Andalusia, Almeria (3714 km)

Before we left the camping at Granada, Jamaliah discovered that the rear breaking light on the roof was falling out. No problem. The bicycles were removed and Jamaliah was lifted up on the rack to screw the lights back into place. Just south of Granada on the highway to Malaga we took a turnoff to go through a valley in the Sierra Nevada. It was a lovely , new, improved, winding road going down from 800 m to 300 m and up again to over 900 m. There were some possibilities for nice arial shots but each time there was no lay by on our side of the road. We went through a few small towns but did not stop to further investigate. Instead we focused on reaching the “Western” cowboy town in the Almeria area at the end of the valley. We were just in time. Mini Hollywood was still open (an hour and a half before closing time) and for a children’s price we could enter. They were actually shooting a film “Lost in the wild” which should be released in spring 2016. One scene was repeated over and over again. I don’t understand how the actors can handle it. Also if such a small shot takes so long how long does it take to record the whole film. Attached to the wild west town was a zoo where we only had time to see a few animals before driving down the highway to the coast.

At Almeria we parked at a designated free parking place some 200 m behind the seaside. (These places we find either on the NKC camper app, or out in the ACSI/NKC camper book.) Along the water front there was a wide beach with a walking and cycling promenade. The next morning we cycled to town and visited the Alcazaba (fort/castle) and the local cathedral. Both worth the stop. The Alcazaba because it was high up on the hill and had several court sections. The Cathedral because it was a thick walled Renaissance church with stone ceilings and marble altars. Cycling along the promenade was our first experience of the relaxing life style of the people spending the winter here. Strolling up and down the beach or having a little swim. What a life. We said regretfully goodbye and hit the motorway back up north.