzorewa » Wed Sep 03, 2014 7:45 am

Having headed north of the border for the last few years, this year there was a resounding “Dad, can we go somewhere hot this year. And with no midges?” After some deliberation I said I would see what I could do. So after a year of planning, we headed south for a change.

This was a big test for an old Bongo – Spain in August with searing heat (40 degrees in places) and some big climbs up into the Pyrénées and the Picos de Europa. I wasn’t planning on a comprehensive tour, we’ve been to Spain & Portugal many times and have done Madrid, Lisbon, Valencia, Seville, Córdoba, Gibraltar, the Spanish Costas and the Algarve and the like. But there’s a lot more in Spain that we hadn’t seen, plus a few interesting places in France on the way down, so this seemed an ideal opportunity to hit them all in one tour. There were also some interesting places in England to check out on the way to Portsmouth.

Summary
Three weeks
7,460km (4,635 miles)
Accommodation / campsite cost - nil

Thanks to:
Ady (Northern Bongolow) for vital pre-trip maintenance
Alison01326 for suggesting northern Spain in the first place
Boyfrombrasil (and Susie too) for putting a smile on our faces in Cantabria as they stumbled across our parked Bongo
Briwy for the use of their pad in the Pyrénées
Dodgey for advice on solar panels & leisure batteries
George (BongoSpares.co.uk) for secondhand parts – just in case
Imperial Leisure Vehicles for the original vehicle
Muz Jr for spending a couple of days copying & pasting links for this report
UmBongoCat & UmBongoChris for showing us the ropes in the Aires de Services in France last year
Warrington Mazda for every new Genuine Mazda part you could wish for

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Our rough plan of attack :shock:

This turned out to be the biggest tour we’ve ever done (in distance and time) in any vehicle. There was a bit of a gastronomic angle too, seeing as there was a good chance of stumbling across some good wine, cheese & cured meat. And Bongy was akin to Quijote’s horse, Rocinante – awkward, past his prime, and engaged in a task well beyond his capabilities.

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The 15th century Kirby Muxloe castle in Leicestershire that was never completed

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Common moorhen at Kirby Muxloe castle

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The castle was for William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings but work stopped when he was executed by Richard III

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A very territorial heron according to the English Heritage staff at Kirby Muxloe

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The moat is impressively wide as it was built as a real fortress, rather than how Disney depict moated castles :wink:

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2 New High Street, Headington, Oxfordshire. You know it makes sense :?

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SR.N4 hovercraft – How I wish I had a go in one of these when they were operational….

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….Dover to France in 22 minutes – Years ahead of EuroTunnel :lol:

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They still run the much smaller AP1-88 hovercraft over to the Isle of Wight (excuse the blurry pic, this was over a mile away :wink: ) My hovercraft is full of eels….

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HMS Victory, you can’t pass through Portsmouth….

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….and not take a look at Nelson’s flagship,….

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….the world's oldest naval ship still in commission 8)

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I was surprised how big it is, especially how many decks there are and how much was below the waterline

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I was also surprised how many times I smacked my head on the beams & doorways :(

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Here Nelson fell. I must admit I nearly tripped over this myself :?

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Victory :wink:

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HMS Warrior from 1860. It looks pretty unspectacular….

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….but this was the first armour-plated iron-hulled ship and it changed naval design forever 8)

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Southsea Castle, one of Henry VIII's Device Forts. It was built in 1544 at the southern end of Portsea Island to guard the eastern entrance to the Solent and the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour

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The Round Tower, one of Portsmouth's oldest permanent fortifications, built in 1418 to defend the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour

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Portchester castle from across Portsmouth harbour. The building with the orange roof in the centre is the Norman St. Mary’s Church within the castle grounds

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Portchester castle – St. Mary’s Church to the left and the castle keep to the right

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Last chance for some proper English food before we go - Cockhills fish & chips, Portsmouth :D

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Brittany Ferries Bretagne for an overnight cruise to Saint-Malo

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From 1989 it’s a bit dated now but at the time it was Brittany Ferries’ first super-ferry

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Portsmouth docks

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Bretagne

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Bretagne

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Bretagne

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HMS Illustrious back home, awaiting being scrapped :?

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Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth

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Spitbank fort, one of several late 19th century Palmerston sea forts built to protect the Solent and the entrance to Portsmouth harbour. The 2002 TV series Banged up with Beadle was filmed here

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Horse Sand fort, one of the two main sea forts, together with….

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….No Man’s Land fort which has been a hospitality centre with indoor pool and two helipads. Some of the 1972 Sea Devils series of Doctor Who was filmed here. All large marine traffic has to pass between these two forts as the WW2 submarine defences still remain to either side :wink:

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What better way to start the holiday than with pink champagne & strawberries :D

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Cheers!

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With only one Euro-socket in each cabin, it’s a good job I brought the Bongo’s cable collection on board :lol:

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Awww :roll:

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Fort de la Conchée on the island of Quincé, Saint-Malo

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Fort National, Saint-Malo, built in the late 17th century to protect the port

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Saint-Malo and the Cathédrale Saint-Vincent-de-Saragosse, Brittany

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The historic walled city of Saint-Malo was almost totally destroyed by allied shelling in WW2 and took until 1960 to rebuild

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Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy, with the Benedictine Abbey at the top. I was keen to visit this to compare with Saint Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, opposite across the Channel – pictures from that tour towards the end of THIS lot in case you missed them :wink:

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Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy

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First of many :wink:

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Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy

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Mont Saint-Michel – the apse of the Gothic choir in the Church-Abbey

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Mont Saint-Michel cloister

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The northern transept of the Church viewed from the cloister

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The vitrail window in the northern transept, and it’s not as plain as it at first appears :wink:

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From Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy. The tidal island aspect made it easy to defend, it remained unconquered during the Hundred Years’ War

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Château d'Angers, Loire valley, founded in the 9th century by the Counts of Anjou....

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....it is the home of the Apocalypse Tapestry

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First night, wild-camp by the side of the Loire, Maine-et-Loire 8)

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I think that’s the last of the Morrison’s sausage rolls we brought with us :( Foreign food from now on :?

