Day 11. Tuesday 18 March.

Waking at 0330 has some pluses: T can try the whatsapp video call to home…Sal picked up pronto & then Fi…how lovely to see them both. Then, with still some time to kill T thought to try someone from the friends gang. Lo & behold there was double trouble with Helens (by 2) & a pile -on brought Brendan in (he was at Southlands, so said hi & bye). T is not keen on this groupie thing, it’s too much like a zoom, so individual numbers will be sorted. Then maybe the tech scene will be under control.

Departed rainy cold Madrid in peak hour, managing to exit through a vehicle lift by twisting & turning the wheels again and again: we only just fitted. Anyone would think we had a truck! But it’s just a little hairdresser’s car. After several wrong turns we were onto the A4 heading south. 

First coffee stop in Don Quixote territory – a small town named Consuegra. Luckily, given the weather, we could drive up the hill, past the intimidating castle to the windmills. Pretty amazing technology: wood, stone, metal & wind…not sure how the bread is made if the wind don’t blow! Then through productive plains: grapes, olives, more olives, grapes, & more olives. 

Red soil, grey skies and one ‘C road’ reminding us of a previous misadventure in Pilliga! But we survived this one too.

Next stop on this particular set of ‘best drives in Spain’ brought us to Almagro where the town layout was a fan of white painted houses & businesses with the Plaza Mayor at the centre. A walk, a ‘little snack’ (we really need to just share ‘uno’ jamon sandwich rather than ordering ‘dos’).

Then a visit to the supermarket! What a gem: so much produce. Prawns, cheese, pasta, & a salad …something will emerge for dinner (it did). 

Then back to the A4/E5… more olives & grapes. The temperature rose to 19 briefly, then mountains (with snow) appeared & we were in Jaen. After getting into a situation where we couldn’t go forward, D had to override Doris’ directions and come in via a different approach to the apartment. The ‘roads’ are alleyways, tight even for our tiny Peugeot 208 car but so far (day 2) we haven’t scraped Jose’s (named this morning by Shams’) new red body paint. Apartment is a delight with a welcome cake in the fridge, a familiar oven, and a cheery, helpful host with translating-on-device instructions. We’re here for 8 nights, with plenty to explore & opportunities for D to perfect the car manoeuvring.

Magic Moment. We were met by Antonio, who ran us through in great detail about the apartment. This would have to be one of the very best places we have stayed at anywhere: everything laid on, well in excess of expectations, and so well explained, albeit via the mobile phone language translation. And a welcome cake!

Dinner. Prawn Pasta, (with chorizo, guacamole, chilies) with a mixed salad and a Frederico Paternina Rioja Banda Azul Crianja 2023.