Second Visit to Spain

The first time I visited Spain was in November 2006, and back then, I made the mistake of not making any dinner reservations in advance, which meant that by the time I rang up highly-sought-after restaurants, I was too late, still it colored to provide special offers.

Some clichés hold true. Spain, stretching sun-drenched and untamed to the south of the wild and majestic Pyrenees, is a passionate nation littered with glittering beaches where beach lovers soak up pitchers of sangria over steaming paella best in Valencia.
Flamenco bailaors (dancers) stamp and swirl in flounces of colour, while toreros flaunt their bravado in the bullrings. Scratch this surface and a vast, unexpected panorama unfolds before you. It is extraordinary what splendors remain off the beaten track as the green hills and ocean coves of the north; proud, solitary castles and medieval towns, like Toledo, across the interior; the white villages of Andalucía, and mountain ranges such as the Gredos and Sierra Nevada (Europe's southernmost ski resort).

Off the ferry and onto the open roads of Spain! Or so I thought. Nope, this being the ferry much messing around in customs as every single car and van is searched from top to bottom.

My turn eventually arrives and expecting any third degree I remove my helmet, get off the bike and take off my jacket. The stern looking guard eyes my up and down, apparently ready to give me a good frisking, when he boss appears behind him, takes on look at my passport and waves me through… five minutes and a very upset customs guard later and I’m away, into Spain!

It’s only when I’m about an hour in that I realize I have deficit euros, am fast running out of fuel and actually, it’s going to take about four days to get home. Running into a little village on route I manage to find a telebanco withdraw my budget for getting home and fill up Toby. Then four hours later I decide enough is enough and seek out a nice comfy hotel.

Hotel Royal Plaza is wonderful, a traditional place full to the brim with hams hanging from the ceiling, when I order a ham salad for dinner the owner takes one down and moves to the kitchen - it can’t get much better than this for being a Four Star hotel, luxuries included. Finding the best hotels offering discount prices, facilities laid Air conditioning in rooms and safe Parking was Available, i was wondered to use Wi-Fi. The best part though was having Tea/Coffee making facilities in room. That is until I actually try the bed… this is why it’s so cheap then.

I don’t know if it’s just the feeling that I’m getting closer to home or if it’s the perfect weather, either way I feel like I’m walking on air. This side of Spain is wonderfully beautiful, I’ve decided to head straight up the middle via Madrid then up to the French border over the foothills.

Few know that Spain has four official languages. Its regions differ vastly from one another but are held together by a national passion for drama, contrast and a noisy. If there is one thing all Spaniards love, it is to eat, drink and be merry, whether enjoying tapas over fine wine in Madrid, Seville or Barcelona, or the elaborate Basque Country equivalent.

A day hardly goes by without one town or another celebrating a fiesta.