Lisbon to Auckland Blog

April 9, 2017. Day 20

Estella to Pamplona – 44km We left Estella through the old town, which was lovely in the early sunlight. We are now in the beautiful rolling foothills of the Pyrenees, which meant two very long climbs for us. We could see snow capped  mountains in the distance. The route took us past the remains of an old Roman ...

April 7 & 8, 2017. Day 18 & Day 19.

Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Logroño – 52km Logroño to Estella – 47km NO WIND! The hills are still with us, but with no headwind the last two days, the cycling has been a lot easier. We are continuing to follow (in reverse) the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James), occasionally on the path itself, but mostly ...

April 6, 2017. Day 19

Burgos to Santo Domingo de la Calzada  – 68km We left Burgos via the Arco de Santa Maria and along the cycle path east along the river to the N120. This road follows the Camino de Santiago. We had hoped for perhaps not an easy, but at least a contemplative ride on, or alongside, the pilgrimage ...

April 5, 2017. Day off – Burgos

Cultural highlight: Burgos Cathedral – UNESCO world heritage site               Coffee of note: Cafe Latino, Calle de Lain Calvo, 20

April 3 & 4, 2017. Day 17 & Day 18

Valladolid to Torquemada – 80km Torquemada to Burgos – 92 km 45% of Spain is covered by the Meseta Plateau, a high plateau which is rarely flat, and is in reality a mostly hilly highland area divided by the Cordillera Central and then ringed by additional mountain ranges, north, east and south. So, the plains we were ...

April 2, 2017. Day 15

 Alaejos to Vallalodid – 68km Paul missed his oatmeal this morning – breakfast in the bar of the posada was thick slices of toasted bread with butter and jam and coffee con lèche/espresso. He did find more sustenance later with a large slice of tortilla de patatas at a coffee stop near Tordesillas (a place known ...

April 1, 2017. Day 14

Salamanca to Alaejos – 55km Today’s quick ride was uneventful, with no rain on the plains in Spain and a helpful, if chilly, tailwind. Of note were two sightings of Hoopoes. Our stop at the town of Alaejos was chosen because it is halfway to Valladolid, but we soon discovered it has an interesting history, related in ...

March 30-31, 2017. Days off – Salamanca

The old city of Salamanca richly deserves its designation as a UNESCO world heritage site. It has many remarkable cathedrals, churches, plazas, convents, houses and museums; including the Cathedral Nuevo, the Cathedral Vieja and the Museo de Art Noveau y Art Deco.  We had a fascinating two days and could have spent a lot longer ...

March 29, 2017. Day 13

Ciudad Rodrigo to Salamanca – 89km We left Ciudad Rodrigo later than hoped as there was nowhere we could get breakfast before 0900. This, we will have to get used to in Spain! Having lost two hours in the last three days (one to daylight saving time and the second through crossing the border), perhaps it ...

March 28, 2017. Day 12

Vilar Formosa to Ciudad Rodrigo – 28km We’re in Spain! It was strange to see the empty customs booths and immigration buildings still there as we cycled across the border. Stopping to take a photo beside the EU Spain sign, Paul felt an old unease bringing out his camera at a border crossing. It did not ...