Things Hot Up

Leaving the cork oaks and vines behind the Serra da Monchique hills were an almost deserted rolling landscape of umbrella pines and eucalyptus with evidence of the damaging wild fires that hit the area a year or two back rapidly disappearing under a swathe of luxuriant new growth. The sandstone fort of Silves dominated the landscape whilst further on the sleepy border village of Alcoutim belied its former role as a smuggling centre for goods boated across the Guadiana.
The town of Riotinto was a former source of mineral wealth with a huge expansion in to opencast mining as a result of RTZ's development which included the construction of a British style Victorian housing estate with tennis courts, bowling greens and a polo field that sits bizarrely to this day in the dry Spanish hills. 
Heading south towards Seville I stopped to explore the walled town of Niebla where the storks were making seemingly precarious use of the fort turrets and church towers to construct their nests - smaller bird then build theirs in the ramshackle collection of sticks and debris.
Seville was the largest city seen this year and the sat nav took me swiftly and accurately through the network of  roads - in contrast to rural Portugal when on a couple of occasions I had been merrily led in to the middle of horticultural units or unmade dead ends.
Vejer la Frontera sat high up on a hill was pleasantly cool and refreshing as by now the weather had turned to hot sunshine and clear blue skies in marked and welcome contrast to the last fortnight.
Down at Tarifa I pulled in to Rio Jara - Europe's most southerly site -  having already had a rather awesome view across the Straits of Gibraltar to the Rif Mountains of north Morocco. The huge expanse of beach gave way to a narrow stretch of water through which an endless line of enormous vessels were slowly threading their way between the Atlantic and the Med. Amazingly the van had passed this way to and from Australasia and I well remember following the container online as it headed towards Suez.
A cycle in to Tarifa enabled me to price my ticket and watch one of the large cat ferries arrive after which I, returned to the site to give the van a discrete oil and filter change, check over the bike and service the genny.
The following day I purchased my tickets and explored the old medina quarter behind Tarifa's old walls - the remnants of Moorish rule very evident here with a maze of back streets, shaded squares and a strong whiff of the changes to come as spices, herbs, incense and oils were on sale in many of the small shops. Back at the van I completed the Moroccan vehicle import forms online and then printed them off which should make life easier on arrival. Two last loads of washing were done and hung out to dry - at 2pm the temperature was sitting at a rather comfortable 30 degrees with a gentle cooling breeze coming off the Atlantic
Today - Thursday - has been a day of exercise with two bike rides in the cooler parts of the day exploring the local hills and beaches : at one point the council were dealing with a huge drift that had put 60' of sand across the road for a mile or so between lines of the distinctive umbrella pines - no schools were closed though.
My ferry sails at midday on Friday giving me time to do a major food shop - mostly non perishables as back up - with a journey time to Tanger Ville of around an hour which given the prevailing conditions should be perfect. Around the site are a few other vans heading the same way - perhaps most intriguing a 6' Italian in a small Renault Kangoo kitted out as a rather compact camper with, according to his stickers, Mauritania his destination. Another somewhat dented VW T5 has a Camp Gambia sticker so clearly there is potential for further adventure on a return trip.
For now though I look forward to a fact finding month with the usual flexible itinerary and a return on my 53rd birthday in March. I have no idea what internet access will be like so monitoring my progress will rely on clicking here to see what should be daily Spot messages. 
Pictures are up to date here but as to the next blog update - well watch this space.
Last but not least HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my brother and our father who celebrate over these last days of January - save a beer for me!