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Um Bongo. They drink it in the Congo

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Not too bad a setting for the night

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Sunset over the Loire - That's the Varennes-Montsoreau bridge in the distance....

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....that was destroyed by the French Resistance in WW2 to slow the Germans down 8)

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Château de Montsoreau, Maine-et-Loire, setting for the Alexandre Dumas novel La Dame de Monsoreau

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Netto :? You know it makes sense, although this is nothing to do with the Netto we used to have in the UK

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Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, Loir-et-Cher, founded in the 10th century by Odo I Count of Blois, and acquired by former Queen of France Catherine de' Medici in 1560

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The Cosimo Ruggieri room, named after Catherine de’ Medici’s astrologer

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The Great Salon, Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire

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Only the French would do this. A kissing-chair (tête-à-tête) for three people :?

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The Chapel, Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire

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The courtyard, Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire

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River Loire, longest in France

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Château de Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, largest of the châteaux in the Loire Valley, it was built to serve as a hunting lodge for King Francis I

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Aumont-Aubrac wild-camp, Lozère

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Aumont-Aubrac

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Ham, cheese & Wotsit butties :?

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Millau, Midi-Pyrénées

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Millau viaduct, the tallest bridge in the world over the river Tarn

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Millau viaduct

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Millau viaduct

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Millau viaduct. It’s tall :wink:

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Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, Midi-Pyrénées. I do like a bit of cheese, Gromit

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Roquefort-sur-Soulzon and its Parish Church

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Société cheese caves, Roquefort. There are currently seven producers of Roquefort, Société are the largest....

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....but more importantly the only one to offer English-language guided tours, so if you want to know the ins & outs of the saprotrophic mould Penicillium roqueforti, your choice is made :wink:

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Roquefort. It would be rude not to sample the three best-sellers they do :wink: Oh, and by the way, they're not Kraft cheese-triangle-sized pieces, that's an 11" diameter chopping board, standard fitment in most Bongo conversions :D

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....and take a huge (1.5kg) dollop of the strongest they do, the Cave des Templiers (as a reference, those are regular 2.5" diameter crackers :shock: )

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Cheese please Louise? – One pallet or two? :?

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Roquefort-sur-Soulzon

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Looking north-west along the Le Soulzon valley

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The red wine drinker's Holy Grail, Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Now anyone who knows what’s what about French red knows you’re going to get a nice tipple here (just look on the top shelf of your supermarket wine aisle :wink: )

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This is what it’s all about :wink:

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Château Cabrières, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. What an ideal place to stop for the night....

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....especially as they offer tastings too :D

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....properly expensive tastings too, 29-year old plonk :D

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That’s me set for the night :D

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Cheers. Hic :?

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Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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The 14th century Château des Papes, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The name literally means the Pope’s new castle, built for Pope Jean XXII

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Château des Fines Roches, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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Avignon and their TGV (by the way, their TGV was tested in 2007 at 350mph and regularly operates at 250mph - our HS2 due for roll-out in 2029–2033 will be capable of - wait for it - 250mph :? )....

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....to Marseille. Not that I don’t fancy driving in Marseille, but there’s nowhere to park Bongy

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Onto the Chevalier Paul, named after the 17th century admiral Jean-Paul de Saumeur....

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....to the Frioul islands and the Château d’If

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Fort Saint-Nicolas protecting the entrance to the old port of Marseille from the south

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Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica

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Fort Saint-Jean protecting the entrance to the old port of Marseille from the north

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Fort Saint-Jean

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Château d'If in the Bay of Marseille, a real fortress....

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....made famous in Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo

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Château d'If & Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica

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Cathédrale La Major, Marseille. You can just see the remains of the old Cathedral too, to the right :wink:

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Marseille old harbour, used as a natural harbour since antiquity. The white-washed St. Augustin Church is where the headquarters of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (the Knights Templar to you & me) originally stood

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Never an opportunity lost - The Count of Monte Cristo :wink:

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Never too hot....

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Église des Réformés, Marseille, more properly the Église Saint-Vincent-de-Paul. It was built on a demolished convent and chapel of Reformed Augustinians

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Marseille Saint-Charles railway station

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Meanwhile, back at Avignon....

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The remains of the original 12th century Pont d’Avignon across the Rhône. I can feel a song coming on… :wink:

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The Papal Palace at Avignon, one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe :shock:

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Avignon Papal Palace
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Muzorewa
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by Muzorewa » Wed Sep 03, 2014 7:47 am

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Snoozing, on the way to....

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....Sète wild-camp, Languedoc-Roussillon

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A pleasant evening stroll in the Mediterranean, Sète

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TIme to eat, Sète

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Sète sunset

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Carcassonne, Languedoc-Roussillon, founded by the Visigoths in the 5th century

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Narbonne gate, Carcassonne

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Carcassonne

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Carcassonne selfie :roll:

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Carcassonne

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Aude gate, Carcassonne

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Cool 8)

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Basilica of St. Nazaire & St. Celse, Carcassonne

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Basilica of St. Nazaire & St. Celse, Carcassonne

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Carcassonne

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Church of Saint Vincent, Carcassonne, in the distance viewed from the fortified city

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Anyone thinking of driving across France and using toll roads, buy a Sanef Tolling tag before you go....

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....the “Bip&Go” enables you to breeze past all those muppets who overtook you miles back :lol:

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St. Bernard Church, Savarthès, Haute-Garonne, with the Pyrénées in the background

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Into the Pyrénées and....

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....Cauterets, Hautes-Pyrénées

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Breakfast at a rather exclusive chalet in Cauterets, thanks Brian & Christine :wink:

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Cauterets

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The twisty new road down from Cauterets, hastily built after the old one was washed away by the river Gave de Cauterets :lol:

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You know you’re high up when there’s snow-sheds over the road :wink:

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River Gave de Cauterets, Pierrefitte-Nestalas, where it joins the Gave de Gavarnie to become the....

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....River Gave de Pau, Lourdes, Hautes-Pyrénées. Here we’re crossing the Pomes bridge

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Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Lourdes, famed for Roman Catholic pilgrimages....

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....and miraculous healings after Our Lady of Lourdes had appeared to Bernadette Soubirous.

