A Week with a Difference !!

I’ve just found out, that Portugal and Spain, are experiencing a ‘heatwave’,http://news.sky.com/story/1484731/portugal-and-spain-sizzling-in-record-heatwave and just guess where the hottest part is ? – exactly where I’ve been, and where I’m going… although I’m quite getting used to 35+C !!

After a pleasant couple of days in Seville ( or Sevilla !) I set off on Tuesday morning to wend my way towards Cordoba, intending that if I could find somewhere to stop before then I would – I couldn’t ! So by early afternoon I was at Villafranca de Cordoba, Camping Albolafia http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=9442 they seemed pleasant people, although told me for a big supermarket I would have to drive 25 kms back into Cordoba… ah well !

I intended stopping for a good while, and so drove back into Cordoba for a ‘big shop’ !! and returned with lots of stuff ready to BBQ !! (should have checked the gas bottle !), so later as I got ready to do some BBQ’ing, and got the gaz canister from the boot…thought ‘Oh dear, feels a bit light’, and it was ! I’d only just lit the gas, it was on for about 30 seconds and Pmfff, out it went, leaving me with no gas to BBQ with… The site didn’t have any, and suggested I ‘may’ get some in Cordoba, but Camping Gaz was not common in Spain ( now I know !!)

Ah well, a pasta supper, some nice cheese,and ready for another day…

The following day I decided I may as well go back in to Cordoba to try and find a supplier… without ranting…!!! I found that no one sold it… I did find some at the Municipal campsite, but they refused to sell it to me ! Aaargh ! Nothing I could do, but return, fuming… and have a glass of wine !!, and change all my food plans- a nice big pot of chilli con carne (hot) will do well !

2 days gone, and not much done, so Thursday I was up very early, to catch the 8 a.m. bus into Cordoba,http://www.google.es/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&ved=0CFsQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.andalucia.com%2Fcities%2Fcordoba.htm&ei=0gZiVfv3A4boUoT4gYAD&usg=AFQjCNEuSzcwFdYu-Tf3U7aX6GJc7qy7vg&bvm=bv.93990622,d.d24  to view the sights there… it wasn't too difficult to navigate the old town (once you knew !), and soon I  was seeing things ! I found the original entry to the city, over an old Roman Bridge, with the famous Mosque/Cathedral in the background (that was really all I’d come to see !), I walked across the bridge, back into the city, had a wander round the outside of the Cathedral, but realised I’d have to ‘bite the bullet’, and pay my $8 fee !

As soon as I went inside, I decided it was money well spent,  quite unusual to see, all these obvious Islamic features, in a Catholic Church ! – apparently there had been a Christian church there originally, then when the city was captured by the Moslems, they destroyed the church, and built this….  when the Christians re-captured the city, they didn’t destroy it, just added a church inside – brilliant, and very,very impressive !  So there were features from differing times, all blending in together, and being a very famous attraction for the city… the original Moslem ‘prayer tower’ is still there,intact ! I just kept wandering around, and around ( getting my money’s worth !) – although I couldn’t say the Church ‘part’ was as impressive as the ‘Mosque’ part ! , although it was interesting to see when the two parts were together…

I eventually decided I’d seen enough, and went back out into the impressive courtyard, lots of shade, and the large minaret tower looming overhead !

I then walked down to the Palace of the Christian monarchs ( Alcazar de los Reyes Catolicos), but another $8 beckoned, and I didn’t go in… then it was time to wander back around the city, past a roman mausoleum  , and surprise,surprise, with unerring accuracy I found myself back at the bus station, and the bus back to Villafranca !, and campsite, satisfied with my days work!

Friday, was a day for an acclimatisation ride, so I got the mountain bike out, and headed along a nearby road, Parque Aquatico… a dream of a road for cyclists, hardly any traffic, and lots of cyclists ! along through fields , eventually getting up above a reservoir, shame I’d brought the wrong bike… however a nice ride up, and back through the fields again, with views of sunflowers,wheat and olive fields , stretching out into the distant hilltops…

A nice day, even having chance to find a church for weekend  mass , and a relaxing afternoon and swim ! – I’d done 30 kms without even realising !

Saturday, again an early start to try to beat the heat, and I was off on the road bike, again along parque aquatico, soon back to where I’d stopped yesterday, and zooming along… there were lots of other cyclists ( all going the other way !) I was riding through a nature reserve, good road, and almost no cars… wonderful !

I passed over a bridge dissecting one reservoir, and continued up the undulating road, eventually ending up at another dam, at the top of the valley… and there, the decent road ended, so it was turn around time, and back to where I’d come from… panting up the hills again, but zooming down them again ! with the wind rushing through me, cooling me down…lovely

I was soon back to the campsite, another 50 kms ride, and the reward of…. a cold swim in the pool !, lunch, and afternoon snooze !

Saturday evening mass was at the church near to the campsite, up on a hill, so as I walked there for 7-30 p.m. mass, thought ‘this looks a busy church’…it turned out to be ‘first communion’ day, and lots of young children – girls in white dresses, boys in sailors outfits, all marched into a packed church, with a nice choir singing, and a pleasant and enjoyable service – another surprise !

Sunday morning, back on the road bike, and tried to find a  decent road to ride, couldn’t, and so returned to ride along parque aquatico again, and stopped above the reservoir below… it was a close,clammy day, so I decided that would be enough,  and hurtled back towards Villafranca, as I did I saw this sign on a gate, obviously it’s a really wild ‘Bob cat’ re-introduction area…. although I haven’t seen any !

The weather is forecast to go even hotter again around where I am 36C !! So, tomorrow I think I’ll head off again, going towards cooler climes… although where ?