Awful night last night ..sometimes when it’s getting late to park up we forget to check for the obvious – this time, several benches at the back of us on the quayside. About four car loads of kids came and had a fabulous time, laughing and shouting until 2:30am. It was the music that was the real killer though, some kind of repetitive, boomy, trance rubbish – I think I could cope so much better if they played something decent. Guy decided to add some rather loud snoring into the mix which didn’t help either.
As we drove away this morning, we noticed the alternative parking on the other side of the road – just 100 yards away. Thinking even I could have driven us there if I’d put my night vision goggles on.
We were out of Portugal in what seemed like minutes this morning, after putting in €10 of expensive diesel, the fumes helped us limp through to the nearest and much cheaper fuel station in Spain.
After passing Huelva, we turned down towards the coast to revisit the weird and wonderful El Rocío.
Very busy today, it being a Sunday. Many families having lunch in the saloon-like restaurants and lots of horse rides taking place. It really is like the Wild West this place, streets full of sand, hitching posts outside the houses etc, but it also has a fabulous church with a unique scallop shape over the entrance. Every June, nearly a million people make a pilgrimage (La Romería) here to honour the miraculous Virgin of the Dew. There was even a small procession of people today carrying in some kind of pennant – all a bit bamboozling for us in our sleepy state.
Just over the road is another building where people go and light arms full of candles. Looking at the blackened ceiling, you can see why they’ve moved this out of the church!
Hardly any birds around,sadly. Last time we were here in ‘24 on the same day (22nd Feb), the lake was full of all different species. Where even are they?
Out to the coast to sleep. At the end of the road is a huge resort that nobody has heard of called Matalascañas. Our previous parking place had somehow become a sand dune so our plans were scuppered.
We drove round and round the edge of this place which is full of huge hotels and apartments divided up into zones. Eventually, and luckily, we found a suitable spot almost on the road out. A few other white boxes seem to have had the same idea so it’s a good job it’s a quiet back road
