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.
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.
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.
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