SEPTEMBER 8TH: CARDIFF - PLYMOUthThis trip, planned and booked so long ago, had finally arrived. The three hour drive down to Plymouth was easy enough and the roads were relatively quiet. Check-in at Britanny Ferries for their Pont-Aven was at 1345 but we were there two hours before that and ate our picnic lunch and read. Check-in was easy enough and a special sticker indicated we'd board first as we'd paid for speedy disembarkation in Santander. There were hundreds of motorbikes ready to board and I spoke to several of those parked alongside us. The Pont-Aven duly arrived and, after the motorbikes, we were next to board and found ourselves at the front of the main deck on the port side. With our hand baggage we were soon up in our spacious Commodore Class Cabin 8411 and went to the Commodore Lounge for a coffee and to watch all the remaining vehicles drive on through the stern ramp. The Commodore Lounge was particularly disappointing as there was nothing there other than a hot drinks machine. I went forward to the bar and brought back wine for us to drink as the vessel was getting under way and we left Plymouth behind. Dinner in the Flora Restaurant was excellent, as was the service. A night cap back in our cabin and I was asleep by around 9.30pm. september 9th: santander - san sebastianThere had been some vessel movement in the early hours but we went back to sleep until around 0800. After showering we went for breakfast, again to the Flora Restaurant, as it was included in our ticket. I thought breakfast was excellent. After breakfast we relaxed in our cabin but went for a walk later in the morning and picked up a packed lunch for our drive after we disembarked. Yolande bought a bottle of Limoncello for our holiday and we already had Gin and Whisky in our car. Disembarkation was speedy and immigration effortless and we were soon on the A8 heading eastwards on the motorway which had some tolls on our way and we passed Bilbao to San Sebastian. Close to Bilbao we stopped at services to get a coffee and eat our lunch and after about 2.5hrs arrived at our desination, the Mercure Monte Igueldo on a hilltop at 175m which overlooked San Sebastian Bay. Check in was easy enough and we were allocated Room 430 which was a bit like an inside cabin on a ship but did have a small window looking towards the mountains. We went to the bar to enjoy our Accor welcome drinks but I thought the bar staff far from welcoming and a bit surly. We looked at the menu which was a bit expensive and somewhat limited for Yolande being GF and unable to eat seafood. We took a taxi down to the centro or old town for a walk and whilst there were lots of pintxos bar/cafes there were few proper restaurants. Eventually we found San Sebastian's oldest (est. 1947) restaurant and we were shown to a nice table in the Juanito Kojua Restaurant. We were looked after very well and enjoyed a good three course dinner with a fine red from the Bilbao wine growing region. Heavy rain accompanied us to a nearby taxi rank and, being third in line, we were soon back at our hotel and in Room 430. september 10th: In san sebastian'Waking after a reasonable night's sleep we went down to breakfast in the dining room which overlooked San Sebastian Bay. Sadly, breakfast wasn't as good as on the Pont-Aven and in particular, the fried eggs were cold. This was hardly what I expected from a Mercure Hotel. We were ready at the Funicular Station for the 1030 descent down to the corniche and walked all the way around the bay. We stopped for a coffee at a traditional cafe and then explored the centro old town. With the GF issue many of the places we looked at for lunch didn't appear to be suited for Yolande but we went into a Pintxos Bar where the staff were GF aware and we enjoyed a very nice lunch. Almost all of the clientelle were local people so it was nice to have found such a local place to lunch at. We'd looked at the main market before lunch so went back there to buy takeaway sushi for our evening meal in the hotel room and reached there late afternoon by taxi. We walked around Monte Igueldo as next to the hotel were benches on the terraces and the weather had cleared up for some photography of San Sebastian Bay. We then sat in the hotel lounge for an hour reading before returning to our room for the rest of the evening and our sushi. Uno for an hour finished off the day for us with a chilled Limoncello before lights out. september 11th: San SEbastian - PamplonaMore cold and sad looking eggs for breakfast and we were on the road by 1000. The front desk manager was Indonesian so we exchanged a few words of Bahasa Indonesia which I think surprised her. Our route was eastwards to the French border and then southwards on the A121 across the mountains and down into Pamplona and our hotel, the NH Iruna Park where we arrived at around midday. Suprisingly we were allowed to check in and soon up in Room 903 which was very nice and spacious. The hotel had an underground secure car park which we used for Euros 11 per night. After unpacking we enjoyed a light lunch in the