costadelazahar – A Dog's Travel Adventures in Spain (and other places too!)

Going out with a bang!

Well we’ve been home for a week already. Why is it that when you have a holiday there’s so much to do afterwards, you need another to recover. There’s been visits to the vet for more worming tablets (can’t wait for those!), a spa trip to the dog groomer, pay the water bill after a half hour drive to their office, cleaning and of course shopping. So today is the first day I’ve had to write anything!

Our last week in Peniscola, that seems so long ago now, was a nice quiet one. Most of the tourists had left and many of the shops, cafés and restaurants had closed for a break before the Christmas rush. It was nice yet a bit sad at the same time. Pretty much the place was deserted everywhere we went but it did give me lots of space to run around.

The area around Peniscola, especially in the hills, is a famous olive oil producing area. Some of the olive trees are over a thousand years old (like the ones we visited we earlier in our trip) and people even say that some of them were planted by the Romans! And they still produce olives!

About a 20 minute drive from our apartment is a little town called Triaguera. It’s been here since Roman times and many of the buildings are also mediaeval. It’s perched up on the side of the hill and the old, narrow streets are ideal for me to explore. There is a Roman festival here in the summer when everyone dresses up in Roman clothes. However the main claim to fame is the olives, that stretch away for miles below the village.

The main street stretches between two churches and on the way we pass small shops that sell delicious olive oil direct from pressing between ancient stones. Of course we have to stop to buy some. There is a telephone number on the door that you have to call then someone from the factory comes to open the shop. How antiquated, I think, but this is a town where time has stood still. We have coffee and cake while we wait. Well you have to!

At one o’clock the church clock starts to chime – not with a bell but a recording of the local choir singing. The tune is “Valencia”, just to remind us where we are! I think it’s lovely but Dad said that he thinks after a couple of hours of repeats, he might start to go mad!

Time for a tune!

After we collect our oil from the shop – four bottles – one with oregano, one with basil, one with mushroom and one just freshly pressed, we start our journey back to Peniscola. I’m pleased we visited Triaguera. I like olive oil and one or two teaspoons in my dinner gives me a lovely shiny coat.

On the way back I notice that the sky is getting darker. Dad says he thinks there might be a storm. Oh no! I think, I hate those and I fall asleep on the back seat of the car until we get home. Dad was right. Just a couple of hours after we got back the storm arrived. It’s the biggest, brightest, loudest and most scary storm I have ever seen! And it lasts for hours. From our balcony the lightening surrounds us closely followed by explosive thunder. I hide in the bedroom but I can still hear the rain beating down, even through the closed blinds. The next day, thankfully, the Storm had gone but it was certainly a grand finale to our trip and we definitely went out with a bang!

Storm of my nightmares!

So after six weeks and just over 3,700km driving we’re finally home all safe and sound. It’s been a great trip. I’ve seen and experienced so many different things and enjoyed spending quality time with my Dads. My favourite places were the big beach at the Ebro river delta and our visit to Morella. Windmill tails for those. My least favourite place was the dog beach at Vinaros. No wag at all there. And would I recommend Peniscola for a holiday? One big definite bark there! With only a very few exceptions, totally dog friendly and a great place for a holiday. My top tip would be to go out of season – May or October because I think it will be very crowded in the summer and I don’t like so many people. Goodbye Peniscola – I’m going to miss you!

Now it’s time for a well earned rest. I’ve walked my little legs off and I think it’s time for another snooze. I wonder where our next adventure will be? Buenas noches amigos.

Getting stuck into more adventures on the beach

So I’ve not written much for the last week because I’ve been resting my paws from all the walking around. I’m sure all this exercise isn’t good for you, especially when you’ve only got little legs. When we get home I’m definitely going to have a rest! If Dad says it’s time for a walk in the olives, I’m going to pretend to be asleep!

The other day we all decided that we would havae a nice, quiet relaxing day. A little trip to the dog beach and then a snooze. Vinaros is another town about 20 minutes from here and it has two dog beaches to explore. Yay! Off we set in the car and we were soon at the first beach.

Hmm disappointment! There are miles of lovely sandy spots along this coast and the local council decided that us doggy visitors only deserve a really rocky beach. Dad said it was worse than Brighton beach and he should know as he comes from there! The pebbles were large and, well, pebbly and it was difficult to walk on. The sea got deep really quickly as well. As it’s October there were only a few other doggy friends there but noone was impressed. Not even a rubbish bin to put used poop bags! Yuk!

