View from the Pillion - Overnight in Olite

It's a shortish, straighforward ride from Vitoria to Olite.

Olite,  in the province of Navarra, is listed in my Frommer's Day by Day Guidebook as one of their favourite towns. With it's turrets, towers and crenulated roofs, it looks as if fairytales take place here. I feel as if I should climb up a tower and let down my hair to be rescued by a knight in shining armor - or motor cycle gear.

The Hotel Merindad is a tiny slice on a narrow street right off the main square. Once inside and up the stairs it opens up with a comfy reception area and a slightly grumpy looking fellow at the desk. Perhaps he is only grumpy because we don't speak any Spanish. However, he gives us keys to our room and is quite amenable when we inquire about the bike parking. He takes Peter downstairs and opens a door flush with the cobbled street, that leads into a garage where we stow our steed for the night. We have booked all of our hotels based on them having parking for motorcycles.  

The grand fortifications of the Palacio Real and the Santa Maria Church dominate the landscape, but the narrow, winding streets beckon to be explored. It's early enough for a long, leisurely recconoitor of the town before stopping for a cold cerveza. Outside one of the restaurants, we come across a lively band which draws an audience from all the surrounding streets. It seems like a somewhat ad hoc performance with accordians, guitars and lots of enthusiastic gesturing. We find ourselves la, la, la-ing along with the rest of the crowd. And then as the town's folk move from pre-supper drinking to the serious matter of late night eating, drinking and socializing, we go to the restaurant of our choice, which turns out to be a popular gathering place with ebullient merriment and good food. We share a yummy chicken 'n spinach pizza with a combination plate of steak, salad and chips. I agree with the guidebook - Olite, ranks high in my favourite Spanish towns.