hotel restaurant before walking into the old town, after a brief visit to the supermarket next door. As I'd enjoyed a hotel lunch, but Yolande hadn't sadly, we thought we'd have a room picnic for tea time later. We walked through the Vuelta del Castillo Park passing the moats and city walls and then headed over to the Plaza del Castillo which is considered the heart of the city. After enjoying a late afternoon drink in a pleasant cafe on Taconera we then walked back to our hotel. Our tea time room picnic went well with a local wine. september 12th - in pamplonaAfter a comfortable night's sleep we enjoyed the NH Hotel breakfast offerings which greatly exceeded what we'd had at the Mercure San Sebastian. Even the staff were friendlier here too. After breakfast we took a taxi to the Fortin de San Bartolome where the "Pamplona is City Walls" walk started. The Bull Ring was passed first but there was no option for viewing inside the second largest bullring in Spain with a capacity for 19,721 spectators. We then walked along the Ronda del Obispo Barbazan to the Rincon del Caballo Blanco viewpoint. Our next stop was the Santa Maria la Real Cathedral where for a nominal Euros 4 each we looked inside this spectacular building and the adjacent cloisters. The Mercado de Santiago Domingo was next and this was an enjoyable market with lots of interesting food stalls. Just along the outside the market hall was the El Redin Gastrobar which looked interesting and we were to return here for lunch. Our walk continued along the Cuesta de Curtidores and into the Jardines de la Taconera before we headed back to the El Redin Gastrobar along Maya and then Estafeta Street, possibly one of the most well known streets in the world as it is on the San Fermin Bull Run route which takes place every July. Back in the El Redin Gastrobar we enjoyed a pre-lunch drink in the bar whilst we waited for 1.30 for their restaurant to open. We were shown the translated menu on the waitresses mobile phone and we ordered:
This fabulous meal with pre-lunch drinks and wine with the meal cost approximately £40 so is therefore highly recommended. The staff were very friendly and helpful, particularly with regard to "Sin Gluten" for Yolande. Whilst we were enjoying lunch, Yolande decided we'd take the regional train out to Olite tomorrow to view the castle complex there. After lunch we passed the corrales below the Museo de Navarra which is where the bull run starts. At the station we booked our train tickets for the 0745 tomorrow and then walked back to the hotel. Our evening was spent in our very spacious Room 903 for cheese and wine followed by Uno. september 13th - to oliteIt was an early wake up ready to be down at the Breakfast Room for 0700 with a taxi ordered for 0720 to Pamplona Estacion for the 0745 train to Olite. The train departed more or less on time and we arrived at Olite after about 40 minutes. Due to a very low platform it was quite difficult to disembark from the train and Yolande had to sit on the floor whilst I helped her jump down to the platform. Our fares were Euros 3.50 each way for both of us which we thought was very reasonable. The Palace Real de Olite was spectacular as we approached it through the stone archway but as it was only about 0830 it wasn't open yet. In fact, most of the town was closed but the Ducay Hotel coffee shop was open so we went in to warm up as it was a cool morning and the coffee was excellent. We explored the old town, noticing many people dressed in red and white so we wondered if it was a holiday. At 1000 we went into the Information Office but didn't learn much we didn't already know so we went to the Palace Real de Olite and paid Euros 2.50 each for our entrance. The 15th Century Palace Real de Olite is regarded as a gem of Navarrese Gothic style and was a heavily fortified structure with lots of palatial halls and towers to climb via narrow spiral starircases with great views. Leaving the Palace Real de Olite we wandered the narrow streets which surrounded the castle as increasing numbers of red and white clothed people filled the main square. On re-entering the main square huge caricatures of the nobility were being carried into the area and displayed on the covered stage. At midday, the bands began to play and young people began to dance whilst being sprayed with what looked like fire extinguishers in the main square full of people celebrating on this Friday before a week of celebrations which included a Saturday bull run through the town. As the celebrations were coming to an end we thought we'd look for a lunch venue but our efforts failed as every table in every restaurant was reserved for red and white clothed locals. We were down at the station an hour before the crowded 1445 train stopped to pick us up. After arriving back in Pamplona we walked back to our hotel for cheese and biscuits and a fine bottle of Chardonnay purchased on board the Pont-Aven. september 14th: pamplona to canfrancBreakfast was at 0800 but as we were already packed it was a leisurely breakfast and check-out and