old tiger's Blog

Murcia-Cartagena-Almeria..was my aim for this day..
as said earlier not easy..I could get to Almeria anyway..
it's a harbour town..not very interesting...i got a short ride..
out of Almeria direction Malaga..slept on the beach of Aguadulce..
this regio is a real nice part of Spain..it's the beginning of the famous
Costa del Sol..well known by tourists nowadays...next day..i had put
my hopes of reaching Malaga or even Sevilla..this town=Sevilla is on
the way to Huelva-Ayamonte-Faro(Portugal)I was thinking of doing a
1 week trip into Portugal..mainly Algarve but Lissabon as well..
big detour in fact..because I hitched back via Badajoz(Estramadura)
from Lissabon via Elvas..then back down to Sevilla-Jerez-Tarifa-
finally Alg?ciras..ferry to Ceuta(Sebta)=Spanish enclave on African
territory..a long haul...and lots of adventures..finally..could NOT get
into Morrocco..returned to Cadiz..and boat to Las Palmas..which is on
the Canarian islands..from there there was a weekly crossing to the
port of Nouadibou(Mauretania)Western Sahara...was difficult..
Morrocco claimed this territory..and Polisario was activ there..
will tell you all later on what happened..Tiger
http://www.andalucia.com/province/home.htm

Valencia is a nice town..but I would not waste more time there..
as said before..I was slowly moving..i could have taken a straight
bus to the Costa del Sol..but I was thinking about saving my budget..
for Africa..i wanted to see Lisboa(Portugal)as well..before moving into
Morrocco..i had a plan to cross from Alg?ciras to Ceuta..then T?touan..
T?touan was know these days for hasjiesh trade..so was Tanger..
so after Valencia..got a ride to Gandia that day..that's all..could not
get any further..so I slept somewhere there..don't remember where??
next day..I was more lucky..via Benidorm(well known resort now)I got
to Alicante-Elche-Murcia..Elche is a nice place..I slept that day around
Murcia..climate was getting much better..link for Costa Blanca regio...
http://www.alicante-spain.com/costa-blanca.html
tiger

After Castellon de la Plana it's not that big distance to Valencia..
but it took me damn long time to reach Valencia...it's a nice town..
I recall palm trees..looks real tropical..some nice parcs as well..
it did not do any sightseeing in this city..the rate of getting on..
with hitch hiking and covering distance...was real low..
I tried to get out of Valencia..but did not succeed..
I slept at a beach called playa de la Malvarossa..it was O.K..
during these days..I bet nowadays..it's not possible anymore??
Spanish people inland were bit suspicious about long haired hippies..
i guess now..that prejudice has gone too..in these little villages on
the Costa del Alcazar(regio north of Valencia)all folks hold a siesta
at noon..and the weather was really mild..I was hoping to reach at
least Benidorm next day..that's the Costa Blanca..very famous now
for mass tourism..late 60's..it was just a fishing village..
I'll try to get a good link on Valencia..hasta la vista...ahah..
P.S...Valencia is famous for paella(food)
What has made Valencia famous all over the world is the "Paella", a traditional fishermen meal that tourists now can find anywhere in Spain.

"Paella" is a rice course with typical Mediterranean ingredients..
tomatoes, vegetables, sea food and spices..
there are as many versions of the paella as local cooks!!!
http://www.valencia-information.com/
Tiger

Leaving Barcelona..was a headache..it was really hard..
to get a ride in Spain these days..tourists cars..
were usually full..Spanish did not stop..it took me a while..
to reach Sitges..Tarragona..beautiful coastline though..
got a ride to Salou..this place is nowadays very well known
(mass tourism)bit like Lloret de Mar above Barcelona..finally..
that day..got bit of luck..got a ride to Castellon de la Plana..
and I slept..believe it or not..in an orange fruit yard..
nice sight to wake up with oranges above my head...bwaah..
these parts of Spain..are already bit milder in climate...
it was not that cold...I was aiming next day..
for at least reaching Alicante..or Murcia..but hitch hiking...
was damn difficult these days in Spain..
a link for Salou...and Costa Dorada tourist resorts..
http://www.costadoradainfomagazine.com/pages/salou.html
Tiger

Second day..after a safe sleep in the parc..
I went to see this masterpiece of Gaudi=sagrada familia(church)
in fact..I did not like it...the structure looks very unreal..
but...the architectual value..I would say..Gaudi was a genius!!
it's a maze of spiral stairs..very funny views and angles indeed..
if you all ever do Barcelona...don't miss it..for the rest of the day..
i just was loitering around the Ramblas..always a feast for the eyes..
in the evening..I went back to my sleeping spot in Ciatudella parc...
but it was freezing cold..my sleeping bag was O.K..but still..
I decided to look out for something else for next night..
so next day..I looked around..and spotted a building in construction..
no trespassing signs...wooohh..I remembered these fucking police near Vichy(France)this building was O.K..I thought..well..I thought..
next evening at dark..I went in there...went deep down in the building..
and settled in a corner..it was warmer then the parc..around 1..
some German shipper dog traced me..funny sight,you know..
a guard shining in your face with a torchlight.and a huge dog..barking
at you...I was not scared at all..I spoke few words of Spanish..explained that dude...it was cold outside..he said O.K..but..he chased me out..
I can understand..he was doing his duty for his boss...so in the middle
of a cold Barcelona night..there I stood..back out..i was thinking about
going back to the parc..but I did not..it was to far to walk..
i think if i remember well..I did not sleep at all that night..
I decided to move out next morning direction Sitges-Valencia..
this regio is known as the Costa Dorada..tourist resorts enough...
will tell you all later on what happened...crazy Tiger...