Monday 14 April 2014

Benicarlo, Camping Alegria Del Mar, contd

Sunday April 6th 2014 - Monday 14th April 2014

Church for Kathleen is followed by lunch at the Marina.

Unusually, the waitress does not speak any English, a mix up in my pidgeon Spanish means we get two glasses of Tonic (no Gin) to drink while we peruse the menu.

I am very disappointed, I thought I could at least ensure I did not go hungry or thirsty in English, French and Spanish!

Clearly, I need to work on my Spanish, perhaps that will be a project for the future?

Back at the campsite, a very jolly French man arrives. He is travelling alone, and it seems to be his lifes mission to speak to us, but, only in French. We manage a surprising amount:


  • explain how he can find his way to Peniscola
  • understand that he has a soft tyre on his bicycle, and no pump to blow it up with, so, do it for him, using our electric air compressor.
Must discover his name!

I am determined to coax Kathleen onto the back of the scooter, my latest ploy is to tell her I will buy her a bottle of Tanqueray Gin, if she goes with me to the Supermarket, on the scooter.

Such an offer, she cannot resist, and is soon clambering on the back of the scooter.

 I am not sure which is the biggest threat to health and well being, riding pillion on a motor scooter or drink a bottle of Tanqueray Gin?

By Tuesday, the site is beginning to fill up, two German caravans arrive, followed by two Italian Campervans.

IMGP2729 On our return from our cycle ride to Peniscola, we find we have been joined by a little group of three, who are a "team" doing a cycling challenge, to raise funds for Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund the Royal British Legion and Ssafa. 

One of them is cycling from the Royal Marines base at Exeter, to Gibraltar, and return! The other two are his support team. He reckons he is cycling 120km per day, and from what we hear of their conversation, that appears to be on a diet of McDonalds and KFC.

Their donations page is www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/ctcrmgib2014, the target is to raise £150,000, he has a long way to go yet, but, full marks for trying!

There is a rather nice beach side bar / Restaurant just outside the campsite (Bar Mar Chica), our French/English neighbors, Tony and Barbara invite us to go along there for a very pleasant lunch on Saturday, as a "good bye" since we will be leaving on Tuesday.

Sunday is Palm Sunday (for the unitiated, the Sunday before Easter), Kathleen heads off for church, but, I have just got myself settled with my book, when, she returns. It would appear all of the Mass times have been changed, and there is to be some form of service in the open air, in Plaza de la Constitution. We head there, and sure enough, there are hundreds of people gathered.

Service over, we retire to the Marina for a very pleasant lunch.
IMGP2733
It is clear there are going to be lots of elaborate celebrations in the week leading upto Easter.

Some, to our eyes, look rather unsavoury, such as these people dressed in what appear to be KKK outfits, although, I am sure, they are not in anyway associated with that particular group!

Monday is spent clothes washing, shopping, and loading the bicycles and scooter onto the trailer.

The day is rounded off having a trial run on our English neighbor's (Adele and Graham) electric bicycles (rather fun), followed by several glasses of wine, and, a lot of chatting.

  

No comments:

Post a Comment