Manilva

Hola

Today we set out for Camping Bella Vista at Manilva on the Costa del Sol. It’s only 60 km but the Map guidance says 70 minutes - we wonder why and soon find out. We wind up the mountains and down and up and down and round and round - challenging in itself.

But at least a thousand motorbikes, perhaps closer to 2000 are out for a Saturday ride session, all coming towards us, some of whom are seemingly practicing for the Isle of Man TT (a motorbike race for those of us that don't know what Isle of Man TT stands for - like me!), full lean on, hugging the middle line or over it and going a wee bit more than the 40kmh limit, perhaps 100-120kmh or more. Concentration is paramount!

And then we strike a bicycle race as well but going our way, so a few hundred of them going 10kmh up the hills and 40-50 kmh down the hills. The shoulder on the passenger side is a steep drain culvert so no room for error there. Hard to pass without going way out on the other side of the road but the mad motorbikes are coming from the other direction. Crikey this is intense. Consequently we spend a lot of time trundling along at 5-10kmh waiting for a safe opportunity to pass. We spot the "Bomberos" (police/ambulance) tending to a bike rider who has gone off down the culvert and wonder whether a car has got too close as they went past.

View of mountains and white villages along our drive to Manilva

Another shot of distance view - trying to show incline of roadways

Another shot of mountains and white village in distance

The scenery is magnificent but nowhere to stop and take photos so we just have to absorb it as we go along. Eventually we pass through a small town where the bike race finishes, and a lot of motorbikes stopped having a tea break before roaring off down the way we came. Okay we can relax a little and find a couple of spots to take some photos that don’t quite do justice to the scenery we saw earlier. Soon we are heading way down hill to the coast and we check in at our campsite right on the beach - if we were swimmers we would want to jump right in, its looks very inviting.

View to ocean from our campgrounds in Manilva

The next day, we decide on a local day around Manilva, so wander a few hundred metres from campground along the Playa de la Duquesa (Duchess's Beach) to the Castillo which is free to wander around in. It was a small defensive fort for the local area, built in 1767 during the reign of Carlos III to improve coastal defences and thus impede the continuous landings of pirates and privateers who frequented the coast. Its original designation was "Manilva's Four-Cannon Battery".

Exterior of Fortress

Walls around Fortress

Internal courtyard area in Fortress

Small old room with lovely stone curved ceilings in Fortress

Cannon at Fortress in Manilva

Entry to Fortress

Kerrie standing to attention and saluting at Fortress Guard Point

There is a small museum dedicated to Fencing and Bob tries to stab some imaginary pirates, but then wonders what diseases may have been present in that stinky mask - eeww!

Bob pretending to be a "fencer"

Wander further along the beach front to the marina which is quite lovely surrounded by shops and restaurants and apartments above. We try to work out the best berth for Jon and Catherine’s boat- and decide any will do, and perhaps also an apartment so you don’t have to go far to be out on the water.

Lovely ocean views along our beach front walk to Marina in Manilva

Beautiful white stucco home with bougainvillea - along beach front in Manilva

Lovely marina in Manilva

We turn around and cross the highway overbridge (too risky to cross the road at the roundabout ‘cos they don’t slow down at all) to go to the Dia supermercado we know is over here - but we walk around the building, how do we get in? A pommie couple see our troubled faces and tell us that is downstairs below ground , but it’s Sunday so it’s not open today - bugger, there goes dinner plans (shades of parts of Scandinavia where supermarkets don’t open on Sundays).

Back at the campground we cobble together some food and settle in to watch the F1 race (which has a disappointing outcome, but better than the last few races for Oscar).

Tomorrow we heading west to La Linea de la Concepción (ie Gibraltor) for a quick visit and a surprise (stay tuned).

OK, over and out for today.