Bilbao in the rain ..

Friday 19th October. We arrived in Bilbao yesterday afternoon afternon soaking wet after tackling a couple of the steepest hills so far. It rained all day. The traffic coming into Bilbao became very heavy and the dormitory suburbs around the city stretch many miles. Everybody we have met has been very helpful none more than the lady from whom we asked directions at the top for the hill outside Castro-u.. Their were many roads off the rounderbout 2 of which went onto  the motorway so were no good for us. 1 was where we had come from and there were 3 other choices none of which had a town name Sign I could locate on the map.  She lived in the village that one of the roads was signed to butwas insistant that this was not the road for us - she tried her hardest to get us to cycle on the motorway. After about 5 minutes of following her andmuch pointing Gilly said something in Spanish and so she stopped talking to me nd said ah! so you speak Spanish. We eventually went our separate ways she no doubt thinking what plonkers we were and us thinking that she if she moved she may depriver her village of the resident idiot. Actually I am being harsh on her as she tried to be very helpful.
So  Bilbao it is - in the rain - we are staying 2 nights to rest and check out the city.
Tomorrow we have booked ourselves on a bus to San Sebastion - our route from Bilboa does not look good and takes us through the mountains. We were hunting down plastic last night as we have to wrap the bikes up etc..

We are struggling a bit with the eateries as here nothing seems to open for food before 2100 - too late for a couple of hungry cyclists - however we found a place that opened at 2030 and had a great meal.
We are expecting an inch of rain today so it is a good job we are not cycling - not sure if sightseeing in the rain is any better!
Just got back from sightseeing, the rain stopped this morning so had a good mooch around. An interesting city with an old quarter and many shops.
There seem to be quite a few beggars on the streets whether more than any UK city I don't know.
Our average speed over the last few days has been less than 10kph - that's actually cycling and with stops it has been way down on that-it's all them there steep hills.
I am guessing that we will be in France by Monday and cycling on the plains, hurrah.

Distance so far 477km.