Although we were expecting to stay until 4th July, decided to leave as it was getting a little noisy with ever more Spanish families and it may be cooler further north. So typed in the GPS stuff for a campsite near Pamplona (320 mile trip but turned out more, see later) and away we went, well not quite that simple. (Tricia having "lunch on the journey)
The day before we left I told Tricia it would be better if we hooked up and drove over to the pitch opposite. My reasoning being if someone decided to take the plot there was not much we could do to stop then except we couldn’t get out without chopping some trees down, Luckily we did because one hour later all the rest of the spaces were taken!
Paid the day before which was expected, what was not expected was a bill for €120 for less that two months electric!
Just a matter of driving out then. Managed to negotiate the one tree that was in our way then down past reception and manage to knock the barrier off its stanchion. It turns out that when it lifted it did not go fully vertical. Also turns out that it is only plastic and “it happens all the time”. No damage, no problemo!
Off down the A340 and everything OK. Not! The outside shower unit decided to become unlocked and so is now swinging around at the back and bashing into the road, couldn’t stop as no hard shoulder. So carried on until we could, no damage and stowed away safely.
On towards Zaragosa, up some “hills” that reduced our speed to 45 mph and mpg to nothing. As this, the A23, was a new dual carriageway there were no petrol stations on it so we had to pull off to find one, alright many. So, pulling out of a station and the road only goes back in the direction of Valencia where we had just come from! Back down “hills” for a number of miles, turn round and back. We almost needed fuel again.
Arrived at Pamplona and the GPS had determined that we should have a look at the town. Pulling 13 m off truck and trailer through a town is not quite what I would call full, but after Paris, bring it on mate.
Arrived at Ezcaba campsite OK. Drove to reception, yeas we can stay. “Have you come for the festival?” “Que?” We new about the famous Bull run through Pamplona which was due to start 6th July. “No, not that our Ezcaba festival”.
"The Pamplona bikre ride"
Turns out that to coincide with the Bull Run, they have their own “do”.
On 4th July thousands of people, mostly aged under 25, camp there and play pop music VERY LOUD all day for 2 weeks. I found a pair of ear plugs a little later, ominous sign. Talk about out of the frying pan. Also camp prices, which are already high (high season) double for the festival, cost €300 for the week. Oh well we do want to see the bulls.
The day before we left I told Tricia it would be better if we hooked up and drove over to the pitch opposite. My reasoning being if someone decided to take the plot there was not much we could do to stop then except we couldn’t get out without chopping some trees down, Luckily we did because one hour later all the rest of the spaces were taken!
Paid the day before which was expected, what was not expected was a bill for €120 for less that two months electric!
Just a matter of driving out then. Managed to negotiate the one tree that was in our way then down past reception and manage to knock the barrier off its stanchion. It turns out that when it lifted it did not go fully vertical. Also turns out that it is only plastic and “it happens all the time”. No damage, no problemo!
Off down the A340 and everything OK. Not! The outside shower unit decided to become unlocked and so is now swinging around at the back and bashing into the road, couldn’t stop as no hard shoulder. So carried on until we could, no damage and stowed away safely.
On towards Zaragosa, up some “hills” that reduced our speed to 45 mph and mpg to nothing. As this, the A23, was a new dual carriageway there were no petrol stations on it so we had to pull off to find one, alright many. So, pulling out of a station and the road only goes back in the direction of Valencia where we had just come from! Back down “hills” for a number of miles, turn round and back. We almost needed fuel again.
Arrived at Pamplona and the GPS had determined that we should have a look at the town. Pulling 13 m off truck and trailer through a town is not quite what I would call full, but after Paris, bring it on mate.
Arrived at Ezcaba campsite OK. Drove to reception, yeas we can stay. “Have you come for the festival?” “Que?” We new about the famous Bull run through Pamplona which was due to start 6th July. “No, not that our Ezcaba festival”.
"The Pamplona bikre ride"
Turns out that to coincide with the Bull Run, they have their own “do”.
On 4th July thousands of people, mostly aged under 25, camp there and play pop music VERY LOUD all day for 2 weeks. I found a pair of ear plugs a little later, ominous sign. Talk about out of the frying pan. Also camp prices, which are already high (high season) double for the festival, cost €300 for the week. Oh well we do want to see the bulls.
