Bilbao

After a very nice breakfast at the Hotel Alcazar (forever the Hotel Alcatraz), where I've stayed before with Mick, it was off to Colón, but not before I'd managed to save a couple of Nutella portions at brekkie - my fave😂.
The Euskotren from Colón to San Sebastian Amara Station took about half an hour, from where I could either change to another train to Bilbao (3.5 hours) or walk to the bus station and take the bus (less than 1.5 hours). No contest! I even found my way to SS estacion de autobuses in almost one go! Amazing😂.
The weather was fantastic and the beaches were packed, as was San Sebastian. The station is having a new facade, but I think they're keeping one little bit, which I love.
I'd hoped to grab an ice cream or something before my bus, but I ended up having just 5 minutes to get on, so food would have to wait😕. It wove its way through the very green, beautiful countryside, despite being on autoroutes, and we arrived in Bilbao at about 2.00pm. Next challenge - finding my way to my hotel... After a 180° disaster or two (what else?🙄) I managed to find my accommodation in Bilbao old town.
After settling in with a lunch of bread, tomatoes and Nutella, I ventured out for a wander. The old town is pretty small so there weren't too many places to get myself lost in, as long as I stuck local 😆. In fact , I found the hostel Julie and I had stayed in last year when it was 45°! The kaleas are narrow and very interesting. I'm not sure what the naked gentleman was selling, but I don't think it was his body😂.
My wanderings took me to the local food market, which is the most fantastic building with amazing stained glass windows, and to the old cathedral and the church of St Anthony. Unfortunately there was an entry charge for both, which is one of my pet hates 😖 - I won't pay to go into a church where I want to sit quietly!
I still haven't had my ice cream yet - maybe later - but am currently sitting in a bar two doors down from the hotel. The bar's blasting out rock (in Spanish) and it takes me back to me yoof!
Well, ice cream dream achieved, along with a very nice salmon and veg, and a local Bilbao beer. Dessert was vanilla ice cream with orange juice - most peculiar but very nice!
I've managed, thankfully, to work out how the ceiling fan works, so although I'll be cooler when I sleep, I'll probably wake up with a mouth like the bottom of a bird's cage! 😜 😂
I'm meeting my walking buddies tomorrow, so all change...Lue lisää