Spain with Gibraltar: some Cycle Touring then by hire car
25th May to 1st June 2013: Across from Africa (Morocco) to Algeciras, the Gibraltar & up the Mediterranean Coast of Spain: "Costa del Sol" by bike. Then by hire car to Granada and the Sevilla before going north east of Madrid to Peidrahita for paragliding.
Jebel Musa (the southern pillar of Hercules) and the port of Ceuta to the left as we levee Africa.
The unusual entry into Gibraltar. Just after having our passports checked we had to wait while a jet landed on the runway, which runs directly across the road into Gibraltar.
At Europa Point, the southern extremity of Gibraltar, with the Rock behind.
The view from Gibraltar south to Africa, just across the straits. Jebel Musa stands out on the horizon.
Sunday evening (26th May 2013) we left Gibraltar as there is no camping there, and headed along the coast in the border town of La Linea (the line) to find a very good camping area.
Monday morning as we rode away from Gibraltar along the Costa Del Sol, the view back to Gibraltar was excellent.
In the afternoon I took a quick dip in the Med. Here I am having a shower on the beach.
View along the beach at Fuengiola, on the Costa del Sol, Southern Spain. Typical fenced off sections of beach where you could rent a sun lounge and umbrella for 4 or 5 euro a day.
The view back along the over developed package tour towns with high rise apartments all along the seaside.
Driving into the Sierra Nevada this picturesque white-washed town with bull ring in the foreground and snow capped mountains behind.
The Sierra Nevada ski area at a bit over 2000m. See our lovely little Renalt Clio.
Iberian wild goats.
Our 'wild' camp in the Sierra Nevada. At about 1500m it was quite cold but a beautiful location.
View from and including the 'Alcazaba' in the 'Al Alhambra' complex in Granada. The snow caped Sierra Nevada in the distance. The Alcazaba was the fortification closest to the city of Granada with its keeps and steep defensive walls.
A moorish style gate in the guards walk around the base of the Alcazaba fortification.
Partal palace in the Al Alhambra
Al Alhambra: Arched windows in the high garden of the summer palace.
Al Alhambra: A water feature in the high garden of the summer palace.
Inside the Nasrid Palace which we booked to tour at 10pm at night. The intricate detail was amazing.
Inside the Nasrid Palace
Inside the Nasrid Palace: a water feature and arches
Inside the Nasrid Palace
Inside the Nasrid Palace: the detail of the the tiles and plasterwork above.
Seville and the pond in front of the Plaza de Espana, a huge semicircular building and plaza built for the 1929 Spanish-American Exposition.
Plaza de Espana panorama
The Seville Cathedral: A huge Gothic Cathedral built in the 15th century incorporating the 97m high minaret (built in about 1190) as part of the mosque that was originally on this site.
Some of the moorish detail on the inside of the Alcázar built around 1360.
Some of the moorish detail on the inside of the Alcázar built around 1360.
Some of the moorish detail on the inside of the Alcázar built around 1360.
Seville's Golden Tower was a Moorish defence tower built in the 13th century on the banks of the
The restored remains of the huge (40,000 capacity) amphitheatre of Italicia, 8km north of Seville.
We turned off the expressway to take a small back-road the last 100km to Piedrahita and found this delightful little town: Plasencia, with churches, castles, an ethnographic exhibition, narrow lanes and shops all open on Saturday evening.
We went into an old convent which was full of church festival parade "floats" though they would not float, they had long beams for men to carry them through the streets.
We sat in the busy Plasencia town square and watched the people go by. There were restaurants all around and the town hall (this picture) with a cute "man" holding on to the tower to ring the bell.