What a full day. Started out by travelling across the river on the Transporter Bridge at Portugalete. Great stuff. I went on it many years ago and am delighted that it's still so popular. People use it to commute and there were long queues either side..
We then had breakfast in a riverside bar overlooking the fine facades opposite. These riverside towns are so smart with beautiful Basque houses in strong dark paintwork and glassed in verandahs.
Our journey today was mostly along the coast but we got some kilometres out of the way by taking the fast road to Gernika. Didn't stop because it demands more time than we had. The countrydide is verdant and wooded hills with twisty roads and we thought we'd never get to the sea! But we did and what a pretty stretch of coast. Well more than pretty, spectacular. This is Leikeitio, a charming village with harbour and vast sandy bay with an island accessible by causeway.
Berlingo was still covered in salt despite the onboard sluicing and Adrian's efforts with a wet towel so we gave him a wash and blow dry at a roadside garage. Then eventually lunch on the beach at Zarautz- intrepids were surfing... and on through San Sebastian. Not really worth it as we weren't going to stop and it was so busy. Meant we failed to go to the one place I'd really wanted to visit at Passsajes San Juan. That is soooo pretty. A riaside village of perfect Basque houses and historic buildings. Lafayette sailed from here on his second voyage to the US. Instead we headed over the mountain to Hondarribia. Wild country with masses of vultures/eagles circling and views back towards San Seb and forwards to Biarritz.
Final stop before the border was the lighthouse at Higuer outside Hondarribia. To the north lies the long sandy coastline of France. This is your actual border. One side of the river is Spain, the other France.
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And then back into France. No border just a blue sign with eurostars and the info
Frantxia 1 kilometre. The only clue was the fact that roadsigns suddenly spoke French instead of Spanish and Basque. We are staying in Ciboure, birthplace of Ravel and our hotel window is directly behind the lighthouse! What were the chances? St Jean de Luz is across the harbour - they are really the same place. Fabulous. Adrian can watch the lights flash all night...
