4th - 5th December

4th December

On arrival in Bilbao we debated whether to head straight for our first campsite or to drive the caravan into the city so we could visit the Guggenheim Museum. We didn’t want to have to drive for four hours so chose the latter option. Miraculously we found parking right outside the museum along with a friendly parking attendant who worked the machine for us. Thinking that there was nothing wrong with the world, we practically skipped into the museum and spent 3 hours learning about the work of Richard Serra, Frank Lloyd Wright and others.

However returning to the car and caravan we were faced with our first challenge… the caravan window had been prised open and our stuff ransacked by thieves! We couldn’t believe it and sat amongst the mess in shock. But as we gathered our senses and assessed the damage, we realized things could have been a lot worse. Apart from some slight damage to the window nothing much had been stolen. The thieves had clearly been looking for money (of which there was none). Every cupboard had been gone through and all our stuff tipped out but all that was taken was G’s leather jacket, the camera (minus charger) and a bag to carry it in. I was most concerned about Krista’s red-book that had been in a pocket of the bag but was relieved to find that they had even left that.

We tidied up and then set off on our way determined that this incident was not going to upset us. Rather more it served as a good warning of what could happen and the fact that the caravan was not at all secure.

We arrived at our first campsite (El Mirador de Llavandes, Columbres) late afternoon. Feeling after the events of the morning that all we wanted to do was set up, eat and get to bed, getting the car well and truly stuck in the mud did nothing to lift the mood. Having enlisted the help of the site staff we did manage to get it out and elected to park up on the track rather than any of the very soggy pitches.

Eventually settled and ready for our first night in our lovely new home we walked down to the bar to celebrate arriving just about one piece with a cool glass of Leffe. This was our type of campsite. It even had a pond as Annie discovered experientially when nipping back to the caravan, foolishly without a torch, she wandered right into it. Luckily the Leffe helped her see the funny side!

5th December

The caravan is warm and the bed comfortable. After the best night’s sleep for quite some time we got up in a leisurely fashion. The original plan had been to move on immediately as the campsite, although pleasant set amongst Asturian mountains, was very wet and muddy. But the priority was to make a police report within 24 hours of our burglary.

With an excellent challenge for the Spanish language ahead, we set off to the nearest town of Llandes to do so. We found the local police with the help of the GPS. They then directed to the Guardia Civil to make our ‘denuncia’. Having told us off for entering the compound without invitation and treated us to many raised eyebrows of disapproval for having left the caravan unattended in the centre of Bilbao … the guardia took our statement. Greatly softened by the redness of the Biscuit’s hair and my pre-prepared full Spanish script, they even managed a little polite conversation in a mixture of Spanish and broken English.

Job done we got quickly to a bar where a by now desperate Krista could have a drink!