Three months around Europe

I didn't realise how much the daily joy of riding the bike had taken out of me. My first few days at my friend's home in Bol Nuevo were spent sleeping 10 hours a day. In addition, after having being solo for so long , it was hard to take in and concentrate on the many different conversations going on.
Glyn and Jan were lovely hosts. They had visited this part of Spain for over 30 years and moved permanently here in 2000. They bought the shell of their house and Glyn frustrated at the pace and quality of Spanish building, did the finishing work himself. We spent our week here swimming, sailing Glyn's 36ft yacht, trying the local restaurants and fettling the Suzuki. After 7000km , only one bolt was loose.
Glyn spoke Spanish, been a builder and had a rapport with the locals. There was a steady stream of Brits and Spaniards to his front door seeking advice , help and guidance. Most of the problems were the result of impetuous buying coupled with the Spanish often having a fairly cavalier attitude to planning and resource laws
Bol Nuevo had grown from a quiet fishing village to a bustling Brit enclave. It was, despite Glyn's best efforts, the centre of a sizable gay community and this was reflected in the names of the bars and pubs: Monroes, Dusty's Comfortable Shoes, El Shirtlifter and Admiral of the Windy Passage. Tribute bands are big here. I saw posters advertising tribute gigs to such chart toppers as Queen, Abba, Rod Stewart, Mustangs.
We visited Cartegena some 40km north, which had undergone, in the past 10 years, a remarkable transformation. During the reconstruction a Roman ampitheatre was discovered and now takes pride of place on the town's walking tour. Old forts and warehouses have been converted into a university campus. The original facades have been retained and the city is a candidate for the European city of culture in the next few years. There were several super yachts in the harbour – the city being a popular place for refit.
I also spent a few hours planning the next stage of my trip. On June 21, I leave for Barcelona via Valencia . From Barcelona, I take the ferry to Rome, then head for Monte Cassino. I will not visit the eternal city as it is on the schedule for a future visit with my wife. Then it is across the spine of Italy to Bari and a ferry to Dubrovnik in Croatia.
So now my schedule begins to take me North East. Away from the Latinos and to the land of the Slavs and the Nordics. And of course into Eastern Europe.

Till next time

Safe Riding