2 Go To Beni ... (1 Viewer)

[cliffanger]

Well, our last day here has been just fab. We thought it pointless to change the habits of the last six weeks, so after packing up the (Bird s**t covered) Quest, we cycled into the Old Town and bid a tearful farewell to Favourite Tapas Bar no 1...

Mama wasn’t there, so daughter, whose usually the smiling hostess, was cooking. Looking at the photo they don’t look at all alike so they may be husband and wife - whatever the relationship, they work extremely well together.

We had the fish tapas (second row, third from the left) and it was, as usual, delicious.

We moved on to Favourite Tapas Bar No 2 ....

We had Patatas con Huevos and mini burgers which was, again, delicious.

However, following on from an earlier post ...

And I quote....

“We stopped for tapas in a different bar (our usual being closed), where there was a ‘Bon viveur’ host, who welcomed us in, congratulated me on my Spanish, gave us tiger mussel and craB stick tapas, which were delicious, and generally exuded good humour and bonhomie.

He then broke into an impromptu Julio Iglasias karaoke session with a Dutch Frau, who lapped it up; her husband catching the rendition on video.

We all thoroughly enjoyed it, and shouted many an encore. However we noticed his wife was not so pleased with the performance and upon his return to his place behind bar, she threw off her apron, put on her coat and walked out - leaving our nonplussed host elbow deep in half cooked tapas and a bar full of hungry, thirsty revellers! “

(For his and tapas connoisseurs sakes everywhere) I’m happy to say ....

She forgave him!!! And can be found esconsed in her tiny kitchen, cooking up incredible food for centavos y medio peniques!

We wished them both a sad farewell, and cycled back to the van to chill before tonight’s Quiz.

Our team was full strength with us, @quickweh Pauline and Mike and @JockandRita.

Thanks to the lads, we won the picture quiz! Ashley, the quizmaster was in a cruel mood this week, and instead of photoshopped film stars, the picture quiz was the European map with 15 countries to be identified.

The team answered 12 correctly - and that got Pauline and Mike a breakfast for 2 - (we split the price of last weeks winning fish and chips with @JockandRita) and so thought it only fair that our other team members should get a free meal this week!

The main quiz was much more difficult and we didn’t win - the team at the far end of the bar won - again - coincidentally, they weren’t there when we won last week .....

Anyway, that was our last night here in Beni (for this year), and we couldn’t have wished to spend it in better company.

We leave tomorrow, but will spend 6 days travelling up to Calais, so this blog ain’t finished yet ....

 

[Carol]

Thank you Ger for taking the time to make me feel as if I've been there with you all just a little bit, your discriptions as usual with your posts have made me laugh and smile and get slightly itchy feet to do it again, if we do or not you bought it alive thank you
Safe journey home and look forward to seeing you in a field somewhere later in the year.

 

[monzer]

Top tapas patter

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[Just smiffy]

Thank you Ger for taking the time to make me feel as if I've been there with you all just a little bit, your discriptions as usual with your posts have made me laugh and smile and get slightly itchy feet to do it again, if we do or not you bought it alive thank you
Safe journey home and look forward to seeing you in a field somewhere later in the year.

Here here......

 

[Anthea M]

Thanks for your witty posts on your six week sojourn to the amazing Beni!
What an adventure and even if no relics featured I’ve loved reading your exploits with fellow snowbirds!!
Thank you again and safe travels north ( you will deffo need vests and fleeces!!)

 

[JockandRita]

We leave tomorrow, but will spend 6 days travelling up to Calais, so this blog ain’t finished yet ....

Safe journey "up the road" you two, and thanks for you company.

See you both in the spring.

Cheers,

Jock & Rita.

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[quickweh]

Have a safe journey back both and I'm sure we'll enjoy that breakfast. See you both in the Spring.
Pauline and Mike

 

[cliffanger]

Well all - thanks for all your good wishes, but the trip ain’t over yet!