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The gilded crown and cross on top of the nave of the Rosary Basilica, which were a gift from the People of Ireland in 1924

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The Bridge of the Arches over the Gave de Pau, Lourdes

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Château Fort Musée Pyrénéen, Lourdes, strategically placed at the entrance to the seven valleys of the Lavedan

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Despite the “Buy Your Holy Water Here” shops, it seemed to have little effect on some people

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Rampart remains of the ancient fortified city of Saint-Lizier, Ariège, dating from the 3rd century

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Château de Foix, Ariège – a known centre of the Cathars....

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....and dating from the 1st century AD :shock:

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Pyrénées, looking north-east along the Ariège valley – Andorra to the left, France to the right 8)

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Principality of the Valleys of Andorra

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Andorra :roll:

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Port d'Envalira, a mountain pass in Andorra connecting El Pas de la Casa with the rest of the country. It’s the highest paved road in the Pyrénées at 2,408 metres above sea level and nearly killed Bongy

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Andorra, heading to Andorra la Vella, capital of the Principality and the highest capital in Europe

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Andorra

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Andorra

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Sant Joan de Caselles church, Andorra

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Andorra/Spain border and....

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....Cataluña

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El Pont de Bar, Cataluña

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Mirador de Prullans, Cataluña

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Cadí tunnel under the Serra de Moixeró, Cataluña

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You can’t pass by the city of Vic in Cataluña without sampling the best salchichón you can buy….

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….It’s an air-dried sausage like chorizo but without the paprika, and the casing is a pig’s intestine :?

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Wild-camp....

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....at the Aeri de Montserrat carpark

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Aeri de Montserrat

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Up, up & away....

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....on the Montserrat cablecar :?

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Montserrat cablecar. If you look closely you can see Bongy parked in the sunshade :D

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Montserrat cablecar – the oval-shaped carpark area in the foreground is where we wild-camped the previous night :wink:

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Montserrat cablecar

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Montserrat

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The Benedictine Abbey of Santa Maria on Montserrat, Cataluña

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The black Madonna in the Mare de Déu de Montserrat (not the fallen Madonna with the big boobies, that’s the other side of the Pyrénées :oops: )

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Muzette with the Black Madonna

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The White Madonna, in the interests of balance :wink:

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Impressive Black Madonna stonework....

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....on the approach to the sanctuary 8)

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Montserrat Abbey

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Montserrat Abbey

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Funicular de Sant Joan

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Sant Joan Hermitage, Montserrat

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Sant Joan Hermitage

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Martorell from Montserrat

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The rather grand Vila Vallbona reception hall grafted onto the Mare de Déu del Roser Church 8)

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Montserrat - "saw (serrated, like the common handsaw) mountain" in Catalan :wink:

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Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, Cataluña. Anyone who knows anything about fizz knows why we’re here :wink:

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This is the capital of Cava country :wink:

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So why not camp at the ArtCava winery....

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....a small artisan vineyard producing only about 15,000 bottles a year....

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....where they give tours....

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....and tastings - Cheers! :D

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Not a shabby view – the Church of Sant Pere d'Avinyó in the foreground and Montserrat in the distance over the vineyards 8)

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Time to try out the winery’s fare (the 12-month old is a knockout, forget all your preconceptions of "vintage" and "reserva" etc :wink: )....

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....while relaxing in the evening sun....

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....and having a paddle :?

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Resident rabid dog, Blanca

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Resident rabid cat

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Onto RENFE’s local network to....

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....Barcelona! :D

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Casa Batlló, Barcelona, one of Antoni Gaudí’s masterpieces....

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....built in 1877 but bought in 1900 by the Josep Batlló family. The design made it undesirable to a lot of buyers....

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....but Battló bought it due to its central location

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Casa Batlló – known locally as the Casa dels ossos or House of Bones

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The Plaça d’Espanya and the old Plaza de Toros, now the Arenas de Barcelona shopping centre

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Columbus monument, Barcelona

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Casa Milà, Barcelona, by Gaudí. But you can understand my disappointment at it being covered up for work....

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....this is what it’s supposed to look like :wink:

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Just the job :wink:

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The Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family – the Sagrada Familia, Barcelona....

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....started in 1882 and only half complete by 2010

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Stonework on the Nativity (east) façade, the only one completed during Gaudí’s lifetime

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Sagrada Familia

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You can’t come to Barcelona and not stroll down La Rambla....

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La Rambla

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Back to ArtCava to sample their rather excellent rosat before heading off to....

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Freixenet, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, our preferred choice of bubbly until we discovered ArtCava :D

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.... and Casa Codorníu, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, the world’s biggest producer of cava....

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.... 60 million bottles a year :shock:

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Casa Codorníu, the Cathedral of Cava

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Casa Codorníu

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I remember coming here as a kid, must be in the early 70s, I’ve still got the postcard set I bought at the time :roll:

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The cellars were declared a National Monument of Historical and Artistic Interest in 1976. There are 20 miles of tunnels on three levels, keeping the maturing wine at a constant 17 degrees C without any cooling

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I can honestly say....

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....that I’ve never seen so much glass in one place....

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....this is the world's largest underground cellar where they stock up to 100 million bottles :shock:

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Time for more tastings hic :D

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Across the Greenwich Meridian, so all our GPS co-ordinates are now negative :wink:

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Toro, Zaragoza. Well it would be rude not to, wouldn’t it :D

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They’re bigger than you think when you get up close too, 46’ high :shock:

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Viewed across the River Ebro, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, Zaragoza, Aragón, reputed to be the first Church in history to be dedicated to Mary
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Muzorewa
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by Muzorewa » Wed Sep 03, 2014 7:56 am

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La Casa del Aceite, Cascante, Navarra, another ideal free stopover :D

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....with a super shop selling wine. And olives

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There was something of a biblical storm going off here so settle down for the night....

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....and after a glorious sunrise....

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....check out the plantation in the morning 8)

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La Rioja....

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....Don’t mind if I do....

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....and it's got my name on it too! Cheers :wink:

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Sunflowers, Castilla y León

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Morón de Almazán, Castilla y León. For some reason, Muzette was reluctant to stand next to this sign :lol:

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Plaza de Toros, El Burgo de Osma....