on the road by 1000. It was a sunny morning but not too warm as we drove out of Pamplona and headed eastwards on the very good A-21. We passed the large Embalse de Yesa lake to arrive at Jaca where we turned north on the N-330 and arrived at our Canfranc Estacion Hotel by 1230. Since 1853 the Aragonese have been trying to open the Pyrenees to France by train through the Somport and after 75 years this was finally achieved. During WW2 the station played a strategic role as a transit centre for refugies and spies. The line closed in 1970 but the station was newly inaugurated in 2020. We were warmly welcomed in the hotel with a glass of champagne and Sergio one of the porters ensured we were correctly parked and took our luggage to our room. Checking in was effortless and our upgraded room was available which was a bonus. Room 229 was very pleasant with a large lounge area and separate bedroom. We enjoyed drinks and a light lunch in the bar downstairs but ordering lunches for Yolande seems difficult in Spain. We both had a Mozarella and Tomato Salad before heading out for a walk. Canfranc Estacion was inagurated on July 18th 1928 and was the largest station in Europe and an icon of railway architecture. Today, as a 5* hotel the building is in excellent condition and a fabulous place to stay. Today there was a 34Km Ultra Mountain Race with 2000m of ascent and we watched runners crossing the finishing line just outside the hotel. I took photos for a very smartly dressed couple who had been to a nearby wedding and they asked me if I'd finished the race early! On our walk around the hotel and the small village we enjoyed a glass of wine whilst watching the world go by along with some of the later race runners. Siesta in our room with drinks before dinner at 2000 with excellent food but only average service. september 15th: Canfranc into andorraLeaving the Canfranc Estacion our route took us back to Jaca where we joined the N-260 which took us almost to Andorra crossing four or five high mountain passes up to 1750m with more hairpin bends than I've ever experienced before. N-260 is listed as one of the best motorcycle classic routes in Spain and is the northernmost west to east road in Spain. Our Google Map 5hrs route took us 8hrs to complete so we arrived feeling quite tired. NH Collection Andorra Palome is a boutique hotel located at an altitude of 1751m and is reached by road in 15mins from Andorra la Vella, the capital of Andorra. The hotel is housed in a building that once a sawmill and has 34 rooms with ours being a Superior Balcony Room 206 which whilst being nicely furnished was on the compact side. Breakfasts were good as were the two evening meals we enjoyed. september 16th: In andorraAfter an enjoyable NH Hotels breakfast we decided we'd drive up to the high pass which sits on the border with France, Port de Cabrus (2301m). We stopped at the pretty village of Pal following the CG4 route from Erts. The drive was enjoyable and we stopped at the "Storm in a teacup" iron pipe structure by Dennis Oppenheim which opened in 1991 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Andorran Social Security. The structure exudes the hidden magic that is (apparently) latent in the forces of nature. At the pass we photographed a herd of wild horses which were quite friendly and not worried about being in the close proximity of people. We stopped for a coffee on the way down and once in our valley but higher than our hotel we enjoyed lunch in Arinsal at the Coffee Mountain/Arinsal Bakery where the salads were particularly good and the vino blanco quite refreshing. That afternoon, from our hotel, we took the 15 bus down into the capital Andorra la Vella (1013m) just to see what the place looked like. We didn't buy anything and found the duty free alcohol prices almost the same as alcohol prices back home in supermarkets when on special offers. september 17th: in andorrammAfter another good breakfast we headed off down our valley and then turned onto CG3 towards Ordino (1298m) and beyond up the CG3 into the high ski resorts run by Ordino Arcalis (2229m) and parked there. We had a choice of an hours walk up to the three lakes (Estany Primer @ 2249m, Estany Del mig @ 2288m and Estany De Mes Amunt @ 2306m) or take the open sit ski lift to the high ridge above the ski resort and then walk the last 100m of ascent up to the Mirador Solar de Trstaina @ 2701m where the giant sundial awaited us. The all round views were stunning and down to the three lakes which lie below Pic De Tristainwa @3878m. After taking in the views we walked back down to the ski resort but this was a tough track descent of about 500m with some sections being quite steep. Lunch was at the Restaurant La Coma in the ski resort where we both enjoyed local rice dishes not dissimilar to paella. After lunch we explored the surrounding areas where there where some fine examples of The Orris which are examples of old farm livestock architecture dating back to the 17th and 19th centuries but these were re-built in the 20th century. These old traditional