Back to Cerantes

Sitting on the tarmac at Stanstead I show the parking arrangements at Santiago to the Spanish woman sitting next to me. Should I call them now or when I land, which is pretty late in the day, will they be closed? The advice is to wait until we land, so I do. Through customs and I call them. I have no idea what the pre-recorded message in Spanish says. The airport is closing down, everywhere is getting quiet. I go to the pick-up point and ask the drivers if they pick up for the parking operators. No no, but they are around. I show my flyer to a driver who says it's not current but which is my vehicle, the blue camper, 'Ah, I know that, jump in'.

So my van is in the parking lot after all. It costs £50, not the £24 I expected. The rubbish was not as evil as I imagined and I toss it in the bin. Starting back to Censantes I realise I need fuel and take a tour to the nearest gas stations. The nearest is closed but the next on route lets me take fuel by card. I had thought I would sleep on the beach but it was already 1:00 am so I pull over with the trucks and get my head down.

Back in Cesantes I decide to put the new awning up. The thing seems to unfold with the poles already integrated, but no instructions. I make a complete meal of it but eventually have a shape that resembles an awning. There are loads of guy ropes and fixing points but no integrated ground sheet. Fortunately the ground is soft and after 30min I have a

reasonably stable awning, now to empty the van of clutter.

Job done and time for a beer...........

..... and the bar I use, Bar Beira do Mar. This appears to be run by a family of women. Grandma often sits in the bar watching what goes on but also retreats to the kitchen when things get busy. Then there are a couple of sisters who attend to the bar and cook and serve table as required. 'Buenas noches senora, una botella de Galicia cerveza por favor'. That does the trick and is, as in Spain, served with a morsel to eat. Often delicious Jambon on bread, sliced from the joint. This is an absolute delight. Mid-week locals congregate for cards, sometimes the restaurant is packed for some function or other. The bar is closest to the beach and also popular with kiters, windsurfers and foil riders - people from the sea!

This is a view of my route back from the bar. there is generally an undeveloped strip of land behind the beach road used in the season for parking. The land is divided into strips and marked by granite posts. Most plots are kept mown, some cultivated and some left completely wild.

Cesantes is on the hill and the campsite is to the right, just 200m from the bar.

Behind the beach road is the kite school and sail maker.

Artu's kite surf school and the sail maker behind, a dirt road in front and the sea.

An unusual cross-shore wind and the kiters heading for the island and back with huge jumps and tricks. There is a kiting festival early in July, but I've decided the conditions are not for me.