The wild Atlantic - love it!

Sunday 15 April 2018 - Day 42

We’re still at the campsite in the village of Aios.  We slept well and it was good not to have to pack up and leave after one night.  I think some of my tiredness has come from researching and planning the next stop each night, then getting the van ready to go, followed by a drive to the next place.  Now we’ve find a lovely place to stop, we’re enjoying the relaxation, especially given our lovely view out to sea.  The bread man came in his small white van this morning with a large variety of freshly baked bread.  It’s rained on and off today, but we managed to get out for a beach walk in the afternoon, just getting back as the rain started again, but at least the wind has reduced.  From the van we’ve also watched dolphins swimming by and playing in the breaking waves.  We’ve made the most of being on electric hook-up to get everything charged up and used the Remoska for cooking dinner.  I’ve completed the monthly accounts and topped up the CaxtonFX card, which I mainly use for withdrawing cash; a Halifax Clarity card is used for the rest as they use the more beneficial international banking exchange rate of the day.  Tonight we may watch a movie or part of a series (stored on a Passport HDD) on the MacBook.  Or we may just stare out and watch the waves crash on the sure just 30 metres away.

Monday 16 April 2018 - Day 43

It’s been a much brighter and sunnier day, but the Atlantic wind’s been relentless.  I’ve been at sea in the south Atlantic - clear blue skies and blinding sunshine give the impression of good weather, yet the sea has been wild and stormy, throwing us about as we drop and twist through the deep swell, the wind whipping the top off the waves.  It’s like that today.  So it’s not a day to sit outside the van, but from the relative peace and quiet inside the view is spectacular.  The day started cloudy with some rain but it soon cleared away.  The bread man was an hour late today, but no matter, we still enjoyed our breakfast.  The two vans either side of us (both British) left today, so we wished them bon voyage and now there’s just us here.  Today I was on a mission. I need to replenish victuals, most importantly teabags!  So with rucksack on back, I cycled out of the site, climbing steeply, puffing hard and wishing I hadn’t eaten so much of that delicious bread!  Cathy was going to square away the van and then spend some time down on the beach, cleaning it of some of the micro-plastics washing up with each wave - every little helps.  I followed the coastal road out, up and down the hills, eventually reaching Sanxenxo.  Originally a small fishing harbour, the fish market still exists but it’s now a thriving tourist town with its own sandy beach and bay.  Although surrounding areas haven’t yet surfaced for the new season, Sanxexno was bustling, with many of the shops, cafes and restaurants open.  I managed to end up cycling along the seafront the wrong way down a one-way road, but nobody seemed to mind.  Cutting up through the town along steep roads, I eventually found a Lidl, where I spent an enjoyable half an hour or so filling a basket - it doesn’t take much to please me these days. With just a rucksack I only bought the essentials.  Back on the road, I tackled the hills and strong headwind to return to the site and pack away the purchases.  Shortly later Cathy returned from the beach with a bag of rubbish, although battered and beaten by the wind, which was now strengthening into the afternoon.  The rest of the day was spent doing some hand washing, which blew and dried well on the line, and sat inside reading.  The cab seats were best - in full sun - so warm, but out of the wind.  Dinner was some chicken wings I bought in Lidl, spiced up and roasted in ‘Oska’, with vegetable and egg fried rice.  I washed up outside, with the campsite dog for company (sorry, no tidbits!), as Cathy wan’t feeling well so went to lie down.  Some of our washing was dry (even the campsite owner was saying it’s ‘too windy’) and the rest came in later, aired on the van dashboard in the sun.  A brew, a bit of TV series watching on the MacBook & HDD and an early night I think.  Tomorrow, we’re moving on….I suspect we’ll have some more wild weather before we turn the corner and starting heading east along the northern Spanish coastline.

The Bread Man cometh

Mission Accomplished!

Proper dhobying!

Are you coming out to play?

Delicious

It's raining again!

Saturday 14 April 2018 - Day 41

We’re at a lovely little family-run campsite in the village of Aios.  It’s set on 3 grass terraces, all overlooking the sea and islands.  This part of Spain is very much like Cornwall, craggy cliffs, sandy coves, deep inlets and estuaries and the wind….always the wind!  It’s a really peaceful stop though and, at €10 per night including electricity, we plan to stay here for a few days; it’ll nice to put down roots for a while, chill out and get some walking and bike riding done….if the weather lets us.  Speaking to the locals, they tell us it’s been the worst weather for March and April in 20 years - we can well believe it!  After a sunny but windy day, it’s now raining heavily and is due to continue through the night until about midday tomorrow.

We woke quite late for us - about 0900.  It could be due to moving the clocks forward to Spanish time again, or it could have been the wine we drank last night!  It was a beautiful, still morning; the tide was out and there was a light mist over the estuary and hills.  A few of the local fishermen were out in small rowing boats, followed by an expectant flock of seagulls. We made a brew and sat on one of the benches by the water, soaking up the view.  By the time we’d breakfasted and secured the van, we were the only ones left.  I’d walked into town earlier to get some cash and we drove off to our next stop here in Aios.

There’s a lovely family who run the site and live in their house right next to the beach.  Their little dog came to say hello, then regularly checked up on us during the day, rewarded with a scratch behind his ears!  We threw some bedding into the washing machine and once it was done, Cathy took great delight in hanging it out on their line to dry in the sea breeze. A couple of the Camino trails run past the site, following the coastal path north towards Santiago de Compostela.  On our coastal walk this afternoon we followed part of one the well-marked Camino trails linking the fishing village of Sanxenxo with Portonovo - the Sendeiros litorais de Sanxenxo.  Another trail was signposted following a similar route, although I couldn’t tell which Camino it was from the sign.  Our walk took us along the rocky coast to the village of Barbeito, where the trail crossed a sandy cove, up to the village of Paxarinas.  I’d taken a rucksack in the hope of finding a little local store, but both villages clearly only come alive in the season. Both had lots of closed hotels, empty holiday apartments and caravan sites, but no shop.  We can make do for a couple of days - although teabag stocks are getting critically low! - so I’ll go hunting again on Monday when I go out for a bike ride (tomorrow is a right off due to the forecast heavy rain).  

It was lovely to get out for a walk for a couple of hours after days stuck in the van. Back at the site, the washing was dry and after a brew I cooked some seafood tagliatelle. We bought the dried pasta in a vegetarian shop that also baked bread and vegan cakes, when we enjoyed our vegan lunch (we’re not vegans but we enjoy the food).  The seafood was tinned clams and baby squid; the Spanish and Portuguese have a great selection of tinned seafood; their large tins of tuna are delicious.  We’ll certainly be taking a few of them home, along with plenty of good Spanish olive oil.   On the way back from our walk we could see the dark clouds forming out at sea and not long after we returned the rain started.  It’s still going and it’s really chilly, so we’re staying in the warm van with a hot cup of tea.  Tomorrow’s forecast is similar so it’ll probably be in ‘in day’ again! It’s time for me to do the monthly accounts and reconcile statements, so that’ll keep me quiet for a while.  But the weather’s supposed to be improving for Monday and Tuesday, so we plan to stay here four nights to take advantage and explore the area a bit more on foot and bike.

Lovely view - enjoying our morning briew

The campsite dog likes a bit of attention!

The family are converting this bus into a motorhome