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....where Muzette was looking longingly at this little repast being prepared :D

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As we pass over the Duero with its fine vineyard heritage in both Spain and Portugal....

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….(the Douro in Porto is the same river, indeed it forms 70 miles of the international border, but they spell it & pronounce it differently in Portuguese)….

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.... it would be rude not to :?

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Berlanga de Duero castle, Castilla y León. Along with the castles of Gormaz, Osma, and San Esteban....

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....it formed one of the gateways to Castile during the medieval period, securing communications along the river Duero

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Caltojar, Castilla y León

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Paredes, Castilla-La Mancha

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Sigüenza castle, Castilla-La Mancha

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The Cathedral of Santa María, Sigüenza, actually the cathedral for Guadalajara even though that’s about 50 miles away

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On the subject of which – I’m thinking of a Mariachi song by Pepe Guízar, written in honour of the state capital of Jalisco in México but the Spaniards thought of the name first :wink:

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El Palacio del Infantado, Guadalajara, completed in the early 1480s....

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....and the oldest surviving building built in a pure Renaissance style outside Italy

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El Palacio del Infantado, Guadalajara

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Toro! Guadalajara

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Alcalá de Henares, Madrid....

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....birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes....

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....author of The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quijote of La Mancha....

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....with tales of giant windmills and the like :wink:

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Don Quijote and Sancho Panza....

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....outside Cervantes’ house

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There’s quite a likeness :oops:

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Cervantes is depicted on the 10c, 20c and 50c Euro coins in circulation in Spain

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I’ve lost count now

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¡El Scorchio! :shock: 40°C (104°F) but thanks to the work Ady did before we went, no problem :wink:

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Toro! Villarejo de Salvanés

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Uclés Monastery and Templar castle

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Uclés Monastery, headquarters of the Saint-Jacques order

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Seems like a peaceful place to pitch camp for the night....

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....after a hard day's drive we deserve a cold one out of the Bongo fridge - cheers!

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Must stop typing so I can have my gazpacho before it goes cold :wink:

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The Plough & North Star, on a clear night with the monks chanting away in a most haunting way

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The Plough – 30 second exposure in case you need to know :wink:

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Uclés Monastery

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Daily duty – copying the pictures from the cameras in case anything untoward should happen, if you know what I mean :wink:

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The other daily duties, área de servicios, Uclés :(

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Puebla de Almenara castle, Castilla-La Mancha, a 12th century fortress in the Sierra de Jarameña mountains

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Belmonte castle, Castilla-La Mancha, built in the 15th century by the Marquis de Villena

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It was also used in the 1961 film El Cid

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The start of the Quijote trail

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Manchega sheep….

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….might as well have some Manchego cheese then, Muzette’s all-time favourite :D This is a lovely cheese from the milk of sheep grazing on the vast plains of La Mancha

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Sancho Panza, Mota del Cuervo, Castilla-La Mancha

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Windmills, Mota del Cuervo

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Don Quijote, Mota del Cuervo

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Don Quijote & Dulcinea, El Toboso, Castilla-La Mancha, with the Church of San Antonio Abad in the background

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Dulcinea’s house, El Toboso....

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....a curious idea by the La Mancha Tourist Board seeing as she was a fictitious character :wink:

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Don Quijote & Rocinante, Campo de Criptana, Castilla-La Mancha

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Sancho Panza & Dapple, Campo de Criptana

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Windmills, Campo de Criptana

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Casa de Medrano, Argamasilla de Alba where Cervantes was imprisoned and started his masterpiece....

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....“In a village of La Mancha, the name of which I have no desire to call to mind…” That’ll be why he had no desire to bring the place to mind then :wink:

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Lunch at Cafetería Tara, Argamasilla de Alba....

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....with free croquettes with every round of drinks :D

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Gambas al ajillo (garlic prawns)

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Calamari :D

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Don Quijote, Plaza de España, Argamasilla de Alba

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Sancho Panza, Plaza de España, Argamasilla de Alba

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Dulcinea del Toboso, Plaza de España, Argamasilla de Alba

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Don Quijote, Argamasilla de Alba

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Cervantes statue, Plaza Alonso Quijano, Argamasilla de Alba. Alonso Quijano is the real name of Quijote in the book :wink:

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Castillo de Peñarroya, Castilla-La Mancha, a Moorish castle overlooking the Guadiana river and Peñarroya reservoir in the Lagunas de Ruidera Natural Park

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Now we’re in the Campo de Montiel, the first place actually mentioned by name in Don Quijote

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Don Quijote everywhere, €2.00 coin :?

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Cave of Montesinos, Castilla-La Mancha from the second part of Cervantes’ book.

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Quijote was lowered into the cave on a rope by Sancho and Basilio’s cousin

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Inside the Cave of Montesinos

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Muzette emerging from the cave 8)

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Back to Campo de Criptana to set up camp for the night

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Campo de Criptana

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I know how to feed the troops on tour. Shampoo & crisps for tea :?

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Campo de Criptana sunset

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Campo de Criptana

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Campo de Criptana sunrise. If you’re wondering how we cram so much into one tour you’ll notice we use every minute of daylight, plus more besides :wink:

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Campo de Criptana

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Campo de Criptana

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Muzette – Lady of La Mancha :D

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Consuegra castle, Castilla-La Mancha, and the end of the Quijote trail

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The castle was a stronghold when Consuegra was the seat and priory of the Knights of San Juan....

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....the Spanish branch of the Knight's Hospitallers of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem

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View from Consuegra castle looking west towards the Cabañeros National Park

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Consuegra

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Consuegra

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Windmill workings, Consuegra

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Toro, Madridejos, Castilla-La Mancha

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Almonacid castle, Almonacid de Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha

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Alcázar de Toledo, once a 3rd century Roman Palace.

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River Tagus in the foreground, the longest in Iberia, eventually emptying into the Atlantic at Lisbon. Toledo’s Alcázar to the right, the Primate Cathedral of Santa María of Toledo in the centre, and the former Jesuit Church of San Ildefonso (the Sanctuary of Sacred Hearts) to the left

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Santa María la Blanca, Toledo....