My reflections on Beni - no surprise - we absolutely loved it.

You may have to scrape the loutish English outer skin, but beneath that is a vibrant, city with a beautiful prom and good quality restaurants and bars.

The quality of entertainment differs, but even the worst is still live music for the very cheap price of a few drinks. The best is certainly worth watching.

The campsites are good, and it was brilliant to have somewhere to go on an afternoon if you wanted a quiet drink and chat.

Also, as @quickweh Pauline can confirm, the campsite entertainer Julio made the keep fit and Aquafit sessions very enjoyable - I’m joining you next year Pauline!

So even if you don’t think it’s for you, give it a go - you might be pleasantly surprised!

As I said - this blog ain’t over yet. Yesterday, after stocking up in Carrefour, we drove (or under the weight of Rioja) dragged the van to Teruel. What a surprise that was!!!

We parked up in the town opposite the most fancy police station I’ve ever seen - built in the Moorish style, with inlaid lettering and turrets - I would have taken a photo, but there was a mean looking armed Guardia Civil officer on sentry duty!

We walked into the old town past many tower blocks - all pristine, with children’s play parks everywhere.

It seems here, as we saw in Croatia, that apartment living is the norm, as opposed to the U.K, where (in Bristol anyway) they put the people at the bottom of the ‘social scale’ and consequently the flats make up another deprived area, within an already deprived area, full of people with nothing, amongst drugs, prostitution and God knows what else.

In Teruel on Friday, it seemed that most of the families living in the apartments came out and enjoyed the early evening in the Old Town. It was buzzing!

What a find! A thriving atmosphere - and the Tapas..... Amazing!

First stop was a hotel tapas bar, where we got 2 large beers and tapas for €2.60...

We then walked into town and went into 2 different bars, both of which charged €2.60 ....

We then pushed the boat out and went for a bar specialising in Jamon de Teruel .....

And had these ...

How posh is that! And @Taran_Las Phil - you’de have had something to read after you’de eaten the Teruel Ham..

Most expensive tapas of the night - €7.40!

We had planned on going out for a meal - but couldn’t find a restaurant! In the end we had a lovely evening for the total cost of €15.20!

We walked back and we’re going to stop in the bar across the park from the van, but it was literally full of families, with the children playing in the park, and having a lovely evening. We felt we didn’t want to intrude, so walked past. What a contrast to the pubs that service the flats in Bristol - drug dens, violent places where prostitution abounds ....

Talking of which, on the way to Teruel, I thought these girls were waiting for a bus .....

And this poor girl, probably been on her feet all day, didn’t even have a chair ...,

.....

 

[Just smiffy]

Ahh bless, it looks like they’ve sold all their oranges ......

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[Chickie]

She's waiting for a lemon!!! Sour or sweet.

 

[Badknee]

I doubt she’s been on her feet all day

 

[cliffanger]

An early (for us) start saw us on the move by 10.00, and having an uneventful drive to the Aires at Berriozar, just outside Pamplona.

For some reason Co-Pilot took us off the toll free Esomething or other, onto a bone shaking, clothes hanger bouncing A road which stretched for about 50km! Looking at the map it probably saved us 30km at best, but goodness knows how many nuts and bolts have been loosened up along the way!

We arrived at the Aires at 3.30pm and finding that Pamplona was less than a 4km bike ride away, we got straight on the bikes and cycled into town.

We headed for the old town, which was very old, but had a ‘run down’ (some might call it shabby chic) look about it. A buzzing atmosphere all the same, and I think we had just missed a carnival, as lots of people were dressed in floral shirts and luau garlands.

We stopped to listen to a REALLY loud brass ensemble ....

We wandered around the streets and alleyways and saw an artist’s gallery that the Wombles would’ve been proud of...

We saw some very fancy government buildings ....

And some stylish architecture..

