Passed enormous wind farms, and small solar panel area. Grass and rice fields, cattle and expensive horse yards - more prosperous agriculture. Stopped for morning tea, found snails sucking last of moisture from dying thistles, and had fun with the spitting cucumbers.
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| Spitting cucumbers |
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| Parasitic snails |
Vultures/ buzzards perched on hill, flying. Drove through Cadiz, oldest town in Europe, and departure point for Christopher Columbus - La Niña replica on roundabout. Others saw a flamingo in estuary (GirlRob and the camera missed it...) Followed Boomers down VERY narrow streets of Santa Maria, hairy with cannonballs along edge of road. Had to watch we didn't hit (heaps of!) pedestrians with our mirrors. Finally could manage right turn out just before narrowed even further near museum. Cotton growing.
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| Impressive bridge building in progress |
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| La Nina replica |
Arrived Saint Lucia, grocery shopping, then on to waterfront, and scoped out dry dusty but empty car-park for tonight's camp. Back to shopping centre for spot in shade to make lunch and BoyRob’s haircut. Changed into walking shoes and long pants, packing mosquito repellent as advised by brochure. Walked to beach to board barge La Olga for short crossing over Guadalquivir River to sand peninsula. Met by 4WD coaster, and drove along beach to see sea birds, Black-Back and Herring Gulls, terns, dotterals (and another smaller bird) and oyster catchers. Our Spanish-only speaking driver didn't slow for photos though, even when we passed old concrete bunkers. Up on dunes for short stop and what sounded like lesson on shifting sands and dune foliage.
Back in bus with wind blowing hair, through pinewoods, turned inland saw red deer and fallow deer (Bambi) co-habiting with wild pigs, wild horses and wild cattle. Later heard these latter were left to roam with 20 odd families who remained with farming licenses when area converted to national park (only one family remain today). Far stretches of red growth which reminded us of salt lake vegetation in Australia.
Return trip was by a more civilised ferry, with English speaking guides at last. Saw osprey and flamingos - a lucky sighting as they had only returned to feed with a high tide flooding the far levy bank.
Our empty lot was full of litter (including toilet paper) all around edges, and stank of urine, so we moved away from other motor homes into the cleaner middle to make camp. Lots of music and voices for hours. Turned out our lot was a shoot-up gallery, new condoms and syringes there next morning - ugh.
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