El Rocio, Andalucia, Spain - Days 157 to 159

10 minutes after arriving in El Rocio campsite, local cat decides Jackie's OK

Kate, Kate is her name, and again, she and Abi are our neighbours. They pulled in to the campsite at El Rocio about a hour after we did, along with George and Jean. (El Rocio campsite location: 37°08'30.6"N 6°29'23.7"W) (Campsite facilities with photos: click here then on item 67 in list)

This may be the last time as they are heading into Portugal tomorrow, at the very earliest we will be a couple of days behind them, there is an important Columbus Museum we have to visit..... We maybe a bit further behind them than that though, depends on the weather, which isn’t looking particularly good in Portugal so we may go north to Merida before heading west. This would allow us to see Merida which was on Brian’s list for before Christmas, but got cut, along with Córdoba, and get us in to Portugal about 2/5 up, so allow us some inland as well as some coastal visiting. So it does all make sense, and of course has nothing to do with enjoying Spain, and being nervous of a new country, new language etc....

The main church in El Rocio and the local transport (there are cars too, but they're boring)

Downtown El Rocio

El Rocio is a strange little town, one of a kind, the streets are sand and the main mode of transport is horseback, or horse and cart! It’s on the edge of the Doñana National Park, the largest road free area in Western Europe, apparently recently voted on by the residents to remain road free. The whole horse thing works for them!

One of El Rocio bar's with hitching posts for horses

Just what you'd expect to see here, a horse tied up outside a house

The Doñana Park, being roadless is therefore hard to explore, there are organised, and expensive, 4x4 trips, and from Sanlucar de Barramedar, boat trips, but we couldn’t find anywhere to stay there. So we’ve done our best, we went for a cycle yesterday, to the Palacio del Acebron a lovely, not particularly old building with a little boardwalk path round a lake. This was the only place we could find to cycle as sand avoidance was paramount, we’ve tried cycling on sand before, it’s jolly hard work, but it was a lovely outing. Today we walked, where the lady in the park office told us she’d seen a lynx. We didn’t see, a lynx, or a snake, or a mongoose, but it was pleasant enough. We then returned to El Rocio along the ‘shore’ looking at flamingos and wild horses.

We go for a walk on a Sunday, they go for a ride

El Rocio from across a swamp

The town is like something out of the Wild West, though it did also remind us of South America, the almost two dimensional bell towers on the front of buildings. We went in last night as there was a parade, leaving the church at 20.00, though no one seems quite sure what it was all about, and we went in today on our way back just to people watch. It’s a very touristy town, with many Spaniards just visiting for the day, so it would be interesting to pop in tomorrow, before we leave, to see it as a ghost town, but I’m not sure we’ll bother.

Camping behaviour allowed! A nice tapas lunch with wine

And we got the awning out

We would come back again though, it’s been great to actually be on a campsite where ‘camping behaviour’ is allowed, so that’s chairs, tables, awnings and washing. It’s also very hot in the afternoons, so all these things are good. There is also a little cat family, though only daddy cat is brave enough to be touched, he likes a good stroke. He then brings various kittens along for a few biscuits at a time, which is very sweet. Can’t believe how wussy on the whole Spanish cats are, perhaps Portuguese cats are braver?

This cat has really settled in. And where am I supposed to sit?

We're off Lynx spotting!

And maybe some of these spotting as well

But we didn't see any of those, but we did see this hard working dung beetle rolling a piece of dung:

8 or 9km cycle ride and then a pleasant walk through the woods

Nice views on the way

Finishing at this palace, built in 1960 as a hunting lodge and now open to the public

Nice views from the top, next the the statue of a man with binoculars (for some reason!)

Here's where we went on that cycle and walk to the palace

Evening in the square by the church and its a great atmosphere as we sit with a tapas and beer

Don't know what's going on here, but everyone is buying a candle for €0.50 and putting them in here

Lovely evening sunset over the lagoon by the square

And finally, just after 8:00pm the church doors opened to reveal the altar that you can just see....

And out came all the congregation playing music, holding flags and the like and all holding a candle 

There were so many people coming out we thought they must be going round the back and coming out again. It is a big church but we didn't think it was that big

Passed some interesting shops on the way home. Notice how every building has somewhere to tie a horse to outside

went for another walk into Donana N.P. today, hoping to spot a Lynx. Is this a paw print from one?

Some people were taking the easy option, but not us! Started in the cool of the morning, but now it was getting hot!

Even the butterflies were flaked out in the sun

Here's a stork hunting for his lunch in the grass

And here's another one flying overhead. No idea what it has in its beak

And here's a flock of them. I do think they look like pterodactyls. This could be a shot out of a Jurassic Park film! 

And here's something else mucking about in the swamp

A flock of flamingos. I assume flamingos flock and not herd or something else

Very smart! Both dressed up in their Sunday best

And that cat's still here!

Here's todays walk tto Donana National Park and that back to El Rocio for lunch and beer