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....the oldest synagogue building in Europe still standing 8)

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The focal point is this clam-shell topped arch at the centre of the synagogue - this was the location of the Torah ark

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Underside of the main dome 8)

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San Servando castle, Toledo, originally a Benedictine Monastery and later occupied by the Knights Templar to protect the Alcántara bridge across the Tagus against a possible Muslim attack. Surprisingly, the name comes from Cervantes (Miguel de Cervantes’ great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather (Nuño Alfonso) assisted in the building of the tower in 1089) and the castle is still a conspicuous object on the approach to the old Gothic capital

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Guadarrama tunnel, a triple-bore tunnel taking the AP-6 Autopista del Noroeste (Carretera de La Coruña)....

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....through the Sierra de Guadarrama

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Having got hopelessly lost in Segovia, we did our best “Lost Tourist” routine and ended up with two traffic cops....

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....escort us to where we were going, stopping traffic on the way so Bongy could make the turns on the narrow streets :lol:

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Alcázar de Segovia, Castilla y León, originally built as a fortress....

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....but has served as a Royal Palace, state prison, Royal Artillery College and military academy

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Segovia aqueduct, Castilla y León, a Roman aqueduct carrying water from the Fuente Fría 11 miles away

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In one of the niches in the stonework are the Virgen de la Fuencisla (the Patroness of Segovia) and Saint Stephen
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Muzorewa
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by Muzorewa » Wed Sep 03, 2014 7:57 am

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Ángel Redondo Pérez, finishing a painting of the Ávila walls – we bought it :D

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Ávila, Castilla y León. The walls were constructed almost 1,000 years ago and remain the biggest illuminated monument in the world

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Dinner in Ávila at the Venta La Canaleja restaurant....

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....Huevos rotos, or ‘broken eggs’ with a few other local accompaniments :D

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Ermita de las Fuentes wild-camp in the Sierra de Ávila, San Juan del Olmo

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Breakfast – and you know I’m a health-food freak

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La ermita de la Virgen de las Fuentes, or el santuario de Nuestra Señora de las Fuentes at the source of the río Almar

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The inside of the hermitage 8)

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Bulls

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The 12th century old Cathedral of Santa María, Salamanca, Castilla y León

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Salamanca new Cathedral

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For a 16th century building, there’s some imaginative stonework, a fully suited-up astronaut....

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....a dragon with a triple-scoop ice-cream :?

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Unnecessary detail :?

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Some nice stonework nonetheless

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Salamanca Cathedral

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Portugal – crossing to Vilar Formoso from Fuentes de Oñoro in Spain, in 1811 the site of a significant battle in the Peninsular War where Wellington tonked the French

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Dão, one of the oldest established wine regions in Portugal....

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....you’d be disappointed if we didn’t, wouldn’t you? :lol:

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Área de serviço, Pardilhó....

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....overlooking the Ria de Aveiro, one of Europe's last remaining untouched coastal marshlands. It is renowned for its artisan fishing....

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....and as a centre for the collection of Flor de sal....

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....an expensive hand-harvested sea-salt

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Riding under the Influence. Muzette in charge of a dolphin whilst quaffing a can of Cruzcampo :?

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According to the Aires guide, you’re not supposed to deploy tables & chairs. Yeah right :lol: And if I'm not mistaken, isn't that a bottle of spécial fruits de mer Mrs Muz is drinking from Édouard LeClerc at less than €1.00 a bottle :lol:

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The quite stunning Igreja Matriz de Válega near Aveiro....

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.... also referred to as the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help 8)

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W & J Graham’s 1890 Lodge, Vila Nova de Gaia, just across the Douro from Porto....

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....this is a brilliant tour if you get chance

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Graham’s is one of the Symington Family Estates, the largest vineyard ownership group in the Douro

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They do English-language tours, delivered by someone who knows what she’s on about :wink:

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What the....

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Oooh, samples. Six to have a pop at :D

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Three ruby and three tawny

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Cheers

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Hic

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Slurp

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Our tour guide – Thankyou!

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Dom Luís Bridge from Graham’s

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From Graham’s balcony

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Capela das Almas, Porto, literally the Chapel of Souls....

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....the tiles depict the Death of St. Francis of Assisi, the Saint in the presence of Pope Honorious III, and the Martyrdom of St. Catherine

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It is also known as the Capela de Santa Catarina as it is dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria

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Moving conveniently on to O Forno Restaurante, Rua de Santa Catarina, Porto. The perils of restaurateurs using Google Translate for multilingual menus :lol:

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Francesinha, a sandwich originally from Porto made with bread, wet-cured ham....

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....linguiça, fresh sausage, roast meat and covered with melted cheese and a hot, thick tomato & beer sauce :D

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Dom Luís Bridge, Porto, the lower deck is for road traffic....

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....the upper deck for the Porto Metro and a walkway

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Porto – the Episcopal Palace is the tall white building to the right. Centre is the São Lourenço Church and slightly left of centre the belltower of the Clérigos Church

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Time for a dip in the Atlantic at Cabo do Mundo

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Cabo do Mundo

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Cabo do Mundo

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WTF?!?! – An old-school Fiat 500 from the days when Fiat 500s were small

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WTF2 – The estate version or Giardiniera, complete with suicide doors :?

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Santa Clara aqueduct, Vila do Conde. Built in the late 17th century it includes 999 arches stretching for 4km from the spring of Terroso in Póvoa de Varzim to the Convent of Santa Clara in Vila do Conde

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Vila do Conde wild-camp, Portugal

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Red fizz is just wrong....

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....nevertheless, when in Rome....but we're in Portugal :?

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Muzette still drinking whilst on the toilet :?

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Let’s see if the white at €1.79 a bottle is any better....

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....and with a plastic stopper....

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Erm, no. But it’s wet & cold :wink:

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Fishing boat chugging through the mist up the Río Ave, Vila do Conde

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Another Portuguese specialty for breakfast – Natas – or custard tarts :D

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Câmara Municipal de Barcelos. See the two clocks on the towers – the RH one is a normal one....

