Avinyo Nou (Art Cava).

Night time view of last night's aire

What a fabulous view this morning, the mist swirling below the top of the hilltop town.It felt like we were at the top of the world!

On the aire with us was a large English van. Part of it’s registration number reads BIG, very apt. We last saw this van two weeks ago whilst waiting to board the car ferry at Newhaven.

To exit the aire we had to drive up into the town, where we took a wrong turn whilst negotiating the narrow streets. Of course it would be our luck to have a police car behind us. But the nice lady officer waited for us to do a three point turn and waved us in the right direction.

Leaving the town meant driving down a very steep road, with no wall or crash barrier to stop you falling over the edge, and bear in mind we were over 1000 metres high!

For miles we turned and twisted around the descending road, keeping Marge in a low gear to avoid too much breaking.

We were heading for Saint Carles, a town that John worked in over forty years ago. On the way we passed many lemon and lime trees.

After a look around the town of Saint Carles we purchased some beer and wine from the supermarket , (well, you wouldn’t want to run out, would you?).

We then decided to move our van into a shady spot in a nearby car park, whilst parking, low and behold the German man we had met in an aire we didn't stay at yesterday drove in with his friend, small world.

Whilst I prepared lunch John visited the nearby tourist office. He enquired about a hotel he had stayed at many years ago, and the lady realised he had a connection with the oil industry, which she said her father and brother were now involved in. After some conversation she pointed John in the direction of the hill his small hut was stationed. It is now a look out post.

Note from John, never go back. The hotel we used in town is gone along with Ramone the barman, and ex Real Madrid player. The spot the hut I lived in whilst running a navigation station has been replaced with a huge edifice with JC on top. All very disappointing.....

After leaving Sant Carles we stopped to top up our auto gas which we use for cooking and heating our water. The cost 2 euros 71 cents, bargain for two weeks use.

Tonight's stop was supposed to be at El Catllar, a fortified village with an impressive Roman aqueduct. But we saw neither, as the aire was plaqued with mosquitoes, so we decided to move on. It was a shame really, as there were a Dutch couple there in their early 60’s who had retired early, sold their house, bought a thirty three year old van (makes Marge seem young) and set off. They were heading south and had been on the road for nine months.

So reluctantly we left them and drove for just over an hour to tonight’s stop, an aire behind a family run vineyard. We are now in cava country, the home of Freixent. We have a view from our van across the grape vines towards the Montserrat mountain range. 

Barcelona is about 30 miles away, but we will not stop there on this trip, as we feel it’s a place more suited to a long weekend city break.