There was a little viewpoint just a few minutes walk away and that was nice. It’s called a Bufador in spanish and it means a blowhole in the rock where the water splashes up when it’s rough. We spotted the hole but luckily it was a calm day so no buff-ing today!

Back in the carand off to find the second beach. The SatNav said it was just along the coast and after following a narrow road right next to the sea, we found it. Much nicer than the last place. The Platja de Aguiadolivas was another pebbly beach but much easier to walk on with lovely crystal clear water and much shallower. I liked it! It was quiet and apart from one other German family with their pooch it was only us.

The Sat Nav said we needed to drive across the beach to reach the road back home. It looked a bit stony for our little car but we could see tyre tracks passing in front of us and, apart from a very small sign saying soft road surface, everything seemed fine. We stopped and looked at the way ahead for a while deciding if we should go or not. Finally we chose yes and off we went. Wow what an adventure driving on a beach, the sea on one side and a pond on the other! This is fun I thought as we trundled across the pebbles. Oh! Why are we stopping Dad? Is it because we are stuck? Oops! We all get out and look around the car and yes the front wheel has sunk in the sand we are are, well, stuck!

After a lot of big words that I don’t understand (luckily), we all start to try and dig the stuck wheel out! We use our old Hungarian number plate which is still in the boot after we changed the car to Spanish, Dad goes off to look for old palm branches to put under the wheel and I did with my paws!

After about half and hour we are still stuck so Dad decides to ring the rescue service. They understood the problem and found where we were and said the rescue van would be about 20 minutes. Great I think, time for a bit more exploring on the beach and even a snooze when we get back.

The breakdown truck arrives. It’s big! No problem the driver says as he backs down onto the beach and unhooks the tow wire. Dad fixes it to the towing ring on the car and we’re ready to go. The truck driver pulls the wire tight. Soon be on the move again I think and ….. the wire breaks as the rescue truck sinks into the sand too! Duh! More time to explore I think. What an exciting day!

After another hour a second tow truck arrives who now needs to rescue the first truck and us! He seems to know that it’s not a good idea to drive onto the beach so he stops on the road. Out comes another tow cable and eventually the first truck is free. The two drivers stand looking at our car, trying to decide what to do. By this time there is quite an audience watching the excitement. I suggest we sell tickets!

The truck drivers decide to connect two long wires together and then drag us off the beach. After lots of complaining and huffing the wires are connected. Ooops! Guess what! They aren’t long enough! Are we ever going to get home I ask myself!

Luckily the nice German man is still on the beach and he offers an extra towing strap to connect eveything together. Dad hooks the wire onto the towing ring and the wire goes tight. Finally we are moving! Slowly but surely we slide along the beach until we reach the car park. Rescue time 5 minutes – total time on the beach 3 hours!

Moral of the story and our little trip to the dog beach – don’t believe the SatNav and if it looks too stony, then it probably is! Let’s go home now Dad – but the long way back please!

Let’s go home Dad – stick to the main road!

Random ramblings and dodging the rain!

The last few days have been a bit of a mixed bag, but then it is the middle of October so what do you expect? Hot and sunny with lots of people still on the beach but then thunder and rain. Lots of rain! So we’ve been having a bit of a lazy time of things.

Saturday started well enough with lots of sun again but soon the storm clouds were gathering. Instead of the beach we decided to have a look in the countryside (or campo as us multilingual canines like to call it). The journey took us up towards the mountains and we found a big group of old olive trees. Old really isn’t the right word to describe them – ancient, antique, vintage – might be better as they are supposed to be over 1000 years old and are planted right next to a Roman road. Dad said they were out of bounds for a pee so I was a bit disappointed! How many dogs have peed up them over the years? That’s something to think about!

On Monday we decided to visit the old town again. Nothing special planned just a little walk and a coffee. Although it’s cobbly and a bit tough on my paws I like watching the fish jumping in the pools below the castle and seeing the tourists struggling up the hill from my viewpoint under a nice cafe table. What we didn’t know was it was market day and with the weather cooler than before the whole world decided to see what was on offer. The result was nowhere, and I do mean nowhere to park! Maybe next week will be quieter and we’ll get a chance to see what tat is on offer.

So instead of a relaxing morning, we decided to take a drive along the old coast road. The trip into the Sierra de la Irta was more than a bit bumpy and although I say drive it was more like a rollercoaster over the dirt tracks and rocks. We finally reached the car park overlooking the old town in the distance with rocks going down to the sea. It was a great chance to explore some of the rock pools that the storms had left and, even though my stomach wasn’t so keen, I really enjoyed poking around to see what I could find.

