Nearly there!

I finally sorted out plans for the solar panels, as usual I initially overcomplicated it and had several panels arranged around the deck which were prone to be shaded by the sails. I had been in email conversation with a supplier in the UK and we finalised on a much simpler system of just two panels of 100 watts each to be mounted " floating " between the Bimini and the guard rails. In other words temporary positions dependent on the Suns position. I sacrificed a small amount of efficiency for the sake of saving a few hundred pounds, and all the relevant bits and bobs were ordered from the UK but unfortunately  due to the recent change to my mobile phone number it took over an hour to transfer funds from the bank and I missed the deadline for delivery that day by 5 minutes..

I also hadn't taken into account the bank holiday so delivery was going to be delayed by four days.

To be honest Lynne was not bothered in the slightest by another week in Las Arenas, that afternoon we had had our first swim and had both become fairly pink after sunbathing on the beach.

On the weekend we had gone into Bilbao to find a few bits, like glasses retainers for me! Bought half a dozen just in case......also found some Velcro cable ties a couple of dry bags and We discovered the biggest department store in Bilbao was Cortes Ingles, so big it actually had a supermarket on the fifth floor! More importantly for Lynne it had a huge clothing department.

In the evening we spent some time discussing future plans and listening to the Champions League final  from the balcony of the Grand Hotel in Portugalete.

This is another of our favourite places, we seem to be revisiting a lot of these in preparation for leaving.

In the same vein Lynne had expressed a desire to go back to Plentzia, this is a beautiful place ar the end of the Metro line ( in fact the last two stations are not finished yet so you go by bus ) luckily the thunderstorms were lurking inland and we had a fine day.

The bus drops you off at the unused train station and it's necessary to cross a rather brilliant bridge across the river to reach the old town.

We then walked by the river which eventually brings you to the seafront. It being Sunday there were plenty of people enjoying the day.

The beach is splendid and we watched a couple of yachts coming in to anchor briefly for lunch.

We have walked most of the coast around Plentzia and Gorlitz, 

The beach is fabulous. This building is one of our favourite cafe bars, the coffee isn't the best but the situation is lovely!

This is the rather shallow entrance to the river leading to the small harbour

We walked back towards the town as the thunderclouds began to gather again over the hills. An ice cream by the old harbour and we caught the bus back to Sopela and then the Metro to Las Arenas and Getxo. A lovely day out to another of our favourite places.

We are going to miss Basque Country............

That evening we returned to Dark Tarn just before the grumbling thunderstorms and as the sun set the bay became a lake of gold and the clouds were tinged rose pink...........