Christmas beach festival in Rota - December 24th

In the morning it is wonderfully sunny. After a coffee, we set off and leave a really great city campsite with palm trees and lots of orange trees. We stop at Carrefour, because everything is closed here on December 25th, as it is a holiday (the only one during Christmas time here). We haven't been in a huge supermarket for a long time and it seems like half of Spain is doing its holiday shopping here. The fish counter is in a state of emergency...! We fill the car up properly and make our way to the approximately 30 cash registers, which fortunately goes relatively quickly. On the way out, we buy another coffee and a tortilla roll, and eat it immediately! Then we leave the city and make our way to Rota, about 30 km away from Cádiz. Here I have found a place that is located directly by the sea, has no animation or pool, and...now comes the most important thing...campers longer than 7m don't fit...ohhhh...such bad luck..., that means there will hardly be any refrigerators here and the place probably won't be so crowded.

At 2 pm we reach Aguadulce and check into a very nice campsite with its own beach access...hardly occupied...perfect! Here mainly Spanish festival campers are standing, but they are not here at the moment, and not many retirees spend the winter here either. Very good! We choose a nice pitch and the first thing we do is get rid of our long trousers and sweaters, it's so warm...how long has that been ago...???

It's December 24th and we're sweating, great! After we have settled in nicely here, we set off to the beach with the dog, where we arrive exactly 2 minutes later. White sandy beach as far as the eye can see and summer temperatures. Jörni takes off his clothes and jumps into the Atlantic on Christmas Eve, who would have thought! In the afternoon, we have a beer and toast to Christmas. I quickly make a Christmas tree, light several candles and hang a few lights in the trees, and our Chinese fairy lights are on full blast. A wonderful celebration with sushi instead of roast and dumplings. Christmas in a completely different way!

The next morning we sleep in well, it's a holiday, and then we immediately put on our shorts and enjoy a delicious breakfast in the sun. Around noon it gets so hot that we voluntarily go into the shade from time to time, we can hardly believe it! There it finally is, our summer vacation...in December...! Better late than never! We hang around a bit more and then take a long walk on the beach on the first day after Christmas, lovely! We climb a bit over the reefs, watch a few surfers, and collect some shells...and I finally find them...a miniature scallop!

In the early afternoon, there is also no roast, but I marinate numerous prawns in garlic and thyme, which are then cooked in the pan. Add a delicious salad and the festive meal on the first day after Christmas is ready!

Actually, we had considered staying only two days, as we wanted to go back to the vagabond life. And besides, we don't have that much travel time left, but we can't leave yet...the weather is too good and the place is too beautiful! So we stay a bit longer...!

The second day after Christmas starts just as sunny as the first and it's 21 degrees Celsius again, in full sunshine. Shorts and t-shirt, once again...amazing! We wonder when it has been so hot on our trip and can only remember the first days in Holland, after that...actually not anymore! We put the thermometer in the sun and it shows 31 degrees Celsius...hooray!!! We keep telling ourselves how beautiful it is...and this on Christmas!

To work off all the fish from the last two days, we ride our bikes to Chipiona, which is about 10 km away. The bike path is lined with palm trees, leads us through sand dunes, and ends at the promenade in the city and for us immediately in an Irish pub! After a strenuous bike ride, you need a highly isotonic drink...or two...! We take a nice break, with a view of the sea, before we ride to the old lighthouse and then through the city. We're back in the afternoon and immediately make ourselves a delicious baguette...cycling makes you hungry! A very nice second day after Christmas comes to an end and we go to bed early!

Fortunately, the marmot greets us again this morning, sunshine and shorts...we have to pinch ourselves several times a day to remind ourselves that this is not a dream! And...the weather forecast shows nothing else for the next few days...unbelievable! Right after breakfast, we saddle up the bicycles again and head to Rota, about 9 km in the other direction than yesterday. Although my bottom still burns from yesterday...! Doesn't matter! Let's go! You can also easily get to this place by bike. Right at the beginning of the promenade, we find a fantastic beach bar, order coffee and a cocktail, and decide to just stay here forever. A fantastic third day after Christmas...! Every boss has to understand that you can't leave this place...!

Then we continue with the bikes to the harbor and through the beautiful old town. It's really nice here! At the Chinese store, we quickly buy a hair clipper, Jörni wants a new haircut! Well...! It's also cheaper if we do it ourselves...!

After we return, we immediately play hairdresser and Barbarella (...the female barber...), because it's time for a beard trim as well. I think it turned out pretty well...with the beard...I couldn't go wrong with the haircut, because Jörni wanted it to be 6 mm! So the hair is gone...!

Afterwards, we chased the dog with the ball along the beach and enjoyed the evening sun, had some food, and since then I finally write on the blog again! Let's see how long we will stay here in the end, but at the moment we can't leave this beautiful place yet and have to continue making a summer vacation in winter!