Day 65 of our journey through Europe.
After our appointment with the vet in Tarifa, we travelled to Algeciras to a large shopping centre to get a Spanish SIM card. Our mobile phone contracts from Germany with 1&1 have a relatively large data volume, but there is a regulation that can be Fair use policy calls. The providers argue that you are allowed to use up your limits, but if you stay abroad for a longer period of time - four months in the case of 1&1, according to the terms and conditions - the provider is entitled to charge you additional costs. For example, 1&1 charges an additional €2.14 for every gigabyte used. Of course, we were happy to forgo this and so it was time for a Spanish SIM at the provider Simyowhich, in our opinion, offers very good tariffs. We opted for two cards of 20 euros each with 100 GB data volume, which is more than enough to upload videos, update the blog and download a series or two. The only Simyo point of sale in the area was in a MediaMarkt. According to our research, a normal German identity card should actually be sufficient to register the SIM card, but apparently not in the system at MediaMarkt. So if you are also planning to buy a SIM card from Simyo there, it's best to take your passport with you.
Mysterious toads
As it was already getting late, we spent the night at the shopping centre in a large car park. Although we were in the centre of the city, it was very quiet and pleasant. But as the evening progressed Youmas She had such a snout that she looked like a pit bull. She was very upset and we cooled her muzzle half the night. In the morning, the swelling had gone down considerably, but as we wanted to go back to the mountains, it was important for us to have her checked by the vet. So we first looked for a vet's surgery in the surrounding area, but unfortunately the one we found was closed, so we drove back to Tarifa, where we had been the day before. The German-speaking vet told us that the little girl was probably suffering from a Toad would have licked. All our facial features slipped and we asked again. "Really now? Licked a toad?" She then got more specific and explained to us that there are poisonous toads in the area which, when dogs lick them, cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea and swollen muzzles. Ooooookay, we thought, so please don't lick toads either! After an injection for nausea and vomiting and two days of tinned food to protect his stomach, everything was fine again. Youma seems to be trying to get to know every vet on this trip. We are at number five.
We took the opportunity to use the time in Tarifa for a pit stop at the petrol station. We did the washing, filled up with petrol and topped up our water reserves. In the hustle and bustle at the petrol station, we noticed that one or two people were carrying their gas bottles to the filling station. We quickly took the unique opportunity to fill our bottles, because in Spain you need really good luck, for example, to find a petrol station that German gas cylinders topped up. As far as we know, this is probably not allowed in Spain. So we drove back into the hinterland to our last beautiful free-standing spot at the Embalse de Barbate, relaxed and with a good feeling about Youma. Now that we had some time on our hands again, we celebrated Carsten's birthday in peace and quiet and spontaneously learnt a few new things. Sarah and Korbi know each other. They both live on the coast and came to the lake for a short weekend. Best wishes to you. Thank you again for providing us with your address. We needed this to send our parcel with the defective inverter to Germany. Because anyone who sends a parcel also needs a return address, unfortunately our truck does not yet have its own.
Now, after three days at sea, we finally set off in the direction of Portugal. However, the route to Portugal surprisingly leads via...? Seville! Only in Seville, which lies far inland in the country, is there the first bridge over the Guadalquivirthe longest river in Andalusia. Here we used the large Carrefour to replenish our food supplies and would have liked to pick up two journeymen who were travelling. The two Germans were also on their way to Portugal, but unfortunately our Dexter has no room for hitchhikers. In the end, we didn't take the direct route from Seville to Portugal, but headed back to the coast to Matalascañas on the edge of the national park Coto de Doñana National Park.
Coto de Doñana National Park
Matalascañas is not worth mentioning as it was built solely for tourists. Hotels and apartment complexes are lined up next to each other for several kilometres. Not exactly pretty and deserted at this time of year. At the very end of the eternally long street there is a very nice little free square not far from the beach where you can stay for a few days. If you want to stay here for longer, we recommend stocking up on supplies, as there is no water in the area and only a small supermarket in Matalascañas. We were therefore a kilometre away from the sea, which is easily accessible via a wooden footbridge over the dunes. Our dogs Youma and Masou were most happy. The endless expanse of beach and finally swimming again - a feast for them! We also met Gaby and Woifi with Gwindi, their relaxed dog, at our pitch. Such a nice couple! Best wishes at this point, it was a real pleasure! And if we come through Burgenland, we hope to be able to visit you! But the village and the beautiful beach were not our actual destination, but the Parque Nacional de Doñana. It used to be a hunting ground for kings, hence the magnificent hunting lodge in the centre of the park. The area owes its name to the wife of the 7th duke. Her name was Dona Ana. The national park is located at the mouth of the Guadalquivir river. An impressive national park with different ecosystems and correspondingly different flora and fauna.
