Lugo Province, lack of electricity and some card games

We visited Lugo province for the first time recently, we stayed in a quiet little campsite at Monterroso, it was adjacent to a lovely little municipal recreation area with a clean looking river swimming pool and stepped waterfall right along side a turquoise chlorinated type of pool and a good sized area for toddlers to play in the water too. We are still having camera troubles so we don't have many pics.

Between the campsite and the pool are some relics of the ancient watermills.

 

The water was cold but the sun was hot so the boys stayed in for quite a while. 

There were also some traditional kids things. They were handy when we realised that our van had a flat battery in the morning...the alternator saga has been going on and on ...

 After a rescue by a local car electrician who amazingly refused to take any money for inspecting the alternator and charging the battery over night we chugged along eyes on the voltmeter and popped into the Zoo near Outeiro de Rei and found some impressive wood carvings starting with the huge entrance gate there are some imaginative enhancements of the natural shapes of ancient trees that have been long dead and some good use of granite starting to emerge as they develop new areas. I don't know who the artists were but we were all impressed. Sam and Mel took more pictures I hope to get some from them to put up here soon.

 

And animals of course

and a play house for Lorena

 and swings for Lorena

 

and more animals

It were a grand day out for sure but stopping at the zoo was a mistake there is a big drain starting a 2.8 diesel engine and we ran out of low tension circuit power after about 20 mins. Sam noticed I was not behind him anymore and backtracked - 15 mins with jump leads from Sam's engine charging our battery and we had enough to make it home.

We have spent weeks trying to sort out replacement medical cards, illness, administrative brick walls and our misunderstanding of the conditions applying in each country leave us with our UK issued cards running out tomorrow just as Rowan gets his second blood test results and they decide what to do next.  Lots of things could have gone wrong today - I battled a nest of angry wasps dressed in shorts and wellies (they had stripy T Shirts on as well) and won with only two  minor stings, it was getting ridiculous we had 5 stings between us in the morning before I accidentally discovered the nest with a strimmer.  I also wielded the new chainsaw's vorpal blade and chopped a dozen trees skillfully managing to keep all of my parts intact, we set off to do a major shop in Ferol armed with two charged batteries and made it back with only minutes of power left then four hours from the dealine wher our medical cards run out I managed to fall quite heavily simply by stepping into a strap handle of the inflatable kayak bag, left carelessly lying across the workshop floor, and turning round and trying to walk back again, both feet were trapped and strapped together at the ankle and down I went a victim of a classic rugby tackle by a big heavy grey bag all my weight onto my left knee on to an edge where the concrete changes level. Its swollen and painful but I don't think I need treatment however it was a timely reminder of how easily accidents can happen...I really need to sort out medical cover of some sort tomorrow morning how ever telefonica have still not agreed to transfer our calls back to talktalk (free calls to to UK for 15 euros a month) so I have to ring the UK via skype and a variable internet connection oh joy I hope I get someone who knows what they are talking about for a change.

Weather continues to be hot but I swear I can hear a swell breaking at Pantin so I expect some weather is on the way in the next few days - the ground could do with a drink.