Adios Spain and buon giorno Italia

We only spent one night in Bilbao - mainly to see the Guggenheim Museum. It was a very short but successful visit. We caught the bus from San Sebastian (about 1 hour and 20 mins) oh and let me say again how much I love bus travel! (I really am turning into my dear departed Dad - I can feel a camper van holiday coming on as I write!).

Still lovers in love after all these months - at the Guggenheim

Spent a very enjoyable day at the museum - really is a fantastic building - very visitor friendly; fantastic modern art exhibits and beautiful setting by the river. We walked to and from our hotel to the museum - we struggled a bit on the way back - partly because it was raining and partly because we are both feeling quite tired. We stopped off at a shopping centre to escape the rain and not even a big shoe sale could get me motivated!

So we finally bid farewell to Spain - we spent our last night in Spain watching Spanish cartoons and eating chocolate biscuits because we were too tired (or lazy depending on how you look at it). LOVED, loved, loved Spain. 

Great food, lovely friendly people (apart from the slightly over boiled old ladies who promenade in San Sebastian), easy to move around. It was great to experience the differences between the regions - its a bit like travelling between different countries - people are very patriotic about their own region, language food and culture.

Floral dog - outside Guggenheim

Spider sculpture - river side of Guggenheim

We have now arrived in Florence - and we are having difficulty not speaking our few words of Spanish to the Italians - oh very confusing. Cafe con latte not cafe con leche; due bierre not dos cerveza; gracia not gracias or grassy arse as we say it! The journey from Bilbao to Italy went very well - up to a point. We caught the bus to the airport - no problems; checked in and had breakfast; flight left on time and was a pleasant flight. We arrived in Milan on time; caught the train to the central train station - even realised we had to validate our train ticket (strict 40 euro fine if you don't  - sowe found out later); arrived in central station and purchased our ticket for Florence - had time for lunch and caught the train on time. Lovely Jubbly - train from Milan to Florence was  just under 2 hours. About 200 metres from Florence SMN station our train broke down. We proceeded to sit on the tracks with no air-conditioning for an hour and a half until they pulled us into the station - 200 metres!!!!!!!  anyway arrived safely so all's wells that ends well……

The never ending train journey!

Barcelona and San Sebastian - friends old and new.

Well we are finally nearing the end of our fabulous holiday and slowly my thoughts are turning towards home. It has been marvellous six months (well five as I write this).

At the seaside Barcelona - still having fun!

Not only have we visited some fantastic places and enjoyed some memorable experiences but we have met great new friends and spent precious time with old friends. We have also spent 24/7 (minus two evenings) together and we are still enjoying each others company - not too bad after 300 years of marriage!

From Valencia we took a six hour train journey to Barcelona and a friend (we met through Couch Surfing) met us at the train station and took us to Sabadell - his home village about 40 minutes from Barcelona. 

They (Olly and Maria Jose  were the best hosts - we had a very enjoyable time eating and drinking and meeting their lovely parents who are only a few years older than us!

Calafel Beach with Olly, Maria Jose and her Mum and Dad.

They took us on some great days out including a visit to Sitges - a very well know gay resort area and worthwhile to see the budgie smuggling posing on the beach alone! 

We also visited their family holiday apartment in Calafel- very sweet and nice just to see the Spanish on hols minus all the tourists (except for us of course).

Sagrada Familia Barcelona

After five days in Sabadell we moved on to Barcelona to a  large apartment centrally located in Urgell. 

We spent a lot of time in Barcelona just relaxing, going for walks down the beach, enjoying lots of "Menu de Dia's", catching up with friends (including our adopted French daughter who came down from France to visit us) and we even hosted a dinner party but mostly we just lolly gaged about. Oh Richard did go to the Neu Camp to watch Barca play Napoli - apparently it was fantastic!

Gracia street festival, Barcelona, with our naughty French daughter, Maelle.

Dinner party, Barcelona, Oriel, Metrixela, Richie, Maria Jose and Olly.

From Barca we caught the train north to San Sebastian, in the Basque area of Spain. San Sebastian is a very, very lovely city (feels more like a big town)- has a beautiful rugged beach, surrounded by lovely green mountains, has beautiful old buildings - like George Castanza says - it's got it all!!!

San Sebastian beach front

We are staying in a very sweet warehouse conversion on the outskirts of the town (still only about 20 minutes by bicycle). The owner, Itziar, is a very friendly lady who we went out with for two evenings - once to experience the famous Basque pinches and also to a Sideria (cider house). This rental has really been the best of Airbnb - great accommodation at a great price and a new friend - what could be better!

Sideria, San Sebastian with Itziar

We have been walking and riding bicycles and generally taking it very easy again. Oh and doing a bit of cooking. Must try the pinchos again - although Im not converted - its fun with friends but not the most relaxing way to eat!

Eating pinchos - John, Sorkunde, Itziar and Richie

Next monday we will catch a bus to Bilboa for the night to visit the Guggenheim museum and then fly to Florence. I am looking forward to eating some great food in Italy - the guide book advises to eat very cheaply or very expensive but not in-between…. hmmmm

View from our warehouse apartment, San Sebastian