More about the Coto de Doñana National Park
The five ecosystems of the Doñana explained in detail:
The beach. Its length of 35 kilometres is one of the most extensive and unspoilt coasts in Europe. It is subject to intense dynamics due to the changing sea level and winds, which have constantly changed it over the centuries. Three former watchtowers, which are now home to peregrine falcons, bear witness to this. Once located by the sea, they now stand about 200-300 metres from the sea in the dunes. On this beach, you can occasionally see self-built huts in which some fishermen still live today. They get their drinking water from wells, because although they are located on the beach, fresh or drinking water can be found at a depth of 2 metres.
The dunes. Behind the beach is a large dune landscape. The system of shifting dunes is unique in Spain. The south-westerly winds relentlessly transport sand to the coast, which later moves inland and forms this shifting dune landscape. Travelling dune trains are steeper on the advancing front (downwind side) than on the upwind side and advance inexorably inland, destroying and burying everything in their path.
The Corrales. Small forests of Mediterranean pines and scrub grow between the dunes. They look like little islands in all that sand.
The Cotos. The forest ecosystem forms on the stabilised dunes. It is mainly characterised by Mediterranean pines, cork oaks and mastic bushes. There are two distinct areas here. The "Monte negro", which is the lower, more humid area. It is characterised by heather, gorse and ferns, for example. The second, higher area is called the "Monte blanco", where cistus, rosemary, marjoram and broom grow. In these cotos, birds of prey such as kites, various species of eagles, harriers and falcons, as well as other bird species, breed. But this area is not only important for birds, but also for other protected species such as lynx, mongoose, genet and many other species.
The marshland. In summer, a wide, dry, cracked plain. In winter, the rains create an endless, shallow lake. It serves as an ideal breeding ground for numerous water birds such as ducks, herons, geese and flamingos in spring, as well as a resting place for migratory birds on their way to Africa. Unfortunately, there has been virtually no rain in the last two years, so no lake has formed and the waterfowl and migratory birds have stayed away. A real disaster!
The Vera. This is the name given to the transition area between the marshland and the stabilised dunes/cotos. Due to the constant humidity, an evergreen strip of grassland. This is the favoured area of large mammals such as deer, fallow deer, wild boar, Monstreca cattle and horses.
The best way to discover and experience this fantastic landscape is on a guided tour in a 4×4 off-road bus. You are not allowed to enter this area unaccompanied. Any trespassing is strictly forbidden and will even be reported. It's really great fun, you see and learn a lot and our guide Rosa was really great. The ticket costs 33 euros and covers 70 kilometres, just under 4 hours, through all kinds of landscapes and always on sandy tracks. It's worth mentioning that it's not for those with back problems, as you're really shaken up, especially when you go over the dunes. You also cycle a long stretch along the water's edge on the beach, which is really marvellous. It is unlikely that you will actually see lynx, as they are usually out and about at sunrise and dusk. But it's still nice to know that they have a refuge there. But you can still see lots of animals up close. We have Deer, Wild boar and even a Osprey seen. Binoculars are a must on this tour, otherwise you will miss a lot. There are two 15-minute breaks. Once to climb a dune so that you can see the landscape from above, and a second time at the river, where there is an old fishing village with thatched houses. All in all, a really successful tour! The El Acebuche visitor centre, where you can also get maps and start the tour, is located on the A 483, at kilometre 37.5. Further information can be found at www.donanavisitas.es
English (UK) 
Deutsch 
Français 
Español 
Italiano 
Nederlands (Formeel) 
Português 
Norsk bokmål 
Svenska 
Suomi 
Polski
2 Responses
[...] Mysterious toads & the Coto de Doñana National Park. [...]
[...] << Previous post [...]