Disembarked bright and early.    Taxi to pick up the car from the middle of Porto followed by a relatively painless  3-4 hour drive across Portugal, back into Spain and an afternoon and night in Ciudad Rodrigo.   A very old and historical town (aren’t they all ?) with a very nice Parador in the old castle.

A well restored pathway on top of the old city walls enables one to walk right around the town and dip into some of the architectural splendours within.    Churches, cathedral, museum and palaces with great views over the surrounding countryside…

The Cathedral is somewhat pock-marked.   Something to do with Wellington and a long siege many years ago when the English kicked out the French occupants and much shelling took place.

Next I head off to Segovia for two nights before a long drive south and home.    Rumour has it that we have had the first rain since April, in Andalucia,  which should have rinsed the summer dust off everything.   We shall see…………