The plan was for an early start today as we planned to take off on a cycle ride from Santaella to Laguna de El Donadio …. Around 14 miles round trip, mainly on gravel / unmade service roads and there would be a detour to cross the high speed railway line.

We weren’t exactly on the road particularly early and it was another hot day.

 

The two half litre bottles of water were wholly inadequate given the late start, 30 degree temperatures and the fact that we didn’t arrive back at the car until 1:00pm.

It didn’t help that Mo fell off her bike grazing her arm and bruising her hand. Fortunately a Spanish farmer was passing and he provided us with water to clean up the wounds. All the more embarrassing given that her velocity was zero at the time. She somehow tangled herself up amongst the bike trying to turn around.

 

We couldn’t get particularly close to the lake but were able to photograph the wild Flamingos living there.

 

 

Later in the day, we visited Ecija. Ecija is home to several magnificent baroque churches, the towers of each glisten with brilliantly coloured tiles which can be spied from far in the distance.

 

There are eleven in all and without a guide book, we managed to find about five of them before collapsing in front of a bar with a couple of cold beers.