June 12:  Bilbao Rest Day

The Sheraton Hotel has a blackout curtain that automatically appears out of the ceiling!!!  What a perfect thing to have for the rest day -- no need to worry about the sun waking us up today!!

Slowly the day began with a full breakfast in the hotel's restaurant.  Being a 5 star hotel in a large city, the services run a little more expensive than those we have become accustom to in the villages.  Pack in the calories even if you don't want anymore -- you have just mortgaged your home to pay for it!!!

Because it is officially a rest day, the goals were to pick up essentials for the next few days (trip to the pharmacy for more of that fabulous foot padding = Compead), find better hiking shoes for those who were experiencing major problems, new small backpacks for those wishing to lighten the load even more than already, and books showing where to find that darn yellow arrow!!!

Not wanting to use foot power too much on the rest day, we mastered the light rail system.  A stop was strategically placed outside the front door and delivered us to the old section in minutes.  Considering yesterday it was a hour and half walk for the same distance, this modern machinery was like a miracle appearing just at the right time.  Our day was sightseeing around town with stops at the city plazas for a coke or wine or water or ice cream or coffee con leche or whatever the mood dictated was the requirement of the rest of the day.  A large modern mall sits right out the front door of the hotel, so trips to the various stores were also packed in.

Now it is evening and the time to rest is rapidly approaching as we repack in anticipation of tomorrow's walk.  The book says it is to be flat.  The book also told us that the way yesterday wouldn't be marked very well and it was.  Not believing that book right now.  What may be flat to that author is all relative!!!

Angela at the Guggenheim	Frankie at the Pharmacy
In Front of the Guggenheim	Mastering the Train System
The Old Apartment Buildings with Beautiful Balconies