All this sightseeing made us a tad peckish, so we ate in two bars, two lots of racions (tapas on steroids) and beers = €7 and €9 respectively. The food was very good, Jamon of Navarra, chorizo, tortilla and jalapeño peppers.

We’ve noticed each time we come to The Basque Country in Spain, there’s a harsh, almost forbidding feel about it, whereas the Basque region of France is all about making money from souvenirs, or that’s how it seems to me.

The sun was going down by this time so we cycled back to the van.

Note to self - save the Google maps route to enable you to reverse it for the homeward journey ....

3.8km on the way in, nearly 6km on the way home .....

France tomorrow

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[mitzimad]

Well all - thanks for all your good wishes, but the trip ain’t over yet!

My reflections on Beni - no surprise - we absolutely loved it.

You may have to scrape the loutish English outer skin, but beneath that is a vibrant, city with a beautiful prom and good quality restaurants and bars.

The quality of entertainment differs, but even the worst is still live music for the very cheap price of a few drinks. The best is certainly worth watching.

The campsites are good, and it was brilliant to have somewhere to go on an afternoon if you wanted a quiet drink and chat.

Also, as @quickweh Pauline can confirm, the campsite entertainer Julio made the keep fit and Aquafit sessions very enjoyable - I’m joining you next year Pauline!

So even if you don’t think it’s for you, give it a go - you might be pleasantly surprised!

As I said - this blog ain’t over yet. Yesterday, after stocking up in Carrefour, we drove (or under the weight of Rioja) dragged the van to Teruel. What a surprise that was!!!

We parked up in the town opposite the most fancy police station I’ve ever seen - built in the Moorish style, with inlaid lettering and turrets - I would have taken a photo, but there was a mean looking armed Guardia Civil officer on sentry duty!

We walked into the old town past many tower blocks - all pristine, with children’s play parks everywhere.

It seems here, as we saw in Croatia, that apartment living is the norm, as opposed to the U.K, where (in Bristol anyway) they put the people at the bottom of the ‘social scale’ and consequently the flats make up another deprived area, within an already deprived area, full of people with nothing, amongst drugs, prostitution and God knows what else.

In Teruel on Friday, it seemed that most of the families living in the apartments came out and enjoyed the early evening in the Old Town. It was buzzing!

What a find! A thriving atmosphere - and the Tapas..... Amazing!

First stop was a hotel tapas bar, where we got 2 large beers and tapas for €2.60...

We then walked into town and went into 2 different bars, both of which charged €2.60 ....

We then pushed the boat out and went for a bar specialising in Jamon de Teruel .....
View attachment 286973

And had these ...
View attachment 286971

How posh is that! And @Taran_Las Phil - you’de have had something to read after you’de eaten the Teruel Ham..

View attachment 286972
Most expensive tapas of the night - €7.40!

We had planned on going out for a meal - but couldn’t find a restaurant! In the end we had a lovely evening for the total cost of €15.20!

We walked back and we’re going to stop in the bar across the park from the van, but it was literally full of families, with the children playing in the park, and having a lovely evening. We felt we didn’t want to intrude, so walked past. What a contrast to the pubs that service the flats in Bristol - drug dens, violent places where prostitution abounds ....

Talking of which, on the way to Teruel, I thought these girls were waiting for a bus .....
View attachment 286977
View attachment 286978

And this poor girl, probably been on her feet all day, didn’t even have a chair ...,

View attachment 286979

.....

bristol girls on tour

 

[cliffanger]

A completely uneventful drive today, from Pamplona to Rom (an Aires halfway between Angouleme and Poitiers), so nothing to relate.

We were sad to leave Spain, and I think that for a few years at least, we’ll be taking the ferry to Santander or Bilbao, bypassing the journey through France.

We’ve travelled and stayed in France for many years now, but have only just scratched the surface of Spain over the last couple of years.

I say over the last couple of years - I as a young child spent three family holidays between 1963 to 1969 in Spain, the first of which staying in a villa owned by Rolf Harris (I nearly drowned in his pool - at 7 years Old I couldn’t swim, and were it not for my pony tail, which my dad got hold of and pulled me out, I wouldn’t be here to tell the tale)!

