France/Spain 2021 some pictures and information. (1 Viewer)

[PhilandMena]

Not my experience but this was a few years ago and again we were politely asked to move on. I appreciate times have changed in Portugal but my experience had always been treat them with the utmost respect and they respond accordingly. Its very hot again.

Civil about it in Spain & Greece not like Portugal where its an instant fine.

 

[PhilandMena]

Hot, hot, hot!

 

[Lenny HB]

Hot, hot, hot!

View attachment 516734

Are you feeling unwell, that's not beer.

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[2657]

Nope! It must have been the new sign that says no parking between 10pm & 8 am. Typical of me to test these things out.

I have often thought that a lot of the parking spots that are tolerated out of season may be off limits in July and August.
We are not normally down here this time of year, escape to more temperate climes in Brittany

 

[bigtree]

We wedged our place into the last space on the next Aite. Iys a little further to the beach. All of 150 yes.
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That's where I have saw before but did prefer up at the little chapel.

 

[PhilandMena]

That's where I have saw before but did prefer up at the little chapel.

Me too and it has great history as it was desecrated by Sir Francis Drake no less. We are now on one of the official Aires tight next to the bigger beach. The Aire is directly behind the beach and we are now on it and had to get into the sea to cool down. In the picture below you can see the church with the red roof slightly off to the left, we had a superb spot there yesterday overlooking the whole bay. Just behind the Aire we are on now is a Carrefour supermarket and this beach has toilets and a few beach bars too.

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[PhilandMena]

The beach is rammed tonight. Cars trying to muscle in on the motorhome Aire and they are parking anywhere they can even if blocking another car. One or two arguments already.

 

[PhilandMena]

Down in the old town tonight for some quality wine.

 

[bigtree]

Down in the old town tonight for some quality wine.
View attachment 516941

It’s brill in there.

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[PhilandMena]

It’s brill in there.

Yes it is and now rammed. We will revisit before we leave. This place has some interesting history and some fascinating places to explore.

 

[Parrot Face]

Loving this thread. Last time I was around that way the sea was freezing. Isn't it a bit hot parked along that road with no shade?

 

[PhilandMena]

Loving this thread. Last time I was around that way the sea was freezing. Isn't it a bit hot parked along that road with no shade?

Yes the sea is cold on initial contact, then you adjust to it. This must be one of the safest beaches I have ever been on its so level you can go out 200 Mt's and your cobblers are still above the water. They even have life guards and a beach wide tanoy system where they announce information to the public.
Yesterday evening there whole bay was rammed and there were hundreds on the beach and in the sea there appeared to be sailing club, a board club and loads of other kids being taught how to use various boards, plus loads and loads of families in the water too and a couple of yachts had eased there way into the area too but kept there distance from the swimmers. Friday night cool down I guess. We were out till 11pm and the bars were doing very good trade and families had more or less gone home although the odd family still on the beach.
The Aire has no shelter and gets very hot at the far end there is a turning circle and we are at the very end next to the footpath and a garden with a sizable tree in it and we get shelter first thing in the morning which works put fine for us as we have a couple of solar panels on top.

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[PhilandMena]

This morning we're off to the fort which we visited the last time we were here. There is some great history here and worth exploring. The museum ship in the harbour was one of the first ships to sail from Spsin to America and you can see how the crew lived and the cargo they brought back and the innards of the ship too. Worth visiting adonly a few euros.
The walk around the bottom of the Fort has some interesting finds, carvings etc.,along its very scenic walk or you can go up to the restaurant inside the Fort and enjoy lunch.

 

[PhilandMena]

Mad, mad drivers here insisting they can get into a space and then causing damage to their or other persons car. Twice today we have seen cars do damage trying to get into spaces and then disappearing very quickly from the scene of the crime. It must be the heat. 30 + again today but we are starting to acclimatise to it now.

 

[PhilandMena]

Anouther picture taken from our Fort walk earlier.
Now in shelter taking on fluids.

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[PhilandMena]

Update: it's not am Aire we are on but general beach parking which is open to all. Many motorhomes on here, perhaps 40 plus with cars squeezing in where ever they can. Next to us but on a separate road is more free parking perhaps 100 designated parking bays but slightly further walk to the beach.

 

[PhilandMena]

Back to the old town tonight and we found this tiny high quality wine bar. We were here the last time we visited a few years ago and there's still only 3 tables with stools inside but boy do they know there wine.

