Mike and Wendy's holiday blog: Apr 22: Six nations tour - Spain (3

Sunday 3 April

The start of our Six Nations tour through Spain, France, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Starting mileage 55345

After a thorough check of paperwork and a cursory glance in the boot we were able to join the ferry queue - only to have a Border Control officer tap on the car window to ask further questions.

Once on board we found our cabin - it only seemed to have one bunk but fortunately we realised that the top bunk was a pull down from a small catch on the ceiling. Bijou but adequate.

There was only one problem - thought I'd picked up a bottle of wine with a screw top but I hadn't. Where was Mike's corkscrew? In the car out of bounds 🤣

We watched the coastline recede - all very familiar to Mike.

We didn't want to mix with too many people before Cuenca so we had coffee and sandwiches in the cabin - and were in bed by 8pm!

Monday 4 April

Up early so went for a walk round. A deserted ship. Same again later. Third time lucky as it was starting to get light - I'd forgotten we were an hour ahead so I'd had a very early morning! Then of course we'd put our clocks forward in the UK last week too..🙄

Burgos

114 miles

Lots of snow as we drove across - very pretty but very cold.

Arrived about 5pm, unpacked and went for a walk into the old town.

A kind old gentleman gave me a booklet about Semana Santa - I obviously looked like a tourist peering at my map - but we will be watching it in Cuenca not Burgos..😁

The cathedral looked very beautiful with a magnificent ceiling but we couldn't go into the main part as there was a service on.

Then tortilla and beer in a bar - and an early night with a glass of wine when Mike found his corkscrew!

Tuesday 5 April

Visit to Monasterio de Las Huelgas near to our accommodation. Huelgas in this instance is from old Spanish and means fallow land - in modern Spanish it means a strike from work. Makes more sense as a nunnery built on fallow ground rather than nuns on strike!

Didn't have time to hang around until the next tour but looked at it from the outside.

Pelicans like to build nests on the fancy bits of churches 🤣

The Spanish bulls are still here 😁

An interesting vapour trail in the sky from a plane which circled 4 times in a holding position then flew off. A Spaniard looking at it too said it was unusual and they must be having problems at the airport. When I asked which airport he said the nearest one, Madrid. Well over 100 miles away.

More snow on the peaks.

Alcala de Henares

156 miles

A lovely walk round the city. The birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes who wrote Don Quixote.

Beautifully pollarded plane trees - must be great in the summer.

Posh drain pipes on the main street. Looked a bit like Chester in places with all the wonky buildings and covered ways.

Inside the Cervantes' family home. His father was a doctor - a blood letter. On the chair is one of his 'sick' bowls - looks like this may have been the idea for Don Quixote's helmet!

With his pal Sancho Panza.

Cathedral - bit more austere this one.

Love this graffiti style depiction on the side of a building - so clever. Shame about the lamp post..🤣

Think this is one of the 'floats' to be paraded at Easter.

Warm enough to sit outside - but only in the sun.

Bought some sugar glazed almonds from the nunnery of the enclosed order of nuns who make them. Quite a little ritual 😁

We went through a wooden door into a tiled room which had a display of all the boxes etc that they sell. Once you've decided what you want you ring the bell and a nun will answer. You give your order and wait. There is a window with a circular wooden contraption inside it so you can't actually see into the window.

So.. the nun placed my order on the shelf which was on her side of the window and swung it round to me. I took my almonds and put my money on the shelf. The nun swivelled it round again to take the money and then swung it back to me again with my change on the shelf.

Think I actually did it back to front and you should put the money in first before you get your almonds 😁

As these nuns are cloistered they are forbidden from any contact with the outside world so it is a clever system in that you don't see them. And the almonds are delicious!..😋

Wednesday 6 April

Up and about early so over to Airbnb in Cuenca by late morning.

Cuenca

100 miles

Change of plan as Luisa and family should all have been in the Airbnb since their arrival by plane on Monday.

Nico's passport was still in transit (after supposedly being in transit with the carrier for over a week so noone knew where it was!) so Miguel, his mum and Luca flew across and Luisa booked more tickets for her and Nico - hoping to have a passport by Friday.

Luca was pleased to see us.

We had a quiet day but popped round to see Amparo and Bernardo with Luca. He had a little tinkle on the ivories and watched some Spanish cartoons.

Spanish grandma Yaya put some sausages out to dry with the washing - no idea why..🤔

View from one of the windows across to the statue of Corazon de Jesus.

Yaya cooked some delicious rice - like paella but in a pan.

Luisa found that Nico's passport had been popped through her door - she'd had no notifications - but at least it had arrived!

Thursday 7 April

Cuenca

Went to the tourist office to get some info ready for Semana Santa.

A lazy morning - Luca ate a HUGE strawberry for breakfast.

Then off to the Plaza Mayor with Luca. We took the bus up.

Little walk down to the Casas Colgados and then Luca trotted off quite happily with Mike to walk over the Puente San Pablo. Not me though..😳

We sat down for lunch - with a glorious view of the side of the cathedral.

It soon got too hot for Luca (went up to about 19⁰c) so he retreated to the shade at the side of a nearby statue.

We walked back down to the flat past the sculpture of Las Turbas where Luca actually asked for a picture - think he liked the drums!

The three crosses had already been placed on the hill side ready for Easter.

We managed a short stroll round in the evening - and that was it. Busy day!..😁

Friday 8 April

Cuenca

A quieter day. Luisa and Nico finally arrived from the UK.

Luca went for medicine for his earache - was much better by the morning.

Went out for a few beers and tapas in the evening.

Saturday 9 April

Cuenca

Mike had visitors in bed..🤣😍🤣 he caught up on the news and Luca and Nico caught up on their dinosaur cartoons..

Felisa went to watch her granddaughter in a dance competition, Luisa and family went out to Miguel's house in the village so Mike and I went for a walk.

Bit cloudier and cooler today so decided to walk up to the castle on the shorter but steeper route by the river.