"We're not stopping!" - a sedate dash: FR-CAT-IC-UK in ten days

The sun was shining as we left Lattes on this whistle-stop tour, necessitated by a wedding in UK and Greyrocks' need to get to the Fuerteventura home - if only to pick up a suit etc! There was some trepidation about accessing the dear A9 - after the debacle some days before; but all was well going south:- with only heavy warnings on radio and signage about a terrible crash near Narbonne and suggestions of autoroute closure. It turned out this was on the Toulouse branch, so we made good time, wrestled in the service station toilets with a French coach party of pensioners and reached Roses in Catalonia with the afternoon ahead of us.

This represented a bit of a diversion from the direct E15 route but the town is so nice and our hotel so convenient and welcoming that we felt it was worth it for a restful overnight! We checked in and went over to the prom for a beer and to find a spot for eating up leftovers as a picnic. The sun shone brightly but there was a shocking wind. This didn't deter us from a long bike ride (Bob) and walk (Ruth )in both directions along that superb seafront (which has since last year been marked out to separate the pedestrians from cyclists). Then we performed the annual ritual of stowing the bikes inside Yvette and ensuring the travelling bags are ready for the flight. As the sun set the chill and force of the wind were pretty fierce so dinner was inside at Las Palmeras and up to the usual high standard. In the morning we left far too early and found ourselves at Girona airport with ages to kill before the bus. It is a strange place these days with so few flights, but had an interesting exhibition celebrating 50 years of its history.
Eventually we  boarded the coach for the two-hour run to Barcelona airport. It's not the quickest or prettiest way to do this journey, but if the timings work it's worth it for convenience with heavy luggage, and freedom from thieves! As we passed through the suburbs of the city the evidence of the independence crisis  was all around with (both) flags on the buildings and much graffiti. This was in the spell between the referendum with Rajoy's brutality and the arrests made more recently. A few interchanges with residents had confirmed for Greyrocks that this is not a simple issue! (Our riposte of the moment to those who say stupid things (e.g. Brexiteers) is "I think you will find it is more complicated than that!") At the airport we grabbed lunch and got a very timely shuttle to the hotel, where we basked in the afternoon sun on the terrace, and enjoyed for the nth time the buffet supper surrounded by some fans of Olympiakos, who would play Barca next day in the Champions League. (Result  3-1). Back at the airport next morning we were struck by how much more evident and heavy security there was! Since Greyrocks was last there we have seen both the animosity over Catalunya and the attacks in the city centre and Cambrils.

Chaos in the main street! Nice when it's finished!

The flight was - as usual - simple and civilised, although the significance of the face mask on the Asian woman sitting next to Ruth was not clear at the time! Dave picked us up and we were swiftly back home after almost exactly six months. All was well and we settled down ready to explore the changes in our not-so-little-these-days pueblo.  Most striking immediately, however, was the weather:- very hot, not much wind and a heavy calima! Since then - and with the changing of the clocks - we have seen more wind and fairly chilly evenings, but it is till very warm for the time of year and we haven't needed a duvet (normally donned in mid October!)

Old friend Alviro in the centre of things at Fado Rock!

There was a straight week for Greyrocks to turn round and be ready for the UK trip, get a grip on admin. issues and find out what has changed. Dave had warned us about the main street, and it is indeed striking! We have been arguing for pedestrianisation for years and now it is upon us in a big way! From the BBVA bank at the bottom to the street with Rock Island and Dra, Kristen the road and some of the pavement are fenced off whilst flash new paving is laid and trees are re-seated. It is chaotic with the taxi rank relocated and access to the Shell garage - one of only two in town - being by a most bizarre route. We are delighted with the project, but many locals bemoan it and the loading and parking implications. In general the resort is busy as would be expected as we move into Winter Sun season with few current alternatives, and the Italians are multiplying! They are responsible for some of the new retail outlets including - probably - the head shops! There are a new bank branch and several new surf schools, and near us some residential buildings that have been under construction for many years have moved on to near completion. All quite positive! Our locality has also been enhanced by a change in our closest restaurant. Last October it had opened for the first time with lavish decoration and fittings, but the business itself - La Puntilla - was nothing to write home about and was close to closure when we left, but now it is Fado Rock - an offshoot of one with the same name which dominates Caleta de Fuste. We know various members of the team and have recently tried the new place and found it pretty good:- mostly grills and Portuguese dishes!


Other activities in the week were getting a civil servant to confirm that Bob is still alive, dropping in on the Health Centre, Ruth failing on the bike again and finding old favourites in the band at Rock Cafe. The Blues Festival happened and we saw some good acts on the Friday night using the miserable German's place as a base, but by Saturday Ruth was hors de combat, and Bob had to go alone. Whether the culprit was the woman on the Barca flight, or the man coughing and spluttering for two hours on the bus we will never know, but Ruth succumbed to a filthy head cold that was still there as we flew again, and in fact vestiges remain. This cramped style somewhat, but hey!!

And - of course - we had to ferret out Bob's suit. This was purchase in 2007 and had never been worn; but it did just fit. The tale of Ruth's "wedding" shoes follows in the next post!