buildings where were the sheep were milked and cheese made. Late in the afternoon we returned to our hotel and later, room cheese and biscuits with an enjoyable wine. september 18th: in andorra (to the Vall d'incles & roc del quer mirador)For our last day in Andorra we decided to head east on CG2 through Encamp and Canillo and up to the top end of the Vall d'Incles on CS236. The single lane route up to the head of the valley passed colourful properties, all adorned with floral troughs or hanging baskets. In fact, everywhere was the same across Andorra from remote cottages to multi-storey hotels in the main towns. At the head of the valley I spent some time photographing images of a new whisky product for the distilling company which I'd previously done some photography for. The area was surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery and a few colourful farm properties. Sadly the restaurant was closed between the summer and winter seasons and this was quite common across Andorra during our September stay. Leaving the valley and back onto the CG2 we drove eastwards to Soldeau for lunch. Our children had been skiing there once so we were curious to see the place. In the Restaurant Bruxelles where we stopped for lunch I enjoyed a fabulous pepperoni pizza whilst Yolande had a very average mozarella and tomato salad. Our return route to our hotel was from Canillo over the CS240 mountain road with multiple hairpin bends with a stop at the Roc del Quer Mirador which cost us Euros 5 each to visit the vantage viewpoint and The Ponderer sculpture at the end of the walkway. The viewpoint provides spectacular views of the valleys of Montaup and Valira d'Orient. Back at the hotel to dine in, Chef Pedro offered us complimentary wine and crisps because he was late opening the main restaurant as he was supervising a large Chinese school group from the NH hotel down in the capital - Andorra la Vella (1013m). Our dinner was very good with Yolande enjoying a pork dish whilst I opted for the duck. Some packing before bedtime in readiness for an early departure in the morning to Monseratt and Badalona (Barcelona). september 19th: Andorra - monseratt - badalonaDressed and packed by the time breakfast opened at 0800, we were on the road south out of Andorra by about 0830. We weren't stopped leaving the country and soon after the border we turned eastwards on the N-260. Beyond Bellverde Cerdanya our route turned southwards, passing through a 5Km tunnel (Euros 13.90) on a modern road with spectacular scenery passing the towns of Baga, Berga and Gironella on C-16. We needed a break so pulled off C-16 into a small village (Puig-Reig) where we found a wonderful hotel coffee shop which was quite delightful. We purchased packed lunches here to eat at Monastir de Monseratt. They even provided Yolande with a gluten free roll. We arrived at the rack railway station car park by about midday and caught the 1215 train up to the monastry site. The station and trains were very new looking and the three storey free car park quite huge. It was a scenic ride up to the top station and after disembarking we took the Saint Joan Funicular up to the top viewing point which was well worth the effort. We didn't need to stay long at the top viewing point so took the funicular back down to the very crowded main monastry levels where we ate our packed lunches. We had purchased our tickets online from home. Most of the chapels and other buildings required additional charges and as we felt we'd seen what we wanted to we caught a crowded train back to our station car park. It was a long 1.5hrs to Badalona via the built up areas of Sabadell and Ripoollet and we arrived at our sea front Hotel Miramar. The hotel garage only had space for three cars so we were glad we'd booked and paid our reservation in advance. After unpacking in our quite spacious sea-view room we went out to buy provisions for our room fridge and then went for a walk over to Badalona Estacion where, on the sea front, we enjoyed drinks with the waves crashing almost at our feet. Beyond our hotel westwards on the seafront we found a Mexican restaurant called Mexclat which turned out to be excellent. The margaritas were excellent and the best nachos we've ever experienced followed although we did have to request jalapenos! For our main course we shared a plate of pork tacos and these were filled genourosly and very tasty. It was then just a short walk back to the hotel. september 20th: in badalona + barcelonaAfter a very good night's sleep we woke to find it was raining heavily which caused a dampener on our day's activities. The hotel didn't provide breakfast so we'd popped around to the nearby Cosin Supermercado and purchased a few breakfast items. After breakfast we decided to wait a couple of hours to see if the weather improved. With the weather having improved we caught the R1 Regional Train into Barcelona for an exploratory afternoon in the city. Disembarking at Catalunya we walked towards the Gothic Quarter and enjoyed a very good lunch in a restaurant called Cer el