John Wayne rides into town

That's me (!), riding Sylvia into another town. This time it's Hotel Hospederia del Desierto in the desert area of Desierto de Tabernas. Not just a deserty place, but one which is used as a setting for Westerns because of its Lone Ranger-like habitat. It's far from glamorous and giant gravel pit/dust bowl springs to mind. 

This is far from a smooth, sandy, quiet place, where you get up early, travel long distances to climb steep-sided pointy sand castles to watch the sun come up. The area has a history of gouging holes for iron extraction and that sort of thing and the remains of old buildings and workings litter the landscape. 

We happened to drive by an old smelting works with restored kilns - or 'Los Hornos de Calcination', close to the little town of Lucainena de las Tores. We popped into the site because it is off the beaten track, unlike where I am sitting now, next to the main road which is buzzing with traffic. There's a racing circuit not far away and car and trailers with bikes have been stopping off here. 

This is also a 'wedding hotel', with fountains and dust and noise, and there's one tonight. It is Saturday, after all. I keep an eye on the days of the week, but mostly it only makes a different at the weekend when it's busier. 

I've gone off track somewhat, because when we stopped to read the notices and marvel at Los Hornos de Calcinacion, we watched and photographed a frisky food carrying, flirty pair of Black Wheatears - then found the nest. 

Los Hornos de Calcinacion

Flirty Black Wheatear - a long way off

The Black Wheatear family of Los Hornos de Calcinacion

As you'd expect from an area famed for making Westerns, the internet is super-fast which is why you're being treated to more than one picture. Yesterday's took over an hour to up/download. That was at the last place where the bread was tough and tasteless, as per our hosts. A grim surveillance team, permanently dressed for a duvet day.

It was back to the Autovia this morning and it was a relief to be on the move again - especially without getting lost. 

Can't resist these

Shopping is not a feature (so far) of this trip, except for picnic supplies. We thought we'd stop for a cup of coffee and followed the knife and fork signs and ended up instead with a mountain of rather dated ceramics to get our teeth into. I prefer to take pictures of this sort of merchandise.

There are downsides to this speedy internet. I'm choking on the smokers' smoke and the traffic is noisy. There are tiny flies trying to infiltrate my G & T and my laptop. The sploshing of unmeasured gin into this huge glass is having an impression on my ability to spell....the wedding has gone very quiet...