Day 43: Pau

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Another morning in Bilbao. Billy spent over an hour in the bath mucking around last night so he slept really well. After getting woken and dressed, Billy lead us to the Terrace for breakfast, having had a laugh in the lift at the teenage boys dressed in their white hotel gowns and slippers! The omelets were made to order, more wonderful fruits, breads, savories and sweets, even strawberry cheesecake for breakfast. Can’t miss this experience and did I mention our table overlooking the Guggenheim (won’t say it again ok!!) and the Puppy in his coat of flowers.

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Quickly we take down our Chinese laundry, scientifically pack the Peugeot and disagree whether it’s feasible to buy another item, Billy corralled in his space in the back seat, next to the GPS in the sock out the window. I get into the car and explain to the guys how one feels standing at the hotel desk in rubber thongs and a T-shirt that just passes the sniff test, next to a shiny gaggle of gigantic Lufthansa flight attendants and pilots with epaulets who are also checking out. Nah….it’s a girl thing!

The actual crib of Henry IV was a turtle shell

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Goodbye Bilbao which is high on our list of favorite places. We are leaving Spain, and it rains on this hot morning heading below the Pyrenees Mountains. Rain in Spain again. We loved Spain with so many contrasts and areas. As we enter France there is a police presence but they aren’t interested in us. On our way to Toulouse we stop to see Chateau du Pau, the birth place of Henry IV. We joined the compulsory tour of one hour, despite not understanding a word the guide was saying, although there was a reference to “Americans” which they must have tagged as us. The guy got many laughs as we poured along the corridors and rooms filled with tapestries, elaborated rooms and furniture of the castle covering over 3 floors. The actual crib of Henry IV was a turtle shell. Billy was exceptionally well behaved and quiet.

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Our hotel in Toulouse is an apartment with a kitchen and internet. Toulouse has many places we can walk to so we have an early night and a big day tomorrow.