Cle which had a large and very crowded dining terrace outside but a rather elegant indoor area where we chose to sit. I enjoyed a Sashimi/Sushi dish whilst Yolande chose Roast Chicken/Potatoes and both dishes were very good. We shared a Catalan Creme Brule as a dessert. The Gothic Quarter wasn't hugely of interest to us so we continued down to the Port Vell area where there was still much of interest from the very recent America's Cup. Looking at the other boats in the marina we saw the ancient looking harbour cable car at the World Trade Centre before planning our route back to Badalona by aiming for the Arc de Triomf regional railway station. We walked past and through the mainline station Estacio de Franca and throuh the Parc de la Ciutadella, where there were small green paraqueets playing in the grass, to look at the large Arc de Triomf before catching the R1 train back to Badalona for the short walk back to our Hotel Miramar. That evening we went back to the Mexclat for another very good Mexican dinner. After dinner we went for a walk into the centre of Badalona to recce the Metro station for our journey into Barcelona tomorrow. september 21st: in barcelonaAfter our in-room picnic breakfast, very basic, we walked to the Badalona Metro to get into central Barcelona where we alighted at the Sagrada Famalia Metro which was directly outside the Metro and which looked very impressive even with all the construction cranes present. After a simple breakfast and coffee we went into the Sagrada Familia for our 1030 reservation with a tower reservation at 1045. These tickets were also booked in advance. The building required airport type security but we were soon inside and even as crowded as it was it was still impressive. After a brief queue for the lift we were whisked up high where various small platforms got us close to the main towers. The spiral descent in dark lighting provided a slow and careful descent down to the main level below. Walking around the base of Sagrada Familia we stopped at the Placa de Gaudi for one of the best views across the small lake to the Sagrada Familia. Our next objective of the day was the new business tower, Torre Glories, where we'd be whisked up to the highest point in Barcelona for just a few euros. We were there early so enjoyed a drink at the Hoxton Hotel restaurant in their terrace bar. Reaching the 38th-story of Torre Glories gave us 360 degree views of Barcelona and with my Nikon camera equipment I was able to take some great images of the Basilica de la Sagrada also known as Sagrada Familia which we'd visited earlier. After Torre Glories we returned to the Hoxton Hotel for lunch which was very enjoyable. Taking a taxi to the Placa Catalunya square we then walked down the very crowded La Rambla, a notable street in Barcelona, before catching the Metro back to Badalona. A sea view room picnic of cheese and wine ended a very busy day in a crowded city. september 22nd - in badalonaThis was planned as a rest day before tomorrow when we were todrive to Valancia for three nights. I downloaded images from my iPhone and Nikon D750 which I'd been doing on a fairly regular basis before spending an hour or so writing up my website blog. At 1230 we walked over to the Mexclat restaurant for a sushi lunch which was very enjoyable. After lunch we walked along the promenade to the Indian restaurant to book a table for our evening meal. After that we reurned to our hotel room and balcony and I also wrote a few more notes on my website blog. Dinner at the Curcuma Badalona Indian Restaurant was very good and the owner very helpful and friendly for an enjoyable dinner on our last night in Badalona. I'd enjoyed our seafront Hotel Miramar with a great balcony and the sound of waves quite audible from across the seafront. The hotel needed some love and attention but is only 3*** and adequate for our three nights there. september 23rd: badalona to valencia0800 from the hotel saw us experiencing rush hour traffic until we joined the E-15 which would take us all the way to Valencia in just over 4hrs. We stopped a few times at services and arrived at the AC Marriott Hotel Valencia at about 1230 where Room 918 was made available to us on our arrival. The underground secure car park was easy to access. After some unpacking we enjoyed a light lunch in the lobby hotel restaurant. We thought we'd better visit the railway station to find out about trains for our planned visit to Xativa tomorrow. We walked to Estacion Valencia Nord via the Jardin del Turia which was a pleasant walk through well maintained gardens where once there was a river. We walked past the spectacular Palau de la Musica, a concert hall built in the 1980's. At the station we didn't really find out much about our rail plans for the following day so returned by taxi to the hotel. Dinner was Japanese just a short walk from the hotel to the Placa d'Europe roundabout and the Okawa Restaurant dinner was good in that customers cook it themselves and it was a pleasant experience which took about 1.5hrs in total before we returned to