It looked like rain, umbrella's were out but we got on our rain gear and off we went on a walk along the promenade to view the "Wind Combs" and take the funicular.
This wasn't the only "fool" out there. I did see someone surfing in a wet suit and had the opportunity to ask him if the water was cold or was he just a "wimp". He assured me the water was very cold but people went into it everyday. I had asked Sharon to go down and put her hand in the water ( I would take a picture of it or I would have gone) but she refused. Here I thought I had a great idea! Lucky I was able to find someone to give me the information I needed.
This is La Concha beach and is the one the tourists frequent. Residents know better and go down the way to Ondarreta beach which has a spacious sandy area regardless of the tide.
The street is lined with apartments.
Santa Clara Island.
A Tribute to Fleming by Eduardo Chillida( 1924-2002). This was the artists own personal tribute to the inventor of penicillin. The design was made in iron in 1956, year of the Scottish scientist's death. It wasn't until 1990 that the artist sculpted the granite work we see here.
Statue in honor of Queen Maria Cristina who made San Sebastián the summer residence of her court.
At last our destination.
We were advised not to stand over these holes as water comes up through them and you can end up a little drenched. We were very careful.
It is a beautiful area.
This fascinating place, open to the ocean at the far end of the bay, is a result of the cooperation between Chilida and the San Sebastián - born architect Luis Pena Ganchegul, a partnership that has borne more than one spectcular creation. Here the architect perfecly integrated a series of platforms, steps and areas of pink granite into the abrupt landscape, culminating in the three massive soid iron sculptures, weighing over ten tons, with which Chillida set out to comb the North-eastern winds. The Sculptor donated this work to his native city. Nature and the human imprint coexist in extraordinary intimacy, in what is probably the most magical place in San Sebastián, very near the house in which the sculptor lived since 1982. A place where the wind caresses iron, and the ocean, through the perforated pavement, breaks its way up though stone.
We back tracked a bit to get to the funicular. The weather was not cooperating and it didn't look like we were going to get the fabulous view of the city Tomasz was telling us about but we had to go to the top anyway.
Practicing wih my selfie stick once again.
At the very top a little amusement park. Actually not so small. A beautiful spot for a park.
People love the beach and dogs loves the beach.
We got back to our hotel area just in time to grab some lunch. It was raining pretty hard at this point so we jumped into a little restaurant near the hotel. Had to wait a little for a table but it was worth it. We had a great pork loin, cheese , roasted pepper and mayo sandwich with a little sangria.
Heading back to the hotel to get warm and dry.
It stopped raining so we decided to go see the cathedral at least while the weather was holding.
The front of our hotel.
The side of the Cathedral.
The Buen Pastor Cathedral.The Cathedral was finished in 1897. The members of the Royal Family, who used to spend the summer in the city, were invited to the foundation stone laying event. It is a neo-gothic church. It has been remodeled twice, once when it was designated as a headquarters of the local diocese and secondly ln 1972 coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the cathedral.
The organ inside the church is one of the most treasured elements. It was made in 1954 and according to what is said, it is one of the largest ever made in Europe and most certainly in Spain. The organ has 5 manual keyboards and one pedal board. It also has 9535 pipes, one of which is 10 meters high.
Still not raining so we walked over to the Old Town and visited another church. San Vicente church is the oldest building in the city of Donostia-San-Sebastian.
This work, based on Oleiza's sketch for the frieze in the sanctuary of Arantzaza, was made by the sculpture Jose ramon Anda under the close supervision of Oteiza himself. The work was hung on the face of the San Vincente Church in 1999 to become the city's first sculpture by Oteiza.
The weather was holding so we decided to just stay in the Old Town and do pintox on our own.
I had gotten the name of this pintoxs bar from Tomasz as I wanted to try squid in black ink and he knew this bar made the dish. I tried it and although it was OK I'm not sure I'd order it again. Perhaps if it had been made in a restaurant it mght have been better. I'm told it is one of their most famous dishes here in SanSebastian.
OHh, I did have a little foie gras along with the squid. The foie gras was great!
This little bar had been recommended by the dentist I had seen in Barcelona. We had a little trouoble finding it since the address is Agosta but is actually in the square off that street. This was our favorite.
A must is serving bread with pintoxs. You clean your plate with it. The gravy with the beef cheeks was delicious so I mopped it up with my bread just as instructed.
A list of the pintoxs.
A little out door eating area but tonight was not the night for that. We took a leisurely walk back to the hotel and enjoyed the sound of the ocean and the lights along the promenade.
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