A test drive in the Espace into the mountains around Chirivel, proving the vehicle ready for McCobb tribe jaunts in the coming eight weeks, perfect way for a Fathers Day Sunday to pass. Velez Rubio deserved a longer visit than my swing through on the way to Chirivel. 
A quick look inside the church showed it to be just as impressive indoors
The walk around Rubio done, i drove into the mountains to Velez Blanco, maybe one of the prettiest towns I’ve ever seen 
Great views across its sister town Velez Rubio and the mountains on the far side of the Autovia
Those far off mounds were on the route back. Across them to head for Albox, and doing a right turn behind them to the monastery.
Looking back across Rubio and the hills that held Blanco
I motored the Espace through the mountain roads and watched all gauges, it ran like a dream – the McCobbs should enjoy the vehicle and scenery.
I repaired the remote controller laying on the back seat, it’s the audio controller for the radio and the 6 CD player in the rear wheel arch. Music and mountains, good stuff. 
The restaurant really surprised me, a massive hall and silver service in what was a magnificent building
I took the time to stroll the cloisters after lunch,
see the church altar
and a last look from the terrace before heading to Los Molinos 
A few hours tackling some jobs maybe? But after an hour the knock on the door was an invite to join up for tapas in Los Cerricos- you have to go don’t you, rude not to
A Monday/Tuesday job would be the nuisance bush behind the kitchen
And….
Frankia was having her sump drained and a service on Monday. The road to Chirivel lets you view a property in the distant field that looks like a US plantation building
Coffee and Chirivel stroll for an hour before collecting Frankia passed quickly, the site of local kids dressed as spacemen and doing the ‘hand on shoulder’ line walk through town was cute
Geriatric Gap Years 