Bilbao to Portugalete

Has our meal quite late for us last  night.  The barman said that food would be served from 2100 but we forgot to compensate for 'Spanish timing' which like in Italy means sometime after the time I told you!! Cook wandered in at 2130 looking a bit ruffled so we decided just to have a selection of light bites (with a very  fine rioja) and get off to bed. Left at 0730 with a steep climb followed by a drop and another steep climb, but at last we got to the top and the next 45 kms is mostly flat with just one small 250 m lump in the way. Stopped at Portugalete after 20km but unfortunately the AdP was closed. Found the tourist info place and they directed us to a little two star hotel for 30€ for the room for two. It is a little quaint and old fashioned but all the required bits are there. Portugalete is famous for its suspension bridge that two carriages hang from to take people across the river. Photos will be posted later. The first part of today's hike was good being over hills and through trees. However, the middle section was dreadful being either through shopping malls or along awful alleys and extremely smelly rivers and drains. Still, all done for the day and now I am sat near the river where there are a whole string of bars and restaurants having a little drink and eating a few racciones - these are snacks slightly larger than tapas.  I have a piece of tortilla, a small stuffed pepper and what appears to be a squashed egg with a strip of dried ham - yum yum.