the hotel. september 24th: In valenciaThis was to be a day trip to Xativa following advice from Helen Menhinick who recommended this destination to view the Castillo de Xativa which sits above the town of Xativa on the narrow ridge of Mount Vernissa at 350m altitude. We'd researched Renfe trains but there was some confusion about timetables and departures from Valencia but our knowledgable taxi driver took us to Valencia Nord where we purchased our round trip tickets and boarded the 1035 train. Arriving in Xativa about an hour later we soon found a taxi for the Euros 12 trip up to the Castillo de Xativa. We paid our Euros 6 each entrance tickets and spent an hour climbing up to and exploring the Upper Castle. It really was an inspiring fortification and back down at the Placa d'Armes, Yolande decided to rest whilst I nipped up to the Lower Castle. The ticket office kindly booked us a taxi back down to town where we were dropped off in the central area to look for a lunch venue. Black Pork Jambonerie was an exceptionally good find where we spent over an hour enjoying drinks and lunch. This bar restaurant is highly recommended, even for those with GF requirements like Yolande who thought her GF Baguette was very good. The staff were very friendly and helpful and we purchased a bottle of red to take back to our Valencia hotel. We caught a train at about 1530 hrs and were back into Valencia Nord before 1700 for a taxi back to the hotel. We walked over to the C.C. AQUA shopping complex for tea at Tony Roma's, an Americal Diner. The shared nachos were excellent as were the ribs we each had for mains and the service very good too. september 25th: In valenciaFollowing on from our arrival day here in Valencia today would be a full day of sightseeing. After breakfast a taxi took us to the Torres de Serranos, one of the twelve gates that formed part of the ancient city wall, the Christian Wall, of the city of Valencia, Spain. It was built in the Valencian Gothic style at the end of the 14th century and a Euros 2 ticket each enabled us to climb to the uppermost ramparts. Continuing through the old town we arrived as planned at the Mercado Central. This huge iron, glass and tile building with its parrot and swordfish weather-vanes opened in 1928 and is one of the largest and most attractive markets in Europe with over 300 stalls. We loved walking around this fadcinating structure and finished with a drink at one of the bars outside, Bar La Lonja. In Plaza Del Ayuntamiento we enjoyed a very nice salad and glass of wine at the Velencia Bernardo Hernandez 100% Iberico Bar/Restaurant (www.beher.com) which has venues across Spain. The avocado salads were quite amazing in the way they were presented, generous quantities and taste. We passed Estacion Nord and the Bullring as we headed in the general direction of our hotel but via the hugely impressive Palau de les Arts building where we enjoyed a Morado cocktail in the pleasant surroundings with water lakes all around us. Walking along the garden terrace we passed the Hemisferic and Museo de les Ciences buildings, again they were very impressve structures. Crossing the Pont l'Assut de l'Or bridge we popped into the El Corte Ingles shopping centre to buy a few items in their basement supermarket and then walked back to our hotel. It was another cheese and wine tea time with views over towards the port area where there were different cruise liners in every day. september 26th: valencia to zaragozaOWe were on the road soon after breakfast and leaving the city onto the A-23 Autovia Mudejar which, leaving the coast behind, climbed to over 1200m for much of the way with buffeting strong winds from the west. We passed Teruel Airport which has the most aircraft grounded anywhere in Europe. Currently there are over 130 aircraft in storage there, including some from British Airways. Stored aircraft range in size from the Boeing 737 in all it's variants up to the A380 with a dozen of these stored there. Beyond Teruel we stopped at services briefly with us finally reaching the NH Ciudad Hotel in Zaragoza by about 1pm. Our room was ready for us so after dropping the bags off we went down to the restaurant for a light lunch. The restaurant was mostly occupied by a noisy corporate group so we moved out into the front bar area to eat our lunch. Room 709 was quite satisfactory and had a river facing balcony. After lunch and some unpacking we set out to explore Zaragoza. We walked along the wide riverside path between Punte de Santiago and Puenta de Piedra before turning into the old centre to source somewhere for our evening meal and opted for the Tragantua Gran Taberna where we were told we didn't need to make a reservation. We returned to the hotel via the narrow streets of the old town and the very large Plaza del Pilar which is quite impressive. As it was getting dark we walked back to the Tragantua Gran Taberna for the 2000 opening time but it was gone 2015 before anyone was allowed inside as the staff were still laying tables and making general preparations. Our waiter was far from