(th
e lightening rod)
There are signs round the site “no alcohol to be brought onto the site, available from site shop only”. We found out why later, their “magic shop” (turns €5 into a litre of milk), everything was 5 times the price”. I had picked up 6 cans of local stuff and she said €15!! QUE!!
Getting in however was our first trial. Bloody trees again!
The guy who was to “guide” us in obviously had not noticed that we had an A/C unit on the roof. So after a few back and forwards started to pull onto our pitch “bonk!”
Ah well it had never worked anyway. Found another way in but was then told that when the campsite filled up we might not be able to get out again and remain here until September.
So we are now in and level, which is a new one on us and have got the best view you could imagine. Of course the people that had the view before were not gleeful that this 13m x 2.3 m x 3.5 m “lump” was now in their way.
Cycled into Pamplona, only 6 miles, but after flat beach runs the hills nearly killed us.
We stopped to have a 3 coarse €12 each lunch in the Plaza Principal De Viana. I had a salad starter like no other I have ever had before. It was the usual thing with Gambo (king prawns) and also little thin things that I could not figure the taste of, some sort of Chinese type young bamboo shoots. In the supermarket later, I found out that they were baby eels.
Cycled the actual Bull Run, which goes from the north of town, just inside the city walls, for about 1 mile in distance and finally arriving at the bull ring where I guess God knows what happens to them... Fun eh? On parts of the walls you can make out holes made by horn strikes.
It also starts at 8 am. So that’s a 6 am get up and 1 hour cycle to get there in time and it only lasts about 15 minutes or they are buses from some where near that start running at 5 am. Also learnt that only 8 bulls are let loose each morning where I thought, from the movies etc; that there were hundreds.
We shall see if SWMBO can get up in time.
Whilst there we found the Europa Hotel, the back rooms over look the end of the run. This was the hotel we stayed at with the Swans on one of our motorcycle tours, the hotel was reasonable and c
heapish but the restaurant was apparently one of the best in Spain, it was. Unfortunately those were the days pre whip, (whip; a bag containing money from all parties to cover expenses such as eating and drinking et.) and of coarse it was the Swins turn to pay. Alan actually chortled when he saw the prices, b**tid.
Couple in their 70’s I reckon, turned up in their VW camper van and parked right next to us. They have had the van for about 20 years and been just about everywhere with it, just goes to show what you can do when you still have the will.
Just started to use my Olympus 4/3rds DSLR E-420 (yes, it’s a camera) as recommended by my son Adam. How many buttons/controls can you have on such a small gadget! I have read the manual, something I never do, it’s a man thing. If you can not use it out of the box it should be chucked away. Well you can use it, like point and shoot but apparently you can also see through walls, turn the sky orange, leap high buildings and distort people into Bugs Bunny amongst other things. It also shoots video and can be used as a chock to hold up our wonky table. Back to manual.
Today because of the high price of Gods own life giving liquid, booze, we will drive to the nearest supermarket and “fill up” for the week and smuggle it in. Might get some food as well.
When we got to our plot and were safely parked I looked at the site map and noticed their was a WiFi point right next to us, it turns out to be the camps lightening conductor. I tried to convince Tricia that this is probably the safest place to be because lightening will prefer it rather than us, (her, is all she thinks), but as a precaution she should cut back on her multivitamins with iron. So since then she insists on sleeping on her plastic Pilates mat on top of the bed. (Thinks, a little bit of Vaseline and it would be frictionless, kinky or what?). In your dreams kid.
Lazy day today as Tricia is “knackered” from cycle ride, so it’s washing and shopping. Temperature is now a balmy 28° C with a slight breeze, lovely.
As I type there are lots of people turning up and filling the site, 1,800 Australians are due tomorrow, at least we will not be short on bar staff. I must though I think we were spoiled at Bonterra because although Ezcaba has all the normal facilities it is nowhere near as good.
Just been out to defy all the rules and found the nearest supermarket 6 miles away, now fridge is fully stocked with fish, milk, eggs, meat, salad stuff and what was that other stuff ?……………..er..er.. begins with B? I forget.
Message for Swanny, have brought a case of the cheap, good, Cava, unfortunately the way Tricia is putting it away, you may get the case but no Cava.
