Worrying waves from a brown bear

 We always wake up to the sound of a Breton harp when taking the ferry to France. I wasn't expecting it to announce our arrival at a Spanish port. Still, preferable to being aroused by castanets and flamenco I suppose, especially as it was 5:45am.

Locating a cup of tea was a challenge this morning, but one which had to be met if either of us were to avoid malfunction. I, and a few other Brits, obviously cut such pathetic figures as we wandered aimlessly in a panic striken daze that a member of the crew told us where tea was being served before we had told him of our plight.

We were the only cyclists on the boat. (funny, that) and had been ordered to the bowels of the ship, along with the 18 wheeler lorries. I knew we were to have a long wait to disembark, when a person in a full brown bear costume walked the length of vehicle deck 3 to wave at us. And blow kisses.

The weather app promised rain but the huge doors opened to reveal sun. So, the biggest concern of the trip for me was about to be answered: would my sat nav work? Great joy, therefore, when it bleeped into life and chirruped happily all the way to Bilbao.

The route worked well, taking us through built up and industrial areas, mostly using fantastic cycle lanes. Beautiful tarmac, little signs and even mini bike roundabouts! 

It did have a go at raining at one point; an event which caused the ever placid Kate to pipe up, "I thought the rain in Spain was supposed to stay mainly on the bloomin plain?" 

The only unnerving thing was that Spain was closed. It was like it was 5am on a Sunday morning. But it was 10:30 on a Tuesday morning. Ironically, the bike lanes lanes were almost irrelevant as there were no cars to avoid! 

Bilbao did 'come round' in the end. It is a great city. Our hotel is right in the middle of the old part and it's called 'Casual Gurea'. I don't know what a Gurea is but this one was certainly casual. They allowed you to check in at 2:00pm. We arrived at 1pm and they said yeah fine, your room is ready. This meant we could leave the tandem in our room (which meant carrying it up three very tall floors) and hit the town in clothes which made us look slightly more normal.

Food and coffee are way above what we were expecting. Delicious! 

We are very tired. We are having an early night before our first taste of the Pyranees tomorrow...

Coffee. It has to be done.
In Bilbao, nervously eyeing hilly bits.
Feeling a bit out of place.

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