San Seb and a short journey to Bilbao

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Tuesday 28th July - San Sebastian - Bilbao

After mucho milos (I'm picking up this Spanish lark already) the last couple of days, I had always planned today to be an easy, lazy day, but that was no excuse for taking the autoroute the 100km or so short hop to Bilbao. I studied the map afterwards (yes I know somewhat arse about face) and noticed the coastal road. Sure enough it even warranted a mention in Lonely planet. Wally.

Still I have to say that it was by far the most scenic and interesting autoroute I have ever been on. The road flirted with the coast and then carved its way through lush valleys and hills, twisting and turning like the mountain pass it dreamed of being and with motorway quality tarmac and loads of space it was actually smile inducingly bloody good fun. There seemed signs for National Parks every few junctions, Getaxia and others, the whole area overflowed with natural beauty. Any autoroute where there are speed warning signs at the majority of bends has to be interesting. M4 at your heart out - boring b*stard of a road that is. I must have spent lapsed years of my life betweenack the M3 and M4.

The weather was back on song today with the sky a light pastel hue of blue. Not the vehemently bright azure blue of the med with such contrasting bright light as befitted the more intense sun there. Still it was a perfect day and the sun was plenty strong enough to burn my sun-creamless back. Other than pounding the streets and beaches of San Sebastian and chilling in the sun on a sea wall, very little else happened today so I shall stifle my written diarrhea and be content with some more pics of San Seb.

Tomorrow is an altogether busier day. Up early to check out the Guggenheim before setting off to the Picos, which are about 2½ hours away, then returning 1½ hours back to Santander for the 9 pm ferry.

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