# Spain - Part 6



## peedee (May 10, 2005)

By late evening, the rain eventually stopped and I managed a walk along the beach and sneak a look at the adjacent campsite of Torre del Sol. Its another large site with good sized pitches but far less suited to the handicapped. The site is on two levels, a beach level where most of the pitches are and an amenities level where the café, bar and restaurant can be found. The trees were also less mature than Montroig and also not so well pruned and I doubt if many motorhomes could access the pitches without brushing against the palms.

It rained only occasionally the next day but we still never saw the sun all day. Therefore, it was another enforced lazy day followed by an evening meal in the cozy campsite restaurant. Eating out in Spain has become much more expensive especially if you do not fancy the menu of the day.

The next day we awoke to yet more rain. We decided to move further north where the weather looked to be better. I don't like packing up in the rain but there was no choice if we wanted to move on. To make best use of the weather, we also decided to go shopping on route. We set off north up the N340 towards Tarragona where we hoped to find a Carrefour. Sure enough just off the N340 on the T11 on the outskirts of Tarragona we found a huge Carrefour and spent a couple of hours of retail therapy buying some presents and a free to air satellite TV reception kit. I was attracted to the kit by the fact it was based on an 80cms dish and I was struggling with my existing second hand sky box and a very old 60 cms dish which has a LNB whose performance is poor by today's standards. The cost, 99 euros (£70) for an 80 cms dish, universal LNB and FTA receiver. It works a treat here in northern Spain and the Astra 2D signal is as good as I get at home with a 60 cms dish. The draw back is no channel 4 or 5 because they are currently encrypted by Sky but I don't think it will be too long before they are transmitted in the clear?

The rain was easing as we left the Carrefour carpark heading for the A7 autoroute and the Costa Brava. It had stopped altogether by the time we had reached the outskirts of Barcelona. In fact the northern sky was looking much brighter than we had seen for some days. Could this be the end to the bad spell? 

We left the A7 autoroute at junction 9
to arrive at Camping El Delfin Verde near L'Estartit in the late afternoon. The toll charges from Tarragona to junction 9 came to about 9 euros. 
There had clearly been a lot of rain here too but the sun was now shinning as we checked in and selected our pitch from the many vacant ones. This early in the season very few tourers were there although quiet a few seasonal pitches were already occupied. We ate one of our favourite local meals in the site restaurant that evening. Paella followed by crème Catalan, all washed down with a bottle of house red.

El Delfin is a very large site with over 2000 pitches. It is mostly flat and is adjacent a sandy beach. Pitches are generous, some are amongst pines but the majority are unshaded. The on site supermarket is excellent and you need never leave this site if you did not want to. The low season rate for two adults with a pensioners discount is 19 euros per night with 5 amp electric. In peak season this can rise to over 40 euros per night.

On the 25th day of our trip the sunshine finally arrived. It was somewhat hesitant at first but there was not a cloud to be seen the next day when we spent the morning in L'Estartit. 

The weather is set fair for the next few days and we are going to stay a while as El Delfin Verde is one of our favourite sites.

We are also getting closer to where I know I can get the windscreen replaced although having come this far I think it will survive until we are back. 

We are tring to decide where to go on route to Calais. My next report will be my last and I will probably post it from home.

peedee


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## Minerva (May 22, 2006)

Hi Peedee
Glad that you have found some dry weather, you must be peeved off seeing the British weather reports, the sun has just risen over the horizon for what looks like another nice day

hope it stays OK for you 

Bill


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