N36.349213 W5.23312 - CASTILLO DE LA DUQUESA - FREE

Leaving Mijas this morning. It's a bit haphazard for the emptying & filling bit. Someone had told Mike that the sewer for emptying the loo and grey waste was a lift-up thing in the corner by the toilets. We couldn't see it and while we were standing there scratching our heads a French lady came along and told us where the manhole cover was. I think she was concerned that we might dump it in the ditch - NO, NO, NO. We weren't desperate and would have waited. Next was water filling (Sheila and Barry know all about these bits). The tap for doing this is right in the far corner of the car park which is a rather large one.

On our way now and we've decided to stop at Duquesa again, why - because we like it and (if there's space) because we can.

Passing Benalmadena, the cable car across the road was in operation, each time we've been past before it's not been operational because of high winds. Apparently it goes to the top of the mountain.

We nearly didn't get into Duquesa despite having the GPS co-ordinates. The way the SatNag wanted to take us, we didn't think we'd be able to get through so back out onto the main road we went. Back down to the roundabout (it's dual carriageway) we went but then we have to take the side road otherwise we're going down the underpass and back the way we came. Turn round at the roundabout and up to the next one and head back down to the first one but hey the road we want to turn down has been blocked off and we can't turn. Repeat the process just mentioned except at the second roundabout we turned off and took a side road. Phew! Got there, now let's just hope there's a space for little old us.

Fortunately there was. There's Mr and Mrs English Neissmann-Bischoff, Mr. English Rapido, Mr & Mrs French Van and a nice space for us.

This is a tiny car park nestled between some houses and the sea wall which is made up of huge blocks of rock. The car parks join one another by a small road between the wall and restaurants. Along by the restaurants cats live in the gaps in the wall. I guess the get food from the restaurants because they all look reasonably well fed. Campers are discouraged by the GNR from parking in the other car parks. I guess this one's okay because for the most part the campers are out of sight.

What seemed different this year is that this little corner appears to be a gathering place for the youth of Duquesa in their noisy little cars. Somewhat inconsiderate youngsters as well. It wasn't that they were rowdy just that when they roared up at about two in the morning they left their headlights on and engines running.

At one point I could see headlights reflected off the Neissmann-Bischoff and all of a sudden they jumped in their cars and were off! I don't know if the headlights belonged to the GNR (local police) or if it was a signal to them to go somewhere else.

During the day the GNR guys drove by three times checking we were all behaving ourselves.