Oct 20-31
Visitors
 |
| The Cathedral Buen Pastor |
We had our first opportunity to play tour guide. 3 visitors from San Luis Obispo came for about 3 days each, one day apart...this was by total coincidence rather than design that it all worked out so perfectly. I had this list of places and things to do 1. Hike part of the El Camino Del Norte from San Sebastian to Pasaia...Visit Abaola boat museum, then take boat taxi to adorable San Juan. 2. Visit Telmo Museum for insight into Basque country history and culture. 3. Go out for pinxtos in Parte Viejo. 4. Walk to the top of Mt. Urgul (Jesus statue) and visit the museum at the top. 5. Walk from our apartment in Gros from the beachfront passing the Kursaal cultural center, around the Pasea Nueva (for huge crashing waves if timed correctly), then along the boardwalk in front of La Concha and Ondaretta beaches, to the famous Chillida sculptures (and cool blow holes). I thought this was all doable in 3 days.
 |
Enjoying spontaneous singing and dancing in the
streets, in Parte Viejo under a Basque flag. |
 |
| Enjoying a shopping day |
Jim was the first to come. I'm using my friends as my "mules" to deliver things like medications and paperwork that I had left behind. I asked for a tiny jar of Thai curry paste from Trader Joes...Jim said they couldn't find it, but pulled out 4 large bottles of red curry sauce that he transported in thick socks, stuffed in his suitcase. I could have kissed him.
San Sebastian is supposedly fairly rainy in October...but we have had a glorious sunny October. Jim had time for some work and a tiny bit of play time. I controlled my urges to push my agenda on him...
 |
| Looking down on the bay from Urgul |
 |
| Drew and Brian |
Then Alissa came...girl time, yippee! We Chipped away a bit more at the list.
Then Brian came...mostly worked, not very much play time. Poor Brian missed out on his Paella. Here, you don't plan on a quick lunch unless its a bocadillo, ensalada mixta, Spanish tortilla or ready made pinxtos from the bar. I mentioned to a Spanish friend that we had 2 hours to get to the paella restaurant (10 min walk), order, and eat paella and get to the train station (10 min walk), and she said, "IMPOSSIBLE!" To get the waiters attention takes time, to place the order takes time, getting the food takes time, eating (we should take more time for this), getting the attention of the waiter to pay "la cuenta" takes time, and then finally paying...takes time. Its definitely a pace that takes a little adjusting to.
So in the end,
 |
| Another pretty view of Mt. Urgul |
between 3 visitors I was lucky to tick 3 things off the list!
 |
| waves crashing along Pasea Nueva |
 |
| Iglesia San Vincente |
 |
| Iglesia San Vincente |
Oct 31st
Halloween.
El Dia de Todos Santos...we saw several bars decorate themselves with spider webs, and regular stuff you see in the US in preparation for Halloween parties. In school we were told it is a "sad" day (unlike in Mexico), in which people reminisce about loved ones lost. Often families get together for a meal, and bring flowers to the cemetery. I read quite a bit online the various traditions in different parts of Spain, all of which sounded more interesting than our actual experience of it here in Basque country. Everything was closed, except bakeries, where people (including us) bought the traditional Spanish Buñuelos. They tasted exactly like mini cream puffs to me. They were to die for (OK, bad joke).
No comments:
Post a Comment