Day Three The Guggenheim Museum

An early start. Set out hoping not get lost -  like I did on the way back to the Pension last night. I blamed it on the wine!! The bus ticket is already booked and my seat reserved. I should get to Bilbo in time for my alloted ticket to the Guggenheim Museum at 10 o'clock.

All has gone to plan but the Donostia bus station was not all that it should be, with a lack of information as to when and where the bus should leave from. However the journey itself was lovely and in little over an hour I was in Bilbao and taking the Metro to Mayua and the Guggenheim Museum.

Getting in was a dawdle and on being issued with a personal guide, I started on my tour of the Museum. The only problem was that when I wanted something to eat, I had to exit the Museum, hand in my personal guide and get a wrist band to regain entry after having paid a visit to the cafeteria!??? What was that all about? The snack I had was over-priced too!!

Anyway, apart from that it was a great experience and the personal guides were excellent in explaining many concepts in the exhibits. The building itself is marvellous though the area is surrounded by much development which has still to be completed.

A short hop on the metro and I was in the Casco Viejo (Old Town) and seeking out Los Fueros on Calle Fueros behind the Plaza Neuva. I had some of the most succulent mussels that I have ever had! I also met a couple from Edinburgh who were doing a tour of Spain and I had an interesting wee talk about our experiences.

The afternoon was completed by a wee wander around the Old Town; a few drinks, and finally a relaxing hour or so in the Plaza Nueva before heading once more to the bus station - an experience I will not want to repeat!!

I arrived in plenty of time but the number of bus companies operating from the bus station, plus the poor information on departure screens led me to nearly missing my bus back to San Sebastian! I was lucky to get on the correct bus and would not have known what to have done otherwise!

I arrived back in San Sebastian around 19.45 and spent an hour or so wandering around the block where the Pension Urkia is situated having some tapas and watching the football. It was a tired tourist who eventually fell into bed at the end of a long day!