Huesca

Hi again, reader(s)

Today I'm writing from Huesca, where I've been for two days. 

Huesca is a city in northeastern Spain. It’s known for its hilly medieval old town topped by Gothic Huesca Cathedral. San Pedro el Viejo Abbey is a Romanesque monastery with cloisters and the tombs of 2 regional Spanish kings. West, Miguel Servet Park is home to sculptures by Huesca-born artist Ramón Acín, plus a lily pond. Northeast of town, Castillo de Montearagón is a ruined 11th-century hilltop castle-abbey.

I haven't done anything touristy as such, but I've enjoyed wandering around the city while focusing on my main missions of finding a place to shower, stocking up on food and using the library to blog and charge my electronics.

Bank update

Last time I wrote about my dismay upon finding two mystery deductions from my bank account of over 100 pounds each time. I had no luck whatsoever from HSBC's online support. It was a joke and very frustrating trying to get any help from them. Utterly useless. However, I've been in touch with my friend Jaz, who I met through a Facebook group for vanlife people. 

Jaz had exactly the same experience last week whilst travelling through France to get to Spain. She filled up on diesel twice from automatic pumps using her card and was horrified to check her bank account online and find additional deductions of just over 100 pounds and 120 pounds. She had more luck and support with her bank, Nat West. It turns out that these automatic pumps take two payments each time: one for the cost of the fuel and then a huge deposit which is then (hopefully) returned to your account 7-10 days later. She's already had the first deposit returned and is waiting for the second. So I guess I just have to monitor that situation.

Sunshine

After quite a chilly night where the temperature fell to a frosty 2 degrees, I woke up to a lovely, sunny day. I opened the back door of the van and warm, bright sunlight came streaming in. So nice. I made some breakfast, called my son and tidied up the van a bit ready to explore the city.

Shower

Next up on the agenda was to find a place to have a wash. My plan of approach here was to write a list of useful phrases and questions into a notebook, enter them in Google Translate and listen to the Spanish versions multiple times until I felt I had a good handle on the pronunciation.

Here are some examples:

Hola. Estoy de visita en España.

¿Puedes hablar ingles?

¿Puedo darme una ducha por favor?

I've also realized that I know a lot more Spanish words than I thought. A result of being alive for over 50 years and watching a lot of Sesame Street as a kid means that I've accidentally soaked up several hundred Spanish words. Such as ...

... which means 'exit'. Added to that, a lot of Spanish words are not so different from their English counterparts. For example, I bet you can guess what's for sale at 'la frutería'.

Next tip: look pitiful, like a hapless fool has wandered on holiday by mistake. 

I didn't have any luck at my first stop. It was called Ima Gym (this had me singing John Lennon's Imagine in my head ... Ima Gym all the people, sharing all the world). Ima Gym is a 24 hour facility with no people on reception. Instead you use a security card to get in. I pressed the intercom and got a lady on the phone who informed me the shower facilities are for customers only. Obviously, over the intercom she couldn't see how pitiful I was looking.

Next I found Piscinas Municipales Almeriz (Almeriz Municiple Swimming Pool).

I went in and used my newly learned Spanish phrases. The guy at the desk said I could use the shower for 5 euros. But then another guy appeared and said I could go in for free. Bingo!

After a shower, shave and change of clothes, I felt 100% refreshed and headed back to the van. The sun was so lovely and warm, I took off my fleece and thermal long-sleeved undershirt and enjoyed a snack on this bench with just t-shirt. I haven't felt the sun on my arms since I was in Thailand back in July and it was bliss.

I was almost tempted to stroll over to the public library in just my t-shirt, but I'm glad I didn't. When I emerged from the library some hours later, darkness had fallen and the bitter cold had returned.

For you culture lovers, here are some photos I took while walking around the streets of Huesca.

I bet this person regrets parking under this tree.

Last night was pretty darn cold and I woke up with ice on the van windows this morning. I threw open the back door of the van hoping for more lovely sunshine, but was greeted by cold mist. On my walk to the library, my hands were so cold I could barely operate my phone. The library is lovely and warm and I think it's warmed up a bit outside too. 

When I leave here, I'm heading for Tarragona, which is about two and a half hours away. I'm told it's a bit warmer on the coast. From there I can gradually make my way south along the coast to Valencia over the coming week.

And that's all the news for now. Thanks for reading,

Brian