We had a Spanish maid, who cleaned the villa and cooked us Spanish food every day - we waited till she’d left and then flushed it down the loo!!

I remember my grandad saying ‘I’m not eating any of that foreign muck’ - and I vaguely remember spending three weeks living on hot dogs! What I wouldn’t do to have that holiday now- OBVIOUSLY not in Rolf Harris’ villa, but to have Carmen cooking authentic Spanish dishes would be my idea of heaven!

Anyway, we are in Rom, in France, and it’s been raining .... we left the van and walked outside to a tiny cemetery, mentioned in All The Aires ....

The rain suddenly didn’t seem so bad ...

And another positive - the van is an absolute beaut to drive, I don’t notice the length, the auto gearbox is a dream, and keeping it at 55mph means nothing happens in a hurry, so no stress.

Here it is, all parked up and looking lovely ...

You can’t read his lips, but it was raining and he didn’t want his photo taken in front of MY new love - if it had been the old van he’d have been in front of it, smiling, in a hailstorm ....

 

[estresao]

An early (for us) start saw us on the move by 10.00, and having an uneventful drive to the Aires at Berriozar, just outside Pamplona.

For some reason Co-Pilot took us off the toll free Esomething or other, onto a bone shaking, clothes hanger bouncing A road which stretched for about 50km! Looking at the map it probably saved us 30km at best, but goodness knows how many nuts and bolts have been loosened up along the way!

We arrived at the Aires at 3.30pm and finding that Pamplona was less than a 4km bike ride away, we got straight on the bikes and cycled into town.

We headed for the old town, which was very old, but had a ‘run down’ (some might call it shabby chic) look about it. A buzzing atmosphere all the same, and I think we had just missed a carnival, as lots of people were dressed in floral shirts and luau garlands.

We stopped to listen to a REALLY loud brass ensemble ....
View attachment 287144

We wandered around the streets and alleyways and saw an artist’s gallery that the Wombles would’ve been proud of...
View attachment 287145

We saw some very fancy government buildings ....
View attachment 287141
View attachment 287142

And some stylish architecture..
View attachment 287143

All this sightseeing made us a tad peckish, so we ate in two bars, two lots of racions (tapas on steroids) and beers = €7 and €9 respectively. The food was very good, Jamon of Navarra, chorizo, tortilla and jalapeño peppers.

We’ve noticed each time we come to The Basque Country in Spain, there’s a harsh, almost forbidding feel about it, whereas the Basque region of France is all about making money from souvenirs, or that’s how it seems to me.

The sun was going down by this time so we cycled back to the van.

Note to self - save the Google maps route to enable you to reverse it for the homeward journey ....

3.8km on the way in, nearly 6km on the way home .....

France tomorrow

https://www.independent.co.uk/trave...ngways-love-affair-with-pamplona-2305392.html

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[cliffanger]

Well Funsters yesterday, as Richmal Crompton’s William Brown said “Nuffin happened ‘sept rain”! It poured down all day with blustery gales as well, making for some exciting driving conditions.

We drove all day, and following @tonka Steve’s recommendation, parked up at The Aires in Pont De Larche.

What a lovely place, overlooking the tributary of The Seine. If it hadn’t have been raining, and if it hadn’t have been a “French” Monday (everything closed) we’de have loved it.

As it was, a pizzaria was open so we boight two (1 x barbecued chicken and 1 x pepperoni for the food lovers) took them back to the van and with a bottle of Rioja enjoyed a night in front of the telly.

Interesting fact - we spent the night in the home town of a modern day french revolutionary ....

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priscillia_Ludosky

.....