 

[PhilandMena]

Good morning one and all. Its overcast here this morning, cooler and ideal for walking which many locals appear to be doing. Whilst we have been on this beach parking lot, I have spoken to many a fellow motorhomer, beach visitor and local. We have been very well received and even the private home owner next to Where we are parked has wished us good morning and practised some of her English on. The young adults are willing to get into a conversation and I have advised numerous young couples struggling to find parking, where to go and we have all laughed when I suggested pushing cars back several feet to make a space. Last night in the old town was again rammed.Social distancing is poor due to the confined space but mask wearing discipline is very good.
COSTS. Its still very affordable and much cheaper than the UK. A bottle of beer can cost up to 2.50 but more often around 1.80. Wine is even cheaper, just over a euro for a glass with a decent Rioja coming in around 2 -2.5 . Food is also well priced in the restaurants. Here in Baiona were seeing main dishes ranging from 9.0 - 13.0 and 3 course set meals from as low as 18.0. Food in the supermarket is cheap and plentyful. The fruit and veg, ad you would expect is top class. Fish is also plentiful and we saw a large box of giant prawns in the freezer section for 8 euros and my name is on one of them.The wet gish selection is good but more expensive. Lots of dog lovers here too and almost all on leads too. I've not seen one growl at anouthrr dog yet, how weird is that. It now looks like we might have to quarantine upon our return to the UK (hopefully not by mid August when we're due to return from France). Looking at the cost of 2 & 8 day testing is shocking, I will find a way through or around that at those prices. Oddly enough we have two boxes (2×6) of NHS lateral flow test kits in the van, I'll flog these to the Spsniards at 10. Euros each and this will pay for our UK testing
I'm using a Vodaphone PAYG sim card for my data and its working s treat. I've used around 10 GB of data since buying the card which lasts for 30 days and Mena tethers her phone to mine and its all going well with lots of video calls back home, watching the Euros and a lot of Internet usage too. I'm limited to 25 GB here and for 20 quid happy with the package. We'll that's me now, into my third cup of coffee, daily exercise routine completed and off for a stroll while it is still cool.

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[PhilandMena]

There is a campsite here near the end of the Bay. We visited it on our stroll today which has now turned into a hike! It's a big campsite and is aimed at families with large swimming pool and slides and a kids play area with all sorts in it to wear them down. The restaurant is large and all the facilities you would want on a campsite apear to be here. It does look s bit jaded but the pitches seem very adequate. Cost for a motorhome and two adults is 48.80 per night anouther 5 euros on top of that for a serviced pitch. As a fully fledged FLT this is beyond what I consider acceptable, if fact my daily spend and we are living very well indeed, including fuel costs is below this daily figure. Saying that, the campsite is rammed. Continuing our hike round the Bay in the direction of Vigo we came across a band playing to a local crowed and very enjoyable to watch and listen too. Coffee and cake time now.
For those interested there are a few decent FLT parking spots here, another one near the roundabout on the entrance road to the campsite.

toilets on the beach and drinking water on the road directly behind Carrefour Supermarket and all services for motorhomes at the Repsol garage and up near the harbour a self usage laundrette.

 

[gus-lopez]

Oddly enough we have two boxes (2×6) of NHS lateral flow test kits in the van, I'll flog these to the Spsniards at 10. Euros each and this will pay for our UK testing

Too cheap. They will start selling them here otc in farmácias as from the 20th. 7,20€/each

 

[jongood]

Nope! It must have been the new sign that says no parking between 10pm & 8 am. Typical of me to test these things out.

Tbf Phil as you probably know there's quite a few places that they couldn't care less out of main season, but the signs are there just in case.

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[PhilandMena]

Tbf Phil as you probably know there's quite a few places that they couldn't care less out of main season, but the signs are there just in case.

Agreed Jon, looking at this stopover again it's actually got two no entry signs above the night time restriction signs and cars have totally ignored the signs and the cops seem happy to turn a blind eye.

 

[PhilandMena]

Overcast and cool this morning, around 20 degrees. Quite a few motorhomes have left and not sure if this is weekend or weather related. Beach bars are closed too, along with toilets (Now on second cassette).However, I believe these are opening around mid-day. So! we have decided to make today laundry day, bed stripped and all laundry bagged up and now sitting in laundrette watching clothes being washed. XL washing machine 6 euros and drying will be around 4-5 I would guess. Forcaste is for sun later this afternoon so making most of the break in the weather.

 

[PhilandMena]

Our last day in Baiona today. We would stay longer but meeting up with Busman Dave and Maggie tomorrow at Pontevedera. It will be good meeting them again and we will explore some more of this region which is stunning. We shall take the longish footpath round the bottom of the Fort later. Again, it's overcast and down to 20 degrees this morning and so ideal for walking. Later Gator.

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[PhilandMena]

We drove to Pontedevera and could not get on the Aire, it was rammed so now at Combarro and it's almost full but anouther great location.

 

[PhilandMena]

Tide is out and now I understand why this place is so popular for collecting shell fish stuff.

 

[PhilandMena]

Absolutely rammed now, with motorhomes parking anywhere on and next yo aire even if it means blocking other vehicles. There will be some argy bargy later me thinks.

.

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[Busman]

Oh no I’m sure I recognise that van on right
Lovely and cloudy here

 

[PhilandMena]

The shell collectors on there way back from a mornings work, some still out there collecting.

 

[PhilandMena]

OK! Some info I've collected when chatting to the shell collectors this morning. This is their livelihood. When the season ends they become unemployed. Guy I spoke with at the weighing station had been out there collecting shells for 4 hours and collected around 8 Kilos. He will get paid between 10 - 12 euros per kilo. I said that's bloody good money and then we both laughed
They all stink to high heaven too but it pays the bills.

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