Review and Resolutions.

Tuesday 1st January 2019 -  Córdoba.

We had a good sleep, there had been plenty of loud firework bangs but that didn't bother us.  

This morning....we had clear heads....was a gorgeous sunny but cold morning.  We packed up the van after breakfast and were on the road by 9.30am (we had paid our site bill yesterday so we didn't need to wait for the office to open at 10am).

Janice did the driving for the first part of the trip.  It's the first time she has driven this van in Spain.

We headed for Córdoba and found a place to buy some Propane Gas for the van.  I had previously struggled to find somewhere that sold anything other than Butane and I had previously bought Butane but I wanted Propane this time because it works better than Butane at cold temperatures and I will probably be using this gas bottle in the UK.  The 11kg bottle of Propane cost 13 euros and we know that a 6kg bottle in the UK costs about £25.  What a great price difference!  Twice the quantity and half the price.  Why is it almost four times more expensive in the UK?  We can't blame it all on higher tax!

Anyway, here is a super quick review of 2018 for Janice and I.  in January we had two weeks in the French Alps, one week was a holiday the second week was as makeshift chalet hosts!  In February we had a weeks training course for the Caravan Club and in March we started work at Ferry Meadows Caravan Site till September. In October we started on this trip.  So.......we have maybe spent about 2 months in total at home.  That's a lot of time away, even by our standards.  However, we have had some amazing experiences.  We wanted to do the ski chalet hosting and the Caravan Club job and we did them both and we wanted to have a winter away in Southern Spain too....so all boxes ticked!

In 2019 we resolve to spend more time at home....we can hardly fail!  We are getting a new kitchen fitted later in January/February and in February Janice's daughter, Laura, is expecting our first grandchild.  Exciting times.  We will try to fit in lots of smaller trips in the motorhome.  I might squeeze in another cycle adventure?

I also resolve to take the Queens Speech advice to be tolerant of other people's views.....I particularly mean it in the context of whatever happens to Brexit.  Anything could still occur, between a Hard Brexit and Remain and anything in between.  I want to accept whatever it is that happens because I have no influence over it and am fed up of politicians falling out about it.  I may continue to poke fun at the politicians involved but I must not get 'serious' about the outcome or the consequences!!!  I don't want a country that continues to be bitterly divided.....but again that isn't really within my influence.

That's enough about resolutions!!

We arrived at Córdoba at lunchtime and walked into the Old City Centre across the Roman Bridge.

The Mezquita is the Old Moorish Mosque that was later converted into a Cathedral.  We weren't sure about the opening times on New Years Day or the prices for entry.  We were pleasantly surprised to be waved in at 'five and twenty past one' (I didn't forget my other Resolution!) and being told it closed at 2pm.....free entry today, it would normally be 10 euros each.

I took loads of photos...it was amazing...the photos don't come close to doing it any justice.

I've never seen such a range of styles and religion in the same building.  It is virtually an open plan mosque with a cathedral plonked in the middle.

The city has an Alcazar too...probably not close to the scale of the one at Granada but not shabby!

Late afternoon we drove off to a Country Park in the hills north of the city for a better wild camp experience.

The weather is pretty warm too but it might be very cold tonight!  We may need that full Propane bottle?

Happy New Year again.