Reflexia parked next to Asier's stunning 'Blue Star' by the coast in Donostia, the Basque Country

....continued from #MP38.

These five pages of My Pics feature photos from Reflexia's unplanned road trip around France and Spain in 2008. The full story appears in the Articles section for ease of reading. It contains all the same pictures as displayed on these pages, but with a comprehensive write-up.

Click here to read the full article, or here for a PDF version that may be more easily viewed / printed.

It was now Monday morning and a bank holiday. Following instructions, I made my way down to the corner of the bay in Donostia, whereupon Asier arrived with his girlfriend and, as promised, his blue classic. It was out of its garage for the first run in a while. We took a tour heading up onto the cliffs above, but since these were shrouded in mist which spoiled any chance of a view over the bay, we retreated and instead parked the vehicles at a spot down by the waterside (above and below). There could be no doubting which of the cars had been most spoiled during its lifetime in terms of maintenance, though I like to think that my Reflexia nonetheless appreciated my giving her the chance of a holiday in Spain.

Reflexia and the Blue Star side by side

Asier's car, the 'Blue Star', was his second current Renault 4, and the third Renault vehicle in his possession at the time. Keeping all these motors, in addition to his two motorbikes, was putting a strain on his time and his finances, so he was facing the dilemma of having to wave goodbye to some of his spoils. The Blue Star - a 1977 model - was immaculate, and had been taken good care of by both Asier and the previous owner. It was special to him due to the year of manufacture also representing his year of birth, though he wasn't so happy about the 'M' at the start of the number plate, designating the Spanish capital Madrid, which was something of a dirty word in this region. He had been considering changing it to a local 'SS' variety, but his mother had been advising not to do so since the original plate was a part of the car's history.

Front view of the Blue Star and Reflexia

The standard 850cc engine of this TL had been replaced by the former owner with a more powerful 1,108cc version from a GTL, and just for fancy effect it had even been fitted with a push-button start, located under the dashboard. This was quite a peculiar thing to witness on a Seventies generation R4. I was privileged to experience a short ride in the car, but declined the offer to drive it, for fear of driving it against a grain of dust or ruining the tyres by passing over a discarded peanut.

Interior of Asier's 1977 TL

We went for a stroll through the town, but upon returning to our cars at the seaside, Asier was furious to discover parking fines had been issued, which he believed was not normal practice for a bank holiday. He would have to pay his, though the chances are I might get away with mine by living in another country. The number plate had been recorded, but whether the authorities would chase it up remained to be seen.

Asier and I standing beside our cars at the waterfront in Donostia, December 2008

Later that evening, I arranged to meet Asier and his friends down at an Irish bar at the back end of town. The latest downpour was heavy and made driving conditions very dangerous. Even armed with a map of the city I managed to get lost twice in crossing it diagonally, as my wipers once again struggled to cope with the onslaught. Wisely, Asier had decided not to come in his Blue Star on this occasion. Afterwards, with the rain still hammering down, Asier and his girlfriend were glad of the chance of a lift in my Renault 4, although they were at first puzzled when I opened the door on the opposite side of the car to what they normally expect. Reliable Reflexia got everybody back safe and sound, and Asier suggested we meet once more the following morning before I depart the city, for a last chance to see his original 'Red Devil'.

Pictures from this trip continue in the next entry, #MP40.

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