And We’re Off, France to Spain!
This will be a shorter post today, as we’re off traveling.
Yup, it finally happened! We’re on the road again, tarmac flying beneath our wheels, hair in the wind and tongues hanging out of the window. Or perhaps that’s just Polly? Either way we’re certainly all here and in this adventure together, and we’re doing it differently from our usually style too. You see this is a car trip planned for well over a year, and we’re all very excited it’s finally come together.
Still, it’s a crazy strange time to be doing this and that I can’t deny, because more than ever things are certain now. The Omicron variant is here, and it’s taking over at such an insanely fast rate that it’s caused me change my view on the mutant quite permanently. But more about that below.
In the meantime here’s an “adieu” from gorgeous France and a big “hola” from the sunny coast of Spain. For better or worse, we’re here now and we certainly plan to make the most of it.
We Crossed The Pyrénées Yesterday
We left France bright and early yesterday morning, in the warm winter sun and had the most beautiful drive across the Pyrénées.
It’s actually one of the “curviest” of ways to get from our place to NE Spain, but despite this it’s also the fastest, and on nice days definitely the prettiest. The most epic route is up and into Andorra, an oft-used road by the Tour de France that is steep, and packed with twists and turns and stunning views. If you have time and the right weather window, it’s a wonderful way to go.
A lesser epic, but still pretty route is the same road, but with a 4,820m shortcut through Tunnel du Puymorens that bypasses Andorra, but still packs in enough views to make for a pretty drive.
We took the latter, stopping every few hours or so to give everyone a stretch of the legs, buy a baguette and a few croissants, and of course find a spot with a view for lunch.
It was our first time doing a trip like this with everyone in the car, and it took me waaaay back to the days Paul and I used to car-camp in California. Do you have those memories like I do? You know, when you just loaded up the car, piled everyone in and headed off somewhere?
Admittedly it’s not nearly as “comfy” as traveling in a motorhome, and when you stop you can’t help but pine a bit for that handy in-house toilet and kitchen (a warm cup of coffee would have been soooo nice in the snow), but I also can’t deny that’s it’s a fast and easy way to travel, and certainly less tiresome to drive too.
Besides, sometimes it’s fun to mix things up.
We Made It To Spain!
A mere 6 or so hours after we started from home we made it here….to Peñíscola, Spain.
This is a spot you may remember from a blog post I did a few years back. It’s a lovely little oceanside town with a spectacular walled peninsula that’s spiraled with teeny stone alleyways, and topped by a beautiful lighthouse and 13th century castle (Castillo de Peñíscola). It’s littered with history, from the the Knight’s Templars to the fascinating life of Benedict XIII Pedro de Luna (the infamous “Antipope”), and it’s set in the most beautiful blue sea with wide sand beaches that stretch for miles to the north, and the mountains of the gorgeous natural Serra d’Irta Natural Park that seem rise and roll to infinity in the south.
We loved it when we stayed here a few years back, and we got those exact same vibes this time around.
We rented a cute Airbnb just 5 minutes from the beach, spent the entire day exploring the peninsula and enjoyed the most amazing 6-course gourmet meal on the one-table terrace of a cute hole-in-the-wall spot (Restaurante El Canar) for a mere EUR 20 a person.
Honestly, this place just rocks.
Of Course We Can’t Ignore The Elephant In The Room
As we crossed the border yesterday I couldn’t help notice the big police presence on the French side. It’s the next step in the ever-escalating problem of Omicron that is engulfing Europe, and IMO it’s not going to be over anytime soon.
This mutant is spreading at an insane rate, literally doubling every ~2 days, and that means two simple things: within weeks it will be the majority strain everywhere in Europe, and even if it causes milder cases (still not confirmed) it’s infecting so very fast that it can still (mathematically speaking) overwhelm the hospitals. And that’s the bit that has everyone worried….
It’s the reason why France and Germany (this week) decided to effectively block travelers from UK, it’s also why the Netherlands (yesterday) announced a full lockdown, and it’ll likely be the reason why several other countries will probably fully lock down in the very near future.
I can’t say (yet) if countries are over-reacting to all this, but I can say this. Whether you’ve decided to travel or stay put this December, whether you’re in Europe or abroad, you can no longer ignore Omicron. We all have to brace for it, and that means we all need to take as many reasonable precautions we can. So mask up, avoid big groups, get a booster shot (if you can), get tested before you see family and the vulnerable, and stay flexible in your plans.
Hopefully it won’t be as big as deal as some of the models predict, but you need to be ready nonetheless…
We Plan To Make The Most Of This Time Ahead
These are not ideal times, and this holiday is not exactly the one we planned over a year ago. We won’t be seeing as much of my family as we hoped (because of new restrictions), and we won’t be eating out or enjoying as much of Spanish indoor life as we originally imagined. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy each other and our time here.
The last few Pandemic years have taught me that much.
Our plan is to enjoy this time ahead, responsibly of course, but also trying not to stress too much about the things we cannot control around us. And that’s what I hope for all of you in this holiday season too. Wherever you are, whatever the situation is in your country, make the most of the people you love and the place that you’re in. If you can manage that, then you’ve won and everything else is unimportant.
Tomorrow we head to our final destination, a place considered a bucket list by many that come to Spain. Hopefully, I’ll see you there….
That whole “lack of facilities” thing is one of the reasons why I do tend to miss having our motorhome. Sometimes. Of course, during the height of the Pandemic, just finding a washroom locally was “hors question”, so that meant very careful trips to the grocery store. And that’s all.
Now at least there are washrooms (OK, you might call them “restrooms”. Whatever) available at places like Home Despot, or others.
Enjoy your stay!