Today is hot and sunny again and is a national holiday here in Spain. It is the National Day of Spain and celebrates the history of the Kingdom of Spain and the colonies, especially in Latin America. It’s also one of the last national holidays of the year and we have already noticed lots of people closing up their holiday apartments for the winter. The seafront is very busy today and so many people scare me. It doesn’t help that Dad found a huge dragon next to the sea! I’m not that keen. Maybe next week will be quieter.

Beach Life

With Spain being a peninsula, most of it is surrounded by the sea. Now I’m not a water dog – I’ve only got short legs so even a little wave scares me and I’m not to keen on the salt because it gets in my fur and is really sticky – but I do like the beach. It’s full of interesting smells and things to snuffle around in so when Dad says beachtime, I’m happy.

Like I said there are miles of coast to explore and in fact the Mediterranean side has 1670km on it’s own – so I’m more than happy! It runs all the way from the French boarder in the north to Portugal in the south so hundreds of beaches to explore! Right? No wrong!

The problem with Spanish beaches is that me and my furry friends are not allowed on many of them. Some allow us in the winter but who wants to go swimming then? All summer when it’s hot and sunny, we are not allowed anywhere near.

The problem is that beaches are considered a bit of a cash cow by local towns. If you have a nice sandy beach then tourists will come. If you let dogs visit too, who wants to sit in a pile of do do? Now I can undertand that but it’s not our fault if a lazy human can’t clean up what we all do naturally and that’s given us a bad name. Let me says there are lots of humans who do the right thing and it’s the few that give everyone a bad name – ain’t that always the case!

However it’s not all bad news because finally local towns are realising that we have poochie pounds to spend too and if we are happy, then so are our humans and that means more money! Some places are more dog friendly than others and that just depends on the district. Luckily, here near Peniscola, there are lots of beaches especially for us where we can spend a fun day with our humans and meet other doggy friends. We have already discovered a great beach in the next town, Benicarlo, just a few minutes away. It has a lovely sandy beach and water to drink and showers to get rid of that nasty salt. I loved it there and even though it is October, there are still lots of people sunbathing with their furry friends.

The next town, a bit further away, Vinaros has three dog beaches! How lucky are they!

However, watch out for Alcanar! What a disappointment that was! A lovely promenade with big sandy beaches but doggy friends are not allowed! Anywhere! Too fancy for their own good if you ask me! And they had better watch out because dog friendly tourism is the next big thing. Why should we be left at home when everyone else is having fun!

Between the sea and sky

It’s been a busy few days and I’ve been walking my paws off! I’m only short so I’ve needed a rest before writing something new for my doggie followers. Today it’s raining – and I do mean RAINING so we’ve decided to spend the day relaxing in the flat with just a little doggie excursion for – let’s just say the necessities of life!

So today I thought I’d tell you a bit about where we are staying. We have a lovely holiday apartment overlooking the sea where we will be for the next six weeks. There’s plenty to do and I love going for walks along the long promenade. There are plenty of dog friendly parks and beaches to visit too but more of that later.

Peniscola has been a holiday destination for a long time and unlike where we live back in Sevilla province, there are mainly French and German visitors because it is much closer to the French boarder. In the Costa del Sol, back home, it’s mainly British.

Visitors have been a big part of this area way back to the Arabs in the 12th century. Peniscola was originally a little village on a rocky outcrop protecting this part of Spain from invaders. The first castle was built by the knights templar around 1300 and you can still visit it today.

The whole of the old town is surrounded by thick fortified walls and you go into the maze of little white-washed streets through the main gate, down by the port. It’s very narrow and full of cobbles. I don’t like the streets much because the stones hurt my feet but I do like exploring!

We walk up the steep hill towards the castle at the top and pass so many gift shops, cafes and restaurants that it makes me dizzy! We reach the town museum and the cannon which stands guard over the battlements scares me. It’s freaking me out and I’m pleased we don’t stop long to look at the view.

Onwards and upwards until we finally reach the old town square with its gardens and the entrance to the castle. This was the home to Papa Luna in 1411. Yes it was the home to the real Pope – better known as Pope Benedict XIII. Dad says there was a lot of religious trouble back then (ain’t there always!) and Pope Benedict was poisoned twice while he was in Rome. That’s why he move back to Peniscola and manage to lead a quiet(er) life until he died here in 1423. You can still see various relics and other religious stuff in the castle but I’m not that bothered so we go and find a nice cafe for a drink and a cake!