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....but the LH one is a 24 hour clock

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Barcelos castle over the river Cávado and the 14th century medieval bridge

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Barcelos castle

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The 15th century Solar dos Pinheiros, (Palace of the Dukes of Barcelos)

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Barcelos viewed over the river Cávado with the Palace of the Dukes of Barcelos to the left, the castle ruin to the right and Barcelos parish church (Santa Maria Maior) in the centre

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Barcelos, looking towards Barcelinhos (to the left) on the other side of the river Cávado

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Jardim da Igreja Matriz de Barcelos

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The rooster of Barcelos, Portugal, an unlikely tale of a dead rooster's miraculous intervention in proving the innocence of a man who had been falsely accused and sentenced to death. Patrons of Nando’s peri-peri chicken should recognise this :D

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The official script next to this Senhor do Galo stone cross - see the carvings – is that the gallows were outside the town, nearby the ancient road. One day a St. James pilgrim entered an inn, famed locally for its landlady’s beauty. The woman fell in love with the man but since he was on a pious journey he didn’t notice the lady’s passionate intent. In vengeance she concealed a silver cup in the pligrim’s bags. The following morning the sheriff was called and the cup found in the man’s bag. Brought before the judge who was preparing an enormous roasted rooster for lunch, the pilgrim swore innocence, but faced with the evidence and according to custom, the judge sentenced the alleged thief to the gallows. The man, suddenly inspired by Divine intervention, said to the judge “I am innocent and the proof is that this roasted rooster will sing my innocence.” At the precise moment the man was hung by the neck, the rooster stood up and sang. The judge hurried then to the gallows and found the pilgrim hanging by the neck, but the rope was limp because St. James held the hanged man by the feet.

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Inside Barcelos castle 8)

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Medieval tower, Barcelos

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Another Barcelos cockerel

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Largo da Porta Nova, Barcelos

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A nice bit of Baroque architecture, the Church of Bom Jesus da Cruz, Barcelos

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Cockerel merchandise everywhere

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For us it's a cockerel, in Portuguese it's the cock of Barcelos. Muzette now revels in telling me to put my cock in my bottle :?

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Lunch in Braga at Café-Restaurante Lubango....

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Frango tipo Leitão – Peri-peri chicken to you & me :wink:

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Camarão (shrimp) a Lubango

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How come their shrimps are as big as any Emperor prawn I’ve seen in the UK? :?

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:?

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Bom Jesus funicular, the oldest in the world operated by water counterbalancing

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They load water into the car at the top of the hill, which weighs it down so it descends to the bottom....

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....at the same time drawing the lighter, drained car up the hill, where the process starts all over again :shock:

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The sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, Tenões

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Did we climb the granite staircase on our hands & knees like the pilgrims were supposed to? Erm, no we didn’t, we took the train :D

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Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte

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Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte - photo ©2014 Muzette

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Braga

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Portuguese Um-Bongo :? I bet they don't drink this in the Congo :roll:

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One of the four gates into the fortified town of Valença do Minho, a star-fort which was a new design of fortress after the advent of gunpowder & cannon.

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Old-style ring-shaped fortifications were vulnerable to cannon fire....

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....when it could be directed from outside against a perpendicular masonry wall.

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Also, an attacking force that could get close to the wall was able to conduct undermining operations in relative safety....

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....as the defenders could not shoot at them from nearby walls. Star-forts solved all these problems

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How many types of Port do you really need? :?

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The old 19th century International Bridge across the Miño from Portugal to Spain (Valença do Minho to Tui, Galicia)

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The Miño (in Spanish) or Minho (in Portuguese) forms about 50 miles of the international border

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The bridge is falsely credited to Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame) and it is still wrongly called the Eiffel bridge, but it was in fact designed by Pelayo Mancebo y Ágreda from Calahorra in La Rioja. It carries trains (on the top), vehicles and pedestrians

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Spain - again

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Área de servicios, Santiago de Arcade, Galicia at the mouth of the río Verdugo

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Cartons of wine :(

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I’m not sure this is what my nutritionist had in mind for a balanced diet, glass of red in one hand and a tortilla butty in the other :?

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Notice how I’m on the el cheapo wine that’s €0.59 a litre, and Mrs Muz is on the Marqués de Cáceres Rioja rosado :?

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Santiago de Arcade, Galicia

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Puente de Rande carrying the E-1 motorway across the Ría de Vigo

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Puente de Rande, photo in daylight taken from much the same spot :wink:

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Santiago de Padrón parish church, Galicia. According to legend, after St James had been executed in Jerusalem by Herod his body was brought back to Spain and the boat landed at Iris Flavia, now Padrón.

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This is the pedrón (Galician for large stone) the boat was moored to, hence the new name for the town

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Santiago de Compostela, Galicia....

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....destination for millions of pilgrims over the years

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The Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, reputed burial-place of Saint James the Greater, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. Just a shame about the scaffolding

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This is what it’s supposed to look like as depicted on the copper Euro coins in circulation in Spain

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Shrine of the apostle St James

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The Botafumeiro, the silver-plated brass & bronze thurible swung across the church while burning incense

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Saint Jacob's Shell....

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....signposting the Way of St James for the pilgrims

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Churros & chocolate at Bellavista Cafetería, Santiago :D Note our blatant disregard for the local parking laws as all the police were deployed for today's visit of Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel :?

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The Convent of San Francisco, Santiago de Compostela, Provincial Centre for the Franciscan Order.

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It was founded by Saint Francis of Assisi himself in 1214 during his visit to the city.
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by Muzorewa » Wed Sep 03, 2014 7:58 am

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Typical Galician cheese, called a tetilla (little tit) due to the shape

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It's your duty. The English abroad :?

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Hórreos (granaries) are typical of the region....

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....raised off the ground to keep them dry....

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....and the flat stones at the top of the legs keep rodents out

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Finisterre, (Fisterra in Galician) was the end of the known world until Columbus changed things. This was the final destination for the pilgrims in centuries gone by, the real “Land’s End”

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It’s another 60 miles from Santiago to here and it’s now traditional for pilgrims to burn their boots at the end of their journey at Cape Finisterre

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The end of the road :wink:

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Ordinarily this shot would have the lighthouse in the background and the nothingness of sea & sky in the distance. But it was foggy :( This shot was made possible by pilgrims - who we had taken photos of with their cameras - but they didn't think we were pilgrims... :?

