Ardales

Last night we sat until bed time with the side door of the van open. The moon, cast a light of a hundred flickering candles, lighting the waves as they lapped the shore. Pure tranquillity. All this, a short way from the casinos and high life of Marbella.

This morning, we both sat up on our bed and watched the sun rise over the bay through the roof window. A huge orange spotlight, casting shadows over the sand. A beautiful orange dawn, among a blue horizon. We had spent a quite night, the only sound some local fisherman returning in the early hours, which did not bother us. We were sited at the end of a gated community. Everywhere numerous security cameras, security signs, security lights and security grills. The price to pay for the Marbella lifestyle.

Mid morning, we left. O.K. Marge. Fancy a trip up into the hills? After a slow climb, luckily on a decent road, Marge reached the summit. We were 1065 metres above sea level. Then it was mostly downhill to Ronda, one of the most spectacularly located cities in Spain. It sits on a rocky outcrop, straddling a precipitous limestone cleft.

Upon arriving, a warning light appeared on the dashboard of the van. Upon investigation, it materialised it was a problem with the cooling system. At first we thought Marge had, had a 'hot flush', resulting from the slow uphill climb. The internet is a wonderful thing, and after some research, it seemed it was more a case of altitude sickness. The change in altitude had affected the coolant level. Luckily, after a few hours rest, Marge was back to her old self.

We enjoyed exploring Ronda. The bull ring there, is one of the oldest and most important in Spain.

The highlight, the New Bridge, over the three hundred and thirty feet Tajo Gorge, joining the old and new towns of Ronda.

Returning to Marge, we kept our fingers crossed the warning light would not reappear as we fired her up, and it didn't. So we set off to a small town that was to be our overnight stop. After negotiating Marge down some narrow lanes to access it, we decided we did not feel comfortable staying the night. So it was back through and up the mountains.

Just before we arrived at our new destination, we stopped to photograph a beautiful lake. We thought the view was pretty decent.

We are now settled by the lake in Ardales National Park. The area is likened to the Lake District. Marge was parked in an area recommended for vans on the internet, further up the road outside the restaurant were three other vans, but according to the parking sign, they should not have been there. Which was obviously the case, as, as we were preparing our dinner the local police arrived, escorting the three vans.

Oh dear, we thought, they're going to move us on. But no, Marge was O.K., right where she was. This evening we walked out a while, passing the local hotel, where on the road outside the open bar were two grey foxes. They seemed a little nervous, but also quite hungry.

Tonight's stop is so different in contrast to last nights. No sound of the sea to lull us to sleep, but instead, the sound of the wind rushing through the autumn trees.

We have just received a video of our grandson Elliot, taking his first few steps, after which he took a dive. He'll make a good footballer then!