Swimmy Pigs

So-named by Fi because they look like Guinea Pigs, and they swim... Baby Coypu it appears. There were two as we came to the end of a relaxed walk with Fi and Susan before leaving for Spain, and as we made our way back to the car a nice chap let us know that without the dog with us (behind a dividing fence to the lake) they would have come even closer (this is uncropped).

Nice relaxed start to the day, despite the dreich skies and originally pouring rain, we bade farewell to our hosts and headed west o the coast, and the recommended St Jean de Luz, which proved a beautiful wee place, and we even had the sun revive itself.
Following the coast there was no fanfare as we crossed into Spain (possibly because they're more Basque here) and would round the tail end of the Pyrenees, with some really close views of some more vultures, and Donostia (aka San Sebastian) ahead.

Our plan had been for two nights here, then one in Bilbao before sailing for home from there, but Brittany Ferries' ongoing industrial action means our Tuesday saling has been cancelled, and the next available with space is Thursday, but it's not guaranteed. So instead we're having to ditch Bilbao, and drive back up through France to Calais (BF's boats in Brittany and Normandy are in the same state of flux, and Cherbourg - Poole, operated on BF's behalf by someone else, filled up as we were swapping to it, meaning we've got to present our tickets to P&O, which will apparently be honoured by them).

After a wander round the old town, checking out the Pintxos bars to eat in tomorrow night (they were completely full of football fans for the Basque derby between Real Sociedad ad Athletic Bilbao tonight) we got back to the hotel bar for monumentally poured G&T (in comparison to 200ml beers) and some of their Pintxos. It was a really nice atmosphere, with a bizarrely eclectic crowd of football fans (so, so different from British football fans - for a start, despite being a local derby the fans were walking to the ground together); an old lady reading a book; a couple with a baby; a group of older guys gathered round the end of the bar; a group of old ladies gathered round a table; hip (too) skinny youngsters... There's a nice vibe to this place.moh, and the Pinxtos were great, and as I ordered Mel another G&T I thought I'd add to my mini-beer by testing whether the whisky comes as large. And it does. *hic*