welcoming and friendly and wanted us to rush into ordering everything in one go. He wasn't particularly happy when we ordered our wine and we said we'd have a drink as we were looking through the menu. Our meal choices were good but it's a shame the service was poor. Looking at the dessert menu we gave up waiting for our orders to be taken and paid the bill. The Cathedral and buildings around the Plaza del Pilar were all illuminated and looked good. september 27th: a day trip to madridThis day trip to Madrid had been my idea and was quite costly so I was hoping Yolande would enjoy the day. I'd treated us to First Class tickets which included reserved seating and a simple meal both ways. The railway company is called Iryo, a Spanish high-speed train operator competing with state-owned Renfe on key routes. Iryo launced in November 2022 and is a consortium of Tenitalia and Air Nostrum using a vwesion of Tenitalia's Frecciarosso 1000 trains - we reached just over 300km/hr on both our journeys. Breakfast served at our seats was very good. Arriving in Madrid by about midday we set out to expore the west side of the city which is the older part. A long walk westwards along Calle Atocha took us into the magnificent Plaza Mayor central square where we sat and enjoyed drinks watching the world go by. We'd read that we should vist the Mercado San Miguel but this wasn't a market any more but a very overcrowded food hall with no traditional market stalls. Beyond that we walked down to the Palacio Real but long entrance queues deterred us from going inside so we set off in search of lunch. We found a traditional looking restaurant called Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas and ventured inside to see if they could cope with Yolande's dietary requirements and were both pleased to get a positive response. We were taken down into the cellars that house the traditional and historical and very well appointed dining room. We enjoyed a great lunch with excellent service in the cellars where Luis Candelas, the famous highwayman, once based his operations from whilst robbing the rich to help the poor. Like Dick Turpin in York, Luis Candelas also met his fate at the gallows. It was a fabulous lunchtime experience and this restaurant is to be highly recommended. With about 4hrs before our train was due to depart we enjoyed a leisurely walk along Calle Alcala to Puert de Cibeles and the impressive Palacio de Cibeles Centrocentro. We walked around this colourful area before going to the Museo Naval which we looked around for an hour. This maritime museum was full of very interesting models and art exhibits. Back at the station in ample time for our 1925 train we found a quiet corner in a station cafe and made our drinks last until our platform was announced and we could pass through security onto our platform to board the train. As the train pulled out of the station our two cabin attendents came through with a drinks trolley to offer welcome drinks so we chose cava which was very nice. Soon we were running at 300km/hr as our light meal was served with generous amounts of a pleasant red wine. Before long we were slowing down into Zaragocia Delias Estacion and we disembarked only to have to wait twenty minutes for a taxi back to our hotel. Iryo trains are highly recommended and we both enjoyed the high speed train experience for our day trip to Madrid. september 28th: in zaragozaAfter a long and tiring day yesterday we enjoyed a lie in and a later breakfast but at 0900 the breakfast room was chaotic with staff barely able to cope. Nevertheless we enjoyed good omlettes with our fresh orange juice and coffee. Our first venture into town was to shop for some items to take home with us and we eventually found a very nice delicatessen where we made our purchases before taking them back to the hotel and or car. During this walk we completed a recce to our dinner venue for tonight: Distrio Mexico. Our second venture into town was more for an enjoyable walk, photography and lunch and walking alongside the river and old city walls led us to La Cocina de Keyla which turned out to be a Gluten Free restaurant which was very nicely appointed with quite a few tables occupied. Sadly it was an alcohol free restaurant but we both survived! We ordered three dishes to share and they were all very good: hummous, quiche and a pizza type dish. A highly recommended Gluten Free restaurant. Back at the hotel we sorted out our luggage ready for our morning departure tomorrow to Burgos. Distrio Mexico that evening was a bit of a disappointment in that the margaritas were far from what we'd normally expect and the three dishes we ordered were all a bit bland without a jalapeno in sight. september 29th: zaragoza to burgostI think we were on the road by 9am for our three hour drive to Burgos and, being a Sunday morning, the drive was quiet with not much traffic around. Almost at the hotel we were faced with barriers and road closures by the police which were a nightmare. On our second attempt we simply drove up to a barrier and negotiated