Madrid, Spain

Posted 19.March, backdated to be in chronological order.

On our whirlwind journey out of Spain and to France, we stopped for a day near Madrid.

Camping was best found at Aranjuez, about a 45-minute train ride from Madrid. Easy enough. We stopped at Camping International Aranjuez (40.04217°N 3.60083°W). The campground was quite nice, though their Internet connection quite flaky. For once the Internet was affordable, only it went down 4-hours into our 24-hour pass and remained down for the remainder of our stay.

A note about the campground - it was really nice. They charge on a per pitch basis, so be careful which pitch you choose. Some of the pitches that are well suited for large motorhomes are poorly planned, with trees or light posts in the middle of the entrance. We ordered our ACSI card while there and they were gracious enough to cut the rate from 35 EURO per night to the 14 EURO per night + fee for kids. After our stay, we've been informed that the camping near Getaf is not nice and we felt that the camping in La Cabrera would have been too far.

We biked in to the train station - about a 20-minute ride. There are no busses from the campground to the city center or bus station. Aranjuez is quite a nice little town with a palace and deserves a longer stay. We would have loved to stay another day or two, but we have a deadline to meet... Paris by 11.March!

Once in Madrid, we jumped on the tourist bus and enjoyed the beautiful, warm, sunny afternoon on the 2nd story of an open air bus. Our favorite was the historical tour. The second path was not at all interesting. By the time we left, we were in love with Madrid and felt sure we could easily have spent a week exploring the city.

Some pictures from our whirlwind tour.

5-arch landmark in a round about.

3-arch landmark

Cathedrale

City blick

Cool!

This is much better than walking!

This tourist stuff is tiring.

On a personal note, we've been letting Megan experiment with the camera. Here's a peek at her blossoming photography skills. =)

Who Needs Maps? Follow the Semi Trucks.

Note: published 21.Feb but backdated to be in chronilogical order.
Goal: Drive to Almeria and have a look around.

I followed an ad in the camping book for a campground "near" caves, the only European desert and the ocean and birdwatching. Haven't I learned anything on this trip? Ads are not notorious for telling the truth.

The drive sounded easy enough. After a quick breakfast of fresh sugar mini-donuts and fruit (thanks to the supermarket at the campground), we packed up and started removing ourselves from Camping and Caravanning LaManga.

This was no easy feat. I swear, everyone put their daily schedules on hold to wait for the Americans to attempt to leave the too small pitch. We had no less than 30 people watching us manuever out. Some helpful; the rest just shouting directions and adding to the chaos. A few brilliant souls were cheeky enough to walk or bike in front of the RV as it was moving. Stupid people. Really!

The route sounded easy easy enough: – go another 230 km South. Take the MU-602 to the A7. Only the MU-602 is in the process of being upgraded. We encountered lots of new roundabouts and for about 15km, we paralled a brand new, 4-lane highway that was not yet opened. Good thing there were trucks in front of us – we switched back and forth over it twice and would have been lost had we not been able to follow several semis. AutoRoute team: purchase updated maps of Southern Spain, please.

We found Camping Cabo de Gata without any problems (tourist site here). Just the closer we got, the more we realized we are in the middle of nowhere. Normally we can find a supermarket to pull into or near; not here. Worst yet, it's Valentine's Day and we have nothing... Maybe the kids will forget.

As we descended the mountain range, it appeared that the ocean was suddenly in view. Don't be deceived - it's the plastic coverings for all the greenhouses. They literally line the edge of the road and extend as far as the eye can see. Local rumor has it they are full of tomatoes! A bit of an eyesore to look at once you figure out what the reflection is.

It was too windy to walk the 900m to the beach. The campground does not deliver their advertised description – they advertise easy access to caves, desert, etc. – but that’s only true if you have a car. It was horrendously expensive (30+ Euro/night for a short stay) and we didn't fit in any official sites due to the sun shades they have at virtually every pitch.

We did meet some really nice fellow campers who offered lots of advice. We braved out our afternoon and night in the blustery wind and unofficial spot and moved on. Needless to say, we missed seeing the flamingos of Cabo de Gata and didn't manage a visit to Almeria this time. This area is supposed to offer some spectacular scenery and beaches that you have to hike down to. You just need another method of transportation and the bikes weren't going to cut it. On to Granada.

Ciao for now!

PS: Megan did remember Valentine's Day and tried to give her sister one of her stuffed animals as a Valentine's Day present!