Finisterre was the former name of the current FitzRoy sea area used in the UK Shipping Forecast. In 2002 it was renamed FitzRoy to avoid confusion with the smaller sea area of the same name featuring in the forecasts of the French and Spanish meteorological offices

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Local brew – Estrella Galicia :D

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Time for dinner at Bar Janacho, Finisterre. Muzette was keen to try the local fare....

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....Scallops, mussels, razor clams....

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.... barnacles :? ....

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....and clams :D

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Muxía wild-camp, Galicia. Legend has it that Muxía was the landing place of the stone boat that carried the Virgin Mary when she arrived in Galicia to help Saint James convert the locals. Sadly the Sanctuary of Nosa Señora da Barca (the Lady of the boat) was destroyed by fire in 2013 :(

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Time for a dip in the sea on the rocky Costa da Morte (Coast of Death in Galician) on the edge of the Atlantic, so named because of the large number of shipwrecks along these shores

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Muxía wild-camp

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Camping in Galicia....

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....like Scotland but the rain’s warm :(

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Tower of Hercules, A Coruña, the oldest Roman lighthouse still in use. The tower has been in constant use since the 2nd century and is considered to be the oldest existing lighthouse in the world

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Through a long series of tunnels & viaducts....

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....along the Autovía A-6....

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....in search of dry weather :roll:

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Lunch, and some of the renowned Cabrales cheese :D

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Yet another – at a refuelling stop at Toral de los Vados, Castilla y León. She was lucky to get this one having navigated us way off course....

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....back into Galicia in fact, into the sierra de la Encina de la Lastra Natural Park....

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....with impressive views of the gorge of the river Sil

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Catedral de Santa María de Astorga, Castilla y León

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Pedro Mato on top of Astorga Cathedral. During the Peninsular War, he kept the besieged city supplied with food & weapons until he was captured & executed by the French Napoleonic forces

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Astorga Episcopal Palace, one of only three Antoni Gaudí creations outside of Cataluña

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Toro! Astorga

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Can I cut the cables? :twisted: Eduardo Arroyo’s bronze unicorn suspended from a Palfinger crane in the Plaza Puerta Castillo, León – modern art :roll:

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Casa de los Botines, León, second of Gaudí’s extraCatalan creations

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León Cathedral

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....and another :roll:

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Basilica of San Isidoro, León. It contains the funeral chapel of the kings of León (not the Kings of Leon :roll: )

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León city walls, dating from the 1st century BC and expanded in the 3rd-4th centuries AD

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Área de servicios, León

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I’m well-versed in Gran Reserva for wine....

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....but not for beers

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The right side of this impressive building in León, the former Convent of San Marcos....

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....is the city museum 8)....

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....and the left side the parador hotel Hostal San Marcos. You should recognise this place from the 2010 Martin Sheen film The Way 8) And if you haven't watched that, you should :wink:

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At play in León

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May as well try some Valdeón cheese from Posada de Valdeón in the León province. Now this is really nice, milder than the Cabrales we had yesterday :D

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Signs everywhere to direct the pilgrims on the Camiño de Santiago – On motorways, pavements and mileposts

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Vivar del Cid, birthplace of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar....

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....or El Cid ....

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....the real national hero of Spain

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El Cid's mill, starting point of the Route of El Cid, a cultural and tourist route based on “El Cantar de mio Cid”, the oldest preserved Castilian epic poem

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Muzette at the start – with a replica of Tizona, the famed sword, loaned to us by the mill owner even though it was closed that day :D The plaque reads “Rodrigo Díaz, called the “Cid”, was born in 1043 in Vivar. On this land he forged his youth beside his father, Diego Laynez. He became standard-bearer of King Sancho II. King Alfonso VI banished Rodrigo in 1081. From here he went into exile in which he became so famous for his warlike deeds, considering him "the greatest miracle among the great miracles of the Lord". He conquered Valencia where he died in 1099.” The last line on the plaque is taken from the end of El Cantar de mio Cid “Honour reaches all of them through him who was born in a fortunate hour.”

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The inscription reads “I am Tizona, made in the year 1040”. The original is in Burgos museum

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Arco de Santa María, the medieval entrance to the city of Burgos, Castilla y León, built in the 14th century.

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Bottom row L-R Nuño Rasura, Diego Porcelos and Laín Calvo. Middle row L-R Fernán González, Carlos V and El Cid. Top row the Guardian Angel with a macebearer to either side, and at the very top the Virgin Mary.

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El Cid within the Arco Santa María. Doesn’t look a bit like Charlton Heston :?

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Burgos Cathedral

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Burgos Cathedral

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Burgos Cathedral depicted on some €2.00 coins

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Tomb of El Cid and his wife Doña Jimena Díaz in the centre of Burgos Cathedral. It’s mostly in Latin but note the Spanish bit in the middle which is the end of El Cantar de mio Cid again :wink:

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Inside the Major Chapel, Burgos Cathedral

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Burgos Cathedral – the Ambulatory has three stunning works like this depicting the passion, the death and the resurrection of Christ

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Burgos Cathedral – the ceiling in the main Sacristy....

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....has the most amazing plasterwork 8)

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Bronze statue of El Cid, Plaza del Mio Cid, Burgos

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La Isla Palace, Burgos – Franco's headquarters during the Spanish Civil War

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Erm, how many types of chorizo do you really need? :?

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And how many types of Serrano ham? :?

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Pamplona, Navarra

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Pamplona bullring....

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....third largest in the world behind Mexico City and Madrid

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Never a commercial opportunity lost

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Pamplona

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Pamplona’s Puente de Santa Engracia over the Arga, and the tower of the Church of El Salvador in the background

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Wild-camp at Pamplona, with the Navarra museum in the background across the Arga

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Chocolate Latte :roll:

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Into the Basque Country....

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....and stunning it is too....

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....Eguilaz-Egilatz church against the Basque mountains

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It’s also home to one of the most inexplicable languages....