our way through as our hotel was very close. The hotel car park was tight corners and narrow parking bays but we ended up on -2 where the bays were wider. Up at reception in this very nice looking hotel we were allocated Room 306 which was very well furnished and looked across the river to Burgos Cathedral. Our lunch with a drink was down in the very spacious lobby bar where one of the staff spoke fluent English and fully undersood Yolande's dietry requirements. Granada FC were checking out as we arrived. We spent the afternoon exploring Burgos with a lengthy visit into Burgos Cathedral which was very well looked after and had a heritage wing where we were reminded that this was the home of El Cid and we saw his coffin in the cathedral. On our way back to the hotel we passed a magnificent bronze statue of El Cid. We dined in the hotel restaurant that night and it was an enjoyable experience. There was no al a carte as it was a Sunday but the three course dinner was excellent. We then planned our route to the ferry terminal at Santander. september 30th: Burgos to santanderWe were up bright and early for breakfast but as we were finalising our packing Britanny Ferries emailed me to say the ferry would be delayed until tomorow at 1100, delayed inbound because of weather. I tried to book at the NH Hotel Santander but found it was already fully booked as ferry passengers all booked hotels there. Natalia on the front desk managed to secure a booking at the Bahia Hotel for us but at a cost of Euros 199 room only. Leaving Burgos behind the drive up to the Bahia Hotel in Santander took us a couple of hours on mostly quiet roads until we neared the coast. Access for our car into the underground car park was via a car lift which was a new experience for us but checking in was easy enough and we were soon in Room 611 which was quite spacious and with a harbour view. I think that, overall, the Bahia Hotel needed an upgrade as in our room, wallpaper was flaking off in a couple of places and the door stop had separated from the wall. Toiletries in the bathroom were quite basic and there were no brew facilities in the room. After our typical lunch on arrival in our hotels we went for a walk around Santander and recce'd a restaurant for our evening meal and this was the Cafe Suizo. There didn't seem to be much of interest for us to see in Santander so we went back to our hotel to relax. Dinner at the Cafe Suizo turned out to be a wise decision as my fish and chips was about the best I've ever experiennced. Yolande's entrecote steak was of a size I've never seen her tackle before. The service was warm and friendly and we were given a local liquer complimentary before we left for our hotel. A fabulous last night in Spain...... october 1st: santander to plymouthAwake at 0615 only to find that the Pont-Aven hadn't arrived yet so we went down for breakfast which turned out to be about the worst we'd experienced on this trip and on top of the euros 199 cost Euros 16 each on top. Checking out, it was up in the car lift and we were checked in at the ferry terminal within about 10 minutes of leaving the hotel. We were able to buy a coffee at the jetty cafe but it was so awful, I threw mine away. We drove onto the Pont-aven by about 0930 and soon found our way up to our delux cabin 8306 Ile d' Aiz - all the delux cabins are named after small French islands. The twin bed room was actually a quad room with a large sofa bed and a fourth bed hidden in the ceiling. We sailed by about 1130 and passed the cruise liner Ventura as we were leaving the harbour. After lunch we did our duty free shopping but by about 1430 vessel movement was increasing as waves from the west picked up to Force 6. With the vessel movement I thought it was time to be rocked gently to sleep and woke up an hour and a half later to find the seas had calmed down. For dinner in the main dining room we both opted for just two courses, missing out on a main as the buffet starter was quite comprehensive. We followed this with a shared plate of cheeses from the most amazing cheese selection I've ever seen. The Irish Coffee I finished off with was very enjoyable. october 2nd: santander to plymouth We woke after the Pont-Aven had berthed in Roscoff for the crew change and I went up on deck as the ship sailed. We went for a leisurely breakfast around 0900 and then relaxed in our cabin for the rest of the crossing to Plymouth.
We docked by around 1330 but on our elevated car deck it seemed to take a while for the main deck to offload before our ramp could be lowered for us to disembark. Our car was selected for a search and we were told this was a random search for unauthorised persons and not because we might have purchased more than our allowances of duty free items. A four hour drive saw us arrive home after a truly enjoyable exploration of northeast Spain and Andorra.
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2021 OnwardsFollowing on from retirement, more time will be available for hill and mountain walking on a personal basis with friends. Categories |