Current Location: Axpe de Busturia (near Bermeo), Bizkaia – Biscay Province, Pais Vasco – Basque Country, Spain
On the Car Stereo Today:
Radio: Los40 Classic – Cadenia Dial – Cadena100
Spotify: Scottish Music – Greek Music
Salamanca to Bermeo
After I left the AirB&B this morning (I did well from that – and let’s not forget, staying in a room of someone’s house is what AirB&B was originally – not just hotel rooms, apartments and houses rented out while the owners are away etc).
First I drove 30 minutes back towards Portugal, to go in to Salamanca. It is a city in the middle of an otherwise fairly uninteresting desert. The centre of Salamanca is actually quite nice – I love the architecture, the cathedral, the pedestrianized streets. I found a bakery selling what I can only describe as Spanish Pasties – they looked like Cornish pasties but with about 6 different fillings. I had a simple ham and cheese one.
From Salamanca it was back on the road to head North – about 4 and a half hours drive to a cheap guesthouse I’d found online, near Bermeo on the North coast. Three quarters of the journey was uninteresting desert but then I drove in to the mountains and the last hour and a half was much more interesting.
As I came off the motorway I felt like I had arrived in a different country: In comparison to Salamanca, Northern Spain felt very Alpine – Very like Switzerland, or maybe Bavaria. I note that this area of Spain is relatively close for driving to from the UK so I might have to drive back here at some stage, I’m getting home with just one overnight stop in France.
The owner of the guesthouse I’m staying in gave me some local reccomendations so this evening I checked them out: First up: Mundaka, a nearby small village with a good beach. It was not more than ankle deep for miles.
Secondly I went to Bermeo, with a port and a selection of bars and restaurants. I went to the beach in Mundaka, then went to eat out in Bermeo – although I could have used the kitchen here and cooked for myself I had wanted.
It is my last night on the Iberian peninsular tonight: Tomorrow night – France – then the ferry back to the UK.
Gau on,
(That’s Basque for Good Night – In this corner of Spain many of the road signs are in Basque and Spanish).
FH.
Today’s Mileage: 364
Total Mileage: 2683
