In Pontevedra.

Watching the Tour de France at our friend Colin's house in Poio, Pontevedra, yesterday, I noted that the sun had come out for them in France. Having provided horrible weather, causing a number of nasty crashes over the first few days of the Tour being in France, the country has decided to be nicer to is race. On the rest day, however, Fabian Cancellara announced his decision to withdraw from the race so that he can prepare for the world championship. Average speed yesterday was over 40 miles an hour! These men are amazing. If it's as hot there as here, I would not like to cycle in that heat! 

Nicolas Roche, who tried to help Alberto Contador to get back into the race after his fall the other day, is now having a good go at replacing his teammate at Saxo Tinkoff's hope for victory in the Tour. Good luck to him. 

We were in Pontevedra so that we could go out to the Pitillo restaurant on Tuesday evening. This is one of our favourite eateries, lots of excellent tapas and some good white wine. Splendid stuff. 

Then yesterday morning we met the organisers of the chess club in Pontevedra that is doing a kind of chess exchange with my husband's club back in the UK. All good stuff. We have arranged for four youngsters from the UK club to come over to a chess training camp and then play in a tournament here. One of the stumbling blocks is the possible date of the return visit. The Spanish youngsters are involved in a lot of training camps in the summer and then Spanish schools have a much stricter policy than English ones about their pupils having time off in term time, even for something clearly educational. At the moment we're looking at next Easter - so far ahead! At least we'll have time to organise. 

After our discussion about chess visits, we rejoined Colin for lunch and spent some time watching him fight a losing battle against pigeons in Plaza de Verduras. These annoying birds congregate around your feet, hoping for scraps. In the past Colin carried around a large model owl which worked for a while to deter the objectionable pigeons. Yesterday he was reduced to a rolled-up magazine and attempting to swat them. He must have got about ten and that seemed to deter them. It amused folk at other tables, fortunately there did not seem to be any pigeon lovers among them! 

His battle will continue. As will that of the riders on the mountain roads of France. At the moment Nibali, the Italian, still rules!