 

[scousebird]

We stayed at Pont d'larche one rainy evening and I had a very lengthy Franglais conversation with a drunk man in a bar about an umbrella

 

[cliffanger]

We stayed at Pont d'larche one rainy evening and I had a very lengthy Franglais conversation with a drunk man in a bar about an umbrella

We’de have loved an argument with a drunk Frenchman about an umbrella Helen, but we couldn’t find a bar that was open!

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[Taran_Las]

<snip> a bottle of Rioja <unsnip>
.....

In La Belle France?​

 

[cliffanger]

In La Belle France?​

Just wanted to taste the last bit of sunshine Phil - last night in France tonight, so have a nice Sauvignon Blanc chilling in Le fridge ......

 

[cliffanger]

......and we’re home!

Uneventful trip home, Caught the earlier train, M25 busy but not too bad, got home in time to do our usual walk - 3.5 miles of muddy lanes, rain, swollen river, and no tapas bar anywhere!

Missing Beni already, but we had a blast. The van performed beautifully, and I think Cliff is almost convinced we did the right thing - almost .....

Thanks to everyone who made us welcome, and we’ll definitely be back next year.

Thanks to all those that took the time to read this drivel thread, and I hope I’ve converted some Beni bashers!

We need to outnumber the Dutch - I’m sure I’d then be able to get a washing machine when I sauntered down to the laundry at 10.00am - we Brits don’t get up at the crack of dawn to put a load in the machine ... (well except if your name is Rita that is .... )

Bring on Beni 2020!

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[estresao]

...... muddy lanes, rain, swollen river, and no tapas bar anywhere!

That's why, after living several years in UK, I've moved back to South Spain.

 

[Riverbankannie]

It’s been a great thread @cliffandger
I’ll have to admit to being one of those Beni Bashers but you have managed to make it sound like great fun and plenty of times you made me think “I wish I was there”.
Thanks

 

[mitzimad]

proof that beni has something for everyone, been great following your commentary just wish we could do it

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[gus-lopez]

that apartment living is the norm

Yes it is they are the biggest apartment dwellers in western europe, apparently.

That's why, after living several years in UK, I've moved back to South Spain.

Sensible

 

[DLT]

Going to miss your escapades Welcome home

 

[quickweh]

Glad you're back home safely, we'll be following soon after having our quiz winning breakfast at the corner bar. We watched quizmaster Ashley in his Take That act last night, the act went to pieces when Man United scored their winning goal. See you on a field somewhere back home later.

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[JockandRita]

We need to outnumber the Dutch - I’m sure I’d then be able to get a washing machine when I sauntered down to the laundry at 10.00am - we Brits don’t get up at the crack of dawn to put a load in the machine ... (well except if your name is Rita that is .... )

Ha ha Geraldine, I passed that one on. Had the Launderette been open all night, the washing would have been done by 06.00, ready for Rita to hang out later.

Glad to know that you are back home safely.

Oh, and not to make you jealous or anything like that but we were out at @knuckledragger's "sod off" last night, followed by entertainment from Neil Diamond (J J Jones) in The Tropical, and Take That 2 in Sinatra's, where Rita, Pauline, and Irene all had a bit of a boogie. We all got back at around 00.30hrs. Missing Beni any more now?

See you both soon.

Jock (& Rita).

 

[MisterB]

sorry to hear the sad news ...... of your return ..

I was also following the thread with a great deal of interest, not being a fan of fan of Benidorm having been there many years ago, but that negativity was slowly replaced with (just a touch of) jealousy !!! I think what made it for me was the great friendship and companionship by the whole group, which shows its less about where you are and more about who you are with.

so best wishes to everyone who contributed in any way and who knows, one day ......

 

[cliffanger]

Glad you're back home safely, we'll be following soon after having our quiz winning breakfast at the corner bar. We watched quizmaster Ashley in his Take That act last night, the act went to pieces when Man United scored their winning goal. See you on a field somewhere back home later.

Safe trip home you two, I would have loved to see Take That’s Ashley - definitely one for next year!

We will definitely see you in a field somewhere soon xx

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