I so totally agree. It is really (really) nice to carry your own on-board “facilities” when you travel.
Nina
Have a wonderful time. So happy for you that you are able to enjoy some travel. And what fantastic travel it is.
Cemeteries are great places to learn an area’s history, and they are quiet to boot, Nina! Enjoy your holiday!
I agree…I’ve always loved cemeteries. So many interesting stories lie buried there, people, time, history….it’s fascinating.
Nina
Enjoy, safe as possibly – your outing! And yes, Deb and I are aware of the higher risks the Holidays (And a 60th B-Day bash on the 26th – expands the risk factor…) on the Covid (All variants!) front. We look forward to returning to our ‘RV Home’ in mid January – where we greatly reduce the exposure risks… Have a great Holiday’s and New Year’s ahead… and yes to as reasonable as possible safety measures in these times.
Best,
Smitty
I wish you some wonderful celebrations, and a good return to your RV home!
Nina
We have flown across the country from Maryland to Seattle for the holidays. We do mask up a lot more in Seattle, but find it is worth it to spend time with our son. We are just grateful we are triple vaccinated and have flu shots. We have done everything we can. We are all quite healthy to begin with so we should be okay. Have a wonderful holiday! Can’t wait to read your next post.
I’m with you. We’ve all done everything we can too….triple vaxxed, flu vax, masks. I have to believe that’s all enough, although sometimes it’s still hard not to stress with all the news focus on Omicron. Hope you have a wonderful vacay!
Nina
Thank you for your thoughts on the Omicron spread. My husband and I are both vaccinated and have gotten our booster shots. We are senior citizens, he is 89 and I am 78. We are being careful and avoiding crowds. Not sure what else we should do. RVing seems to be ending for us. Mostly I have been doing the driving but that seems to becoming less fun so I see the end in sight. Love reading about your excursions. Guess I am living vicariously. Best wishes to you both and Polly.
,
COVID has been so hard on everyone these past few years. I’m sorry to hear your RV travels are slowing down, as I’m sure that’s a bittersweet feeling, but I also believe there is a time and transition for everything in life. Hopefully you’re next stage in life will bring you equal joy, just in a different way.
Nina
Sounds like a wonderful trip!
Was your dad able to go along on this trip?
I agree that omicron is again putting a damper on travels. But I am feeling that for those of us who are vaccinated and boosted that we can be safe by doing the recommended procedures.
We would love to be traveling more, but we’re somewhat tied down by some recent setbacks with my 98 year old mother. And we’re not planning to leave the U.S. for quite awhile. We just can’t risk being stranded in a foreign country if tighter restrictions occur. But – – life continues to be good and we are thankful for what we can do.
Merry Christmas to all!
YES dad came with us. So it’s all three of us plus the dog.
Nina
Enjoy! We love Spain and the joy of life that the Spaniards are known for. We left Occitanie in September after 3 years in France. (we also used to live in SD) We have been on the road travelling in Spain since then, tightly packed in our car with our dog. From the coast of Catalonia we went to Valencia for a month and then over to Mojacar for another month. We decided to go to Madrid for two weeks to enjoy the beautiful Christmas lights and indulge in all the food before heading to the most gorgeous UNESCO city of Cordoba where we will stay for Christmas and New Year. The Spanish are so gentle and kind, we have found everyone to be so respectful of each other and everyone wears a mask. The country is at about 87% fully vaccinated and there’s no covid passport here as it seems the majority of people comply and the government is not so hard line as France. Airbnb has been fantastic for us, let’s hope we can all continue to travel responsibly as it seems there’s not a lot of people in ICU here from Omicron….
I’m totally with you Patricia. Spain have weathered this well so far (although I fear Omicron will engulf all countries before this is over), and everyone is so respectful and kind. Sounds like you’ve had a wonderful trip so far. Continued good travels to you!
Nina
Thanks Nina for another insightful and thoughtful column based on France and Spain. I must admit it would be really, really tough not to travel in our Promaster Van. It’s like our last refuge against civilization and maybe the Omnicron virus. The weather in Oregon is wet, and then more wet but there is snow about two thousand up the Cascades for winter fun. We are making sporadic visits about this week (church yesterday) with a few friends before the virus has inundated Oregon. Not happened yet but on its way. We did expect to either fly to Mexico for a month of sunshine in Zihua or drive to Texas and Arizona. Have to swallow our politics and enjoy the moment. But by next week, who knows?
Thank you so much for your wonderful blogs all year and the years prior to that. Love your work.
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to you, Paul, and family. Big hugs…
So glad you can travel safely. We sold our 5th wheel. It was towed away yesterday and I wept. It may be car travel in our future, if this darn virus ever calms down! I’ve gotten my booster and my N95 masks, and am playing cards with friends in well-ventilated spaces. Jackets and open doors! Stay well and you are going to Barcelona! I’ve always wanted to go there. I’m looking forward to your wonderful photos. Happy trails to you, even if in a car! LOL
I’m so sorry you had to say goodbye to your 5th wheel. I know how emotional that moment can be. Still, car travel is not a bad way to go, especially these days with Airbnb’s everywhere and easy places to stay. Here’s hoping you have more travels ahead.
Nina
Here’s to “not stressing about things you can’t control”! My new mantra! Looks like your trip is beginning beautifully and I know you’ll all have a wonderful time together in a new place! Merry Christmas!
MERRY CHRISTMAS! Enjoying your posts as always!
Thanks for the info and sharing your travels, which we all want to do!
Happy New Year, and I hope it’s Better for all of us.
Think of you often and what great memories of Spain!
Big hugs to you all,
Margaret
Paul and Armando say “hi”. So many fond Camino memories coming up on this trip.
Nina