Friday 31st August- Cycling in San Sebastian

Some cloud cover today but mostly sunny and rising to 26C. There had been talk of an early cycle ride but the LLW put her foot down and refused to resume a vertical position until nearly 09:00.

However after a very leisurely breakfast said cycle ride did take place and excellent it was too. The regatta crowds of yesterday had dispersed but it certainly was not quiet.

After yesterdays menace of motorised scooters, today it was the turn of American tourists who had clearly never heard of cycle lanes.

San Sebastian is really lovely and whilst a very successful resort manages to retain an olde worlde charm. On the return journey Ray managed a swim at Ondarreta beach, the water being very warm and the sea almost deserted, as most seemed content to burn themselves on the lovely golden sand beach.

The hill back to our hotel was conquered by Ray on this occasion but the heart probably beat at its highest rate for some time!

After a short rest it was back on to our number 16 bus and down again to the old town where we enjoyed a very good seafood supper. The LLW was too tired even for another ice cream and voted for a fairly early return to out hotel.

Tomorrow we cross the border into France and on to Arcachon where there is the promise of even more seafood delights and yes more cycling.

Thursday 30th - all calm in the Bay of Biscay

We both slept well and the sea seemed to calm down as we rounded Cape Finistere and entered the Bay of Biscay. We are not quite sure what time it is since Apple watches, iPads etc have automatically adjusted to Spanish time whilst the boat remains on UK time.

The sun is up and it looks as though it will be a nice  day in northern Spain. The breakfast restaurant was very busy but we managed to get a table just before the queues started to build. According to, the now famous, tannoy we shall dock in Bilbao on time at 11:45 ship’s time, so just over 2 hours to go.

The LLW has returned to intense communication with her men and is currently testing the robustness of the iPad’s screen with her frantic typing. I hope all is under control before Pinchos time in San Sebastián!

In spite of the announcements about arriving on time the boat was about 30 mins late but this was no problem and we disembarked quickly and headed around the rather complex motorway system surrounding Bilbao. Soon we were on the motorway to Donostia/San Sebastian (Donostia being the Basque name and San Sebastian the Spanish) and in just over an hour, at around 15:15, we had found our hotel, Avenida, and located a parking space (such parking facilities being in short supply in San Sebastian).  We have stayed in this hotel once before and whilst it is about a mile from the centre and up a steep hill it has great views over the bay and does have parking.

The LLW needed to communicate with her men again so Ray was sent off to cycle around the bays that make up the shorefront of San Sebastian. Immediately down the hill from the hotel is the beach of Ondarreta (Playa de Ondarreta in Spanish and Hondartza Ondarretako in Basque) which is beautiful but outdone by the fabulous, huge beach of La Concha (Kontxako) which, along with the island of Santa Klara dominates the wonderful bay.  A very good cycle track borders the sandy beaches and, mainly, keeps cyclists safe from cars and pedestrians, the major menace coming from motorised scooters (similar to children scooters) which travel at high speeds and seem to materialise from nowhere.

It was busy enough cycling along Ondarreta and La Concha but the old town was something else. The annual Basque rowing regatta takes place on the first two Sundays in September but today is the qualifying day when teams from all of the surrounding areas attempt to qualify for the finals. These rowing boats are very large with 12 oarsmen/women and a cox. For a while I dismounted and walked around the harbour but soon I gave up as it was increasingly difficult to make progress and then cycled over the river Urumea to the area of Gros and the beach of Zurriola. This beach is equally beautiful but quite different in that it is fully exposed to the Atlantic and therefore is subject to large waves attracting the surfing community.

Back to the hotel and the LLW was finished with her men (temporarily) and seemingly very hungry! we walked down the hill and then caught bus 16 which, via various suburbs, took us very close to the old town. On the menu was the Basque version of Tapas - Pinchos in Spanish and Pintxos in Basque (The Basques do seem to love their Xs and Zs!). Our hotel had very helpfully prepared a list of recommended Pintxos bars and restaurants so we dutifully ignored the first few we passed and headed for Goiz Argi which was excellent. Tuna, Anchovies, Mushrooms, Serrano Ham, Cheese, Prawns and Squid were served with baguette style bread and washed down with excellent local white wine. Ray declared the grilled baby squid to be the best ever, served with an olive oil and garlic dressing, and promptly ordered a second helping. For a busy holiday resort the Pintxos and wine were ridiculously inexpensive.

Whilst Pintxos are treated as a starter similar to Tapas and Greek Meze, we were already full but the LLW declared that and ice cream was needed to finish the meal.  Near the main square there was an appropriate ice cream parlour and we sat in the square consuming the most enormous ice creams you have ever seen. Very good and again inexpensive.

An excellent evening and the 16 bus was ready and waiting to take us back to our hotel.

Wednesday 29th August; off to Portsmouth

We awoke early to a cloudy and wet morning in Rackham and after a swift breakfast, the packing was finally finalised! Putting the bike carrier on the BMW and loading the bikes is a process which we have down to a fine art. However, it still meant we became very wet as the rain intensified. All sorted and off we went towards Portsmouth driving in very heavy rain until we reached the Chichester by-pass where we could see the weather clearing from the West. Coffees were procurred en route, the BMW refilled and soon we were entering the holding area at the ferry port. Ray had received a text from Brittany Ferries warning us that the Cap Finistère was sailing 30 minutes late but we were still required to arrived at the appointed hour of 11:00 for the scheduled sailing at 11:45.

We boarded on time but cleaners were still busy so cabins were not yet accessible. No problem as we found a quiet corner to check emails and enjoy the morning’s second coffee.  Quite quickly our cabin became accessible and we were able to leave our case and backpacks. A message over the Tannoy informed us that bookings were now being taken for dinner so we wandered up to Level 7 where the restaurant was situated. The LLW was not amused when she saw the length of the queue but using her legal acumen soon discovered  that there was no queue for lunch so instantly decided that she was hungry now! The ship eventually left Portsmouth just as we were finishing our lunch but the announcer reassured us that the arrival time in Bilbao at 12:45 tomorrow would not be affected.

As you dear reader, are only too well aware, Rosemary’s team of unruly men always become agitated as soon as she threatens to go away on holiday and some new issue requiring urgent legal advice emerges from left field. This occasion is no different! Some audacious New Zealand company has claimed that the LLW’s contested take over target has acted illegally and that they should be able to buy shares in said target’s business at a substantial discount. Well  talk about putting the cat amongst the pigeons this was more like a tiger in the Kiwi reserve!

Conference calls were held, emails flew and the LLW almost threw her brand new MS SurfacePro as the ship’s satellite internet simply could not cope with the volume of messages. It was a close call but as I write, a semblance of calm has been restored mainly due to the arrival of a cup of tea. Phew!