Have to go now and get our “wrist bracelet” that allows access in and out of camp, feel like a bloody kid again.
e lightening rod)There are signs round the site “no alcohol to be brought onto the site, available from site shop only”. We found out why later, their “magic shop” (turns €5 into a litre of milk), everything was 5 times the price”. I had picked up 6 cans of local stuff and she said €15!! QUE!!
Getting in however was our first trial. Bloody trees again!
The guy who was to “guide” us in obviously had not noticed that we had an A/C unit on the roof. So after a few back and forwards started to pull onto our pitch “bonk!”
Ah well it had never worked anyway. Found another way in but was then told that when the campsite filled up we might not be able to get out again and remain here until September.
So we are now in and level, which is a new one on us and have got the best view you could imagine. Of course the people that had the view before were not gleeful that this 13m x 2.3 m x 3.5 m “lump” was now in their way.
Cycled into Pamplona, only 6 miles, but after flat beach runs the hills nearly killed us.
We stopped to have a 3 coarse €12 each lunch in the Plaza Principal De Viana. I had a salad starter like no other I have ever had before. It was the usual thing with Gambo (king prawns) and also little thin things that I could not figure the taste of, some sort of Chinese type young bamboo shoots. In the supermarket later, I found out that they were baby eels.
Cycled the actual Bull Run, which goes from the north of town, just inside the city walls, for about 1 mile in distance and finally arriving at the bull ring where I guess God knows what happens to them... Fun eh? On parts of the walls you can make out holes made by horn strikes.
It also starts at 8 am. So that’s a 6 am get up and 1 hour cycle to get there in time and it only lasts about 15 minutes or they are buses from some where near that start running at 5 am. Also learnt that only 8 bulls are let loose each morning where I thought, from the movies etc; that there were hundreds.
We shall see if SWMBO can get up in time.
Whilst there we found the Europa Hotel, the back rooms over look the end of the run. This was the hotel we stayed at with the Swans on one of our motorcycle tours, the hotel was reasonable and c
heapish but the restaurant was apparently one of the best in Spain, it was. Unfortunately those were the days pre whip, (whip; a bag containing money from all parties to cover expenses such as eating and drinking et.) and of coarse it was the Swins turn to pay. Alan actually chortled when he saw the prices, b**tid.Couple in their 70’s I reckon, turned up in their VW camper van and parked right next to us. They have had the van for about 20 years and been just about everywhere with it, just goes to show what you can do when you still have the will.
Just started to use my Olympus 4/3rds DSLR E-420 (yes, it’s a camera) as recommended by my son Adam. How many buttons/controls can you have on such a small gadget! I have read the manual, something I never do, it’s a man thing. If you can not use it out of the box it should be chucked away. Well you can use it, like point and shoot but apparently you can also see through walls, turn the sky orange, leap high buildings and distort people into Bugs Bunny amongst other things. It also shoots video and can be used as a chock to hold up our wonky table. Back to manual.
Today because of the high price of Gods own life giving liquid, booze, we will drive to the nearest supermarket and “fill up” for the week and smuggle it in. Might get some food as well.
When we got to our plot and were safely parked I looked at the site map and noticed their was a WiFi point right next to us, it turns out to be the camps lightening conductor. I tried to convince Tricia that this is probably the safest place to be because lightening will prefer it rather than us, (her, is all she thinks), but as a precaution she should cut back on her multivitamins with iron. So since then she insists on sleeping on her plastic Pilates mat on top of the bed. (Thinks, a little bit of Vaseline and it would be frictionless, kinky or what?). In your dreams kid.
Lazy day today as Tricia is “knackered” from cycle ride, so it’s washing and shopping. Temperature is now a balmy 28° C with a slight breeze, lovely.
As I type there are lots of people turning up and filling the site, 1,800 Australians are due tomorrow, at least we will not be short on bar staff. I must though I think we were spoiled at Bonterra because although Ezcaba has all the normal facilities it is nowhere near as good.
Just been out to defy all the rules and found the nearest supermarket 6 miles away, now fridge is fully stocked with fish, milk, eggs, meat, salad stuff and what was that other stuff ?……………..er..er.. begins with B? I forget.
Message for Swanny, have brought a case of the cheap, good, Cava, unfortunately the way Tricia is putting it away, you may get the case but no Cava.
Have to go now and get our “wrist bracelet” that allows access in and out of camp, feel like a bloody kid again.
No comments:
Post a Comment