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....with nothing similar anywhere in the world and no idea where it came from

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Bizkaiko Zubia, or Bilbao’s transporter bridge

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Bongy waiting patiently to cross the river :D

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The bridge was built in 1893 and was the first such bridge in the world....

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....and is still operational over the Nervión 8)

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Comillas, Cantabria. An unfortunate name :lol:

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El Capricho, Comillas....

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....third of the three Antoni Gaudí buildings outside Cataluña

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Rather sparsely furnished inside though so difficult to bring it all to life :(

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Muzette with Gaudí’s statue

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The most frightening experience ever....

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....Mrs Muz driving and Muzette navigating :shock:

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Toro! Llanes, Asturias

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Even more frightening through tunnels :(

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The result of Muzette’s navigation skills :lol:

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No better time like now to try Cantabria’s famed anchovies :D

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Dinner in Parrilla Antonio II, Gijón, Asturias, with a bottle of fine white you should seek out if you can :wink:

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Gambas al ajillo

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Patatas bravas

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Calamari

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Steak, lamb chops, pork chops, lamb & pork ribeyes, pork ribs, chicken, chips etc

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We were hoping the chips went to the bottom of the dish, alas it was all meat

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The Baroque palacio de Revillagigedo, or the palacio del marqués de San Esteban del Mar in Gijón

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Área de servicios, Gijón

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Hundreds of cars on their way for export

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Time to sample a large wedge of the renowned Picón cheese from the Tresviso and Beges area in the Picos de Europa. Although you can buy this at home in good delicatessens, the real deal is wrapped in sycamore maple leaf :D Not ideal for breakfast, but hey-ho we’re still on holiday!

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Approaching the Motorway of the Sea

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Louis Dreyfus Lines Norman Asturias....

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Norman Asturias

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Norman Asturias

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Norman Asturias

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....for a 25-hour cruise home....

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It hasn’t cast off yet and Mrs Muz is on her second bottle :shock:

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Awww :roll:

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Catching those last few rays on the sun-deck 8)

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Norman Asturias

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Poole harbour

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Brownsea castle, Brownsea Island, used by the toffs at the John Lewis Partnership as a luxury hotel

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After our relaxing voyage, time to jump on the Bramble Bush Bay….

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….for the 2 minute trip across the Poole harbour entrance to the Isle of Purbeck :lol:

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Corfe castle in the imaginatively named village of Corfe Castle on the Isle of Purbeck

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Back to Poole on the chain ferry, recently repaired after Brittany Ferries’ Cherbourg service cut the chain, see HERE :lol:

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As a fitting bookend to yet another stunning tour, Imperial Leisure Vehicles, Poole, where we bought our trusty Bongo almost 7 years ago

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Many thanks to Martyn & Bob for supplying a bulletproof vehicle all those years ago!

And that, we reckon, is the best tour we’ve ever undertaken. Bongoing at it’s best :wink:

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¡Hasta la vista, amigos!
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by umbongocat » Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:31 am

Fabulous! Amazing pictures too =D>

When were you in Carcassone and Narbonne? We past by there on our trip to Italy. Think we may do something similar next year. Italy far too expensive for us and prefer staying on Aires or free camping
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by Muzorewa » Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:36 am

13th/14th August, I think you were back by then. Even though it was August there was plenty of free camping about, although the Sète site we used would be no good for a big white bus, there was a height barrier on it :wink:

Mrs Muz wants to go back to the Carcassonne area next year :D
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by umbongocat » Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:40 am

Yep, we were home by then. I'm in agreement with Mrs Muz, I would like to go back to Carcasonne and Narbonne and spend more time around there. I was very ill in Carcasonne so didn't appreciate it very much. They thought I had some tropical disease after returning from Nicaragua. Simple gastro thankfully :)
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by stuc » Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:49 am

Absolutely fantastic Muz! Thank you for posting it must of took ages to upload all those pics.
My next task is convincing the wife this is what we need to do with the kids, all the pics of nice food and drink may help.
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by roosmith » Wed Sep 03, 2014 9:18 am

Thanks for sharing Muz, that is an amazing record. Can't see us ever doing anything quite that adventurous but it's good to live it through someone else :wink: =D>
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by Jillygumbo » Wed Sep 03, 2014 9:21 am

Absolutely fantastic Muz! Now you've made me late for work! :evil:
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The night conceals the world, but reveals the universe!
winchman
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by winchman » Wed Sep 03, 2014 10:07 am

Another fantastic trip and report.
I must complain to a moderator though I am now on a diet and all that foods making me very hungry :D
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PixieAndTheMoon
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by PixieAndTheMoon » Wed Sep 03, 2014 3:48 pm

Really lovely adventure, not sure I would take on all those miles in 3 weeks!

Thanks for sharing guy's we really enjoyed your moments.

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Snoozie
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by Snoozie » Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:12 pm

Great pics Muz - I feel as if I have had a holiday too after looking at all those many places you visited. :D

And may I say how timely your 'refreshment' pictures were between the miles travelled :lol:

Well done Bongy - All that way and no problems =D>
Keep Calm and Bongo On!
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helen&tony
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Re: Team Muz on tour in Iberia

Post by helen&tony » Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:16 pm

Hi
Muz...
Absolutely lovely!!!...the pictures are great, the food looks gorgeous, and what a lovely trip....Your saga of the police brings a smile to me...I have only ever had courtesy from police in Europe, and people complain!...something wrong, there, methinks...Our experiences date over 30 odd years. When we were on the way here, Tony went to a cash-point in a small French market town....Well...he has no sense of direction, and got lost, and the local police, the postmen and some locals ended up looking for me!....a postie stopped me in the street and pointed me in the direction of where Tony was!...similar experiences from all "Forces"...and in the UK, I hasten to add!....all of them polite!
Anyway...I have said it before, and it still makes me chuckle.....Chat = Cat in French....Eau = water....so it beats me why the French call their magnificent castles "Catspee" (Catwater)
If you ever do a tour of India...book me in!
Thanks again for the picture-tour
Cheers
Helen
In the beginning there was nothing , then God said "Let there be Light".....There was still nothing , but ,by crikey, you could see it better.
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