Madrid to Murcia to Alicante by car. Up early after a late night with the Brazil-Spain Football match. Very happy Brazilians(3). Very unhappy Spanish(0). Could hear both sides on the streets for hours after cheering or sobbing (or both if you had mixed Brazilian-Spanish ancestry). Caught a metro to where Carmen's car is parked three stops out of town so we can cram several suitcases, backpacks and five people into said vehicle for the five hour run south to Murcia and Alicante. Limited wifi where we are for next two days so catch you all later. d*** and yvonne left early this morning to catch a taxi to main train station Atocha for their run to Granada, then Seville the next day before seeing us again in Barcelona. Morning was already warmed up - Madrid surrounds are quite arid and desert-like so coolish at night and hot by day. After the long drive from Madrid arrived at Murcia and drove on to the family beach house another 40 minutes on at Santiago de la Ribera. Carmen's Mother Carmen, cousin Vanessa and Carmen's sharpei dog Shakira were there and we went to a beachside playa for an extended meal of tapas, coffees and an upmarket version of sangria. Also met some of more interesting locals including old mate who'd been drinking since 8am and was providing free advice including the correct jogging technique to passers-by. Long walk along the beachfront and back to to the casa for talk then siesta from 8 until 10 pm - up again for a light meal and drinks and then Killer Parcheesi before crashing again at 2am. The casa was built by Carmen's grandfather in his heyday before the Murcia economy crashed - still used by the extended family during July and August when Spain shuts down for the summer holidays. Literally. Refreshing evening with a bracing cool breeze washing through the streets.