To market, to market .........

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Bilbao

Slightly frustrating start to day as we got a bit lost looking for our hotel, despite having explicit instructions on card from last year. Turned out roads had been changed and tunnels closed. Eventually drove through airport!! and stopped at village
taverna nearby. Owner was so nice we decided to stay for lunch, which was excellent. Following our new instructions we easily found our hotel and celebrated with a glass of wine from the chef's family vineyard.

Took funicular train down to Bilbao which was very quiet as siesta time. Spent ages looking for stamps and then got down to last minute postcard writing over fresh orange. Now everyone was up from siesta and streets were alive with kids playing, elderly women out for cake and gossip and dogs having cool shower in the fountain.

The photo is one of a very colourful and crammed shop selling Iberian Ham. This is specially cured from black pigs from south of Spain, and they are priced largely due to their diet - the most prized being from pigs who have eaten a lot of acorns.

Funicular back to hotel, which is family run and overlooks Bilbao. Hope we find right road to ferry tomorrow - must set the alarm!