The other thing that Peniscola is famous for is it’s starring role in the 1961 film, El Cid. In the big battle scene you can see the castle in the background. Just think I take my daily walk on the very beach that Charlton Heston also stood on! How good is that! No photos please! Signed autographs by arrangement!

No Photos!

The Long Road Travelled

It’s 6.45am and the alarm is already ringing! What’s happening? There’s only one 6.45 in the day and this isn’t it! We need to set off early from the hotel in Murcia because we need to be in Peniscola for lunchtime.

None of us slept well – the food in the restaurant gave us indigestion, the group of teenaage football players were having a party in the corridor outside the room until 3am and another dog in the room opposite was barking at the slightest noise. Overall not a good stay and we are all feeling exhausted before we even start.

The road is long and boring – not like the day before. Another 400km to go and it passes through a valley the entire way sandwiched between mountains on the coast and mountains on the countryside. There’s not much to see – a few run down service areas that remind me of Mexico that you see in the films and the odd castle perched high on mountains. I think I’ll have a sleep … again!

Finally we reach the town. Peniscola is a lovely seaside resort on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea on the Costa del Azahar about half way between Valencia and Barcelona. There has been a settlement here for hundreds of years and the old town sits on top of a rocky peninsula that towers above the sea, fortified by centuries old walls. We’re planning a visit soon so I can tell youmore about it then.

Our apartment for the next six weeks is right on the beach. It’s large and bright with a nice terrace from where you can see the sea. There are sand dunes, boardwalks and long flat promenades all immediately outside the flat. I’m going to like it here!

But for now it’s time for a big rest. The journey was long and we all need to detox after the trip, COVID and everything else that’s happened in the last few years! Time for a snooze …..again!

Let’s Get Ready to Roll!

Wow! What a couple of years that’s been! Births, deaths, marriages (well postponed due to COVID!), COVID, assorted illnesses, moving house (several times!), moving countries… need I go on?

I think it’s time to have a rest, see something new, have an adventure … and in just 6 days time we’re going to be off on one.

But before we get started, let me tell you something about myself. My name is PG, I’m 6 years old and I don’t need a governess! (I heard that once in a film and always wanted to say it!)

Originally I’m from Hungary and I have lived with my two Dads – Neil and Ken – since I was 8 weeks old. I had 9 brothers and sisters – my brother Frankie and sister Zsofi still live in the village where we grew up.

My Dads ran an English tearoom and I’m called PG because they said my colour is like a cup of English tea. When I get told off they still call me by my full name – PG tips! I used to help them in the tearoom by greeting the guests and sometimes when they made our special dog treats, I was the official taster! How lucky was I!

Unfortunately things changed in Hungary and the new goverment hated everyone who was different. Dad said it wasn’t safe for us all to live there anymore and we had to move away. I was very sad because I had to leave my brother and sister and our lovely tearoom. We had a great adventure travelling all the way to Spain for our new life. Things have been tough here but it’s safer for us all and people don’t make judgements about who you are. I like that because no-one is perfect and it’s who you are on the inside that matters.

We now live in a little whitewashed village about an hour from the seaside. It is surrounded by olive groves and I go for walks in them everyday. It’s very peaceful here. I have made some new friends. Lily lives just a few houses away. She is only 5 months old and although Ilike to see her, she wants to play all the time when I want to sleep! Annoying much! I also have friends in the farm and I enjoy seeing them too. We like to walk in the olives together but there are a couple of farm dogs that are a bit grouchy and I try to avoid them.

Our big adventure starts on Friday. We’re going to a place that’s called the Costa del Azahar between Valencia and Tarragona. I don’t know where it is but it sounds exciting. It’s a long way because it will take two days to get there. I love going in the car so I am so excited. I’ve already done my packing – food bowl : check, water bowl : check, food : check, snacks : check, super comfy blanket : check, chewy toy : check, squeaky toy : Dad says no! Now I just need to make sure everyone else is ready in time!

While we are away I’ll be telling you about some of the exciting places we are going to visit and what we do. I’ll be giving you my honest opinion and grading each place with tail wags between 1 and 5 – 1 will be the least waggy score and 5 will be windmill tail so if you ever visit you will know what to expect for your furry friend too. I’m not writing everyday because the keyboard hurts my paws but keep an eye on what we are doing by following our adventures.

Remember only 6 days to go! As we say in Spain “Hasta Friday!”

Licks from me – PG