A touch of NZ and to Spain we head

Saturday 14 September - Spain
We start the day with breakfast in a little cafe nearby called Piha Cafe.

For those who know Lady P well, they would be aware that Piha is a famous West Coast beach near Titirangi and also the location of many happy family memories in the Fulljames bach, known as Lions End. In the course of her Bordeaux research Lady P discovers this Cafe but had to see it to believe it, and yes it is actually named after the famous Lion Rock at Piha - apparently the french owner travelled the world kite surfing and thus the Piha connection. Flashy enjoyed a boiled egg with soldiers and Lady P a delicoius croissant along with their home roasted coffee beans and even coffee art.

And to add to the Kiwi connection, Lady P recognises a kiwi accent and it turns out we are sitting besides a rugby player from the Crusaders in Christchurch who has signed a 3 year contract with the Bordeaux team and  brought his wife and 1year old to experience life in France. Oh to be young again.
Placing our trust tentatively in Amilee we program in Logrono Spain plus put it in Google maps on both phone and tablet and check the paper map and take a reading from the sun. The bitch takes us another way and the tension rises in the car. Eventually she gets us onto the Freeway south and all is good. Great drive with little traffic; a pit stop for fuel and food and Flashy is allowed to have a little drive.

He loves the tolls because when you pay, it's a Le Mans start to the Freeway, with red lining through the gears to get to the marked lanes before anyone else. He does this even when there are no other cars. Lady P just rolls her eyes and holds on tight. Will he get another drive? Not after a little coffee stop when changing from basic French to no Spanish “oui, er si, er thanks mate" ah again those youngans are at least bi-lingual and we get service with a smile and cruise into Lograno. A little consternation at the lack of response from our key lady and contingency plans are discussed. Flashy however gets a little distracted as directly across the road from our key collection residence is Plaza de Toras – the bullfighting ring. So this is OK as we are in Spain, however there are hordes of people walking towards the ring with intent so Flashy suspects, and quietly hopes there may be a bull fight about to happen. Further observation notes that the group’s of people lining up are families with children so we are bemused – do the Spanish take children to bullfights? We didn’t think so and eventually see the poster announcing the visit of the Dinosaurs this weekend! Flashy is shattered. We manage to contact our host's friend, collect the key, abuse Amilee again and find our way to our very flash, two bedroom apartment, only a 15 minute walk to the pumping heart of tapas bars in Logrono. It's Spain, of course and the bars and restaurants are only just opening at 8:30 pm. Flashman's keenly honed observation notes patrons with drinks but no waiters and a little panic sets in as he wonders how to get much needed hydration. As the time slips towards 9:00 pm there is more action and we spot the odd waiter. Very casually dressed here compared to the black and whites with bow tie of the French waiters. With a jaunty “hola  mate dos vino tinto and some grub” we get three large plates of calamari, patatos brava and jamon croque with sangria and a decent red. There you go, young people again to the rescue.