The temperature kept falling as we traveled through the mountianous area and than as we were getting closer to San Sebastián it started to rise. Here it was just 40 degrees and I think it went lower then that.
We arrived and it was not raining. The forecast was for rain all day every day so we were delighted to see that it was dry. We headed for the hotel and dropped our stuff, got a recommendation for lunch and headed out to the door to enjoy the weather while it lasted.
A lovely hotel on the water.
The view from the hotel lounge. Interesting trees, beautiful beach and ocean. The chairs under the awnings were piled up - no sun sitting today.
The sea brought fhe first fisherman to San Sebastián, who were seeking refuge on Mount Urgall. It later attracted King Sancho of Navarre who desired to have a route out to the sea from his kingdom and led him to granting a charter in 1180.
It's proximity to France and its position on the Road to Santiago not only drove the developmentof this small coastal town, they also made it a strategic location during times of war. Over the course of its history it was subjected to numberous seiges, but the people of San Sebastián managed to defend it from their enemies until 1719, when the town surrendered to the French. In 1794 the town again succumbed when beseiged by the French , this time until 1813, when San Sebastián was liberated by Anglo-Portuguese soldiers, who burnt down and looted the cfity. Only a few houses were left standing, forcing the people to rebuild it almost from scratch, creating the old town of the city.
Happier times were to follow when Queen Isabell II, whose doctors had recommended that she bath in the sea to alleviate her skin problems made summering in San Sebastian fashionable.
The walls were demolished in 1864 and the urban development that took place gave rise to the Cortazar expansion district, where the city center is located.
The Cortazar area.
Looking toward the old town.
Walking along the promendade. The promenade is 6 kilometres (3.7) miles, with no hills, no cars and not a single traffic light to cross. It takes you along the entire San Sebastian coastline, its three beaches, its urban landscape and its landforms. It's a favorite activity of the people of San Sebastián.You can spot a native from a tourist as the natives always have an umbrella close by.
Finally the recommended lunch establishment.
After lunch we headed to old town. We were told by the hotel desk clerk that we could expect dry weather until late afternoon - 7:00. Just in time for our tapa's tour. Oh well. ( Did you notice I said afternoon. When I was asked at the dentist office if I could come back in the afternoon to have my tooth looked at I said sure. The afternoon was 6:00 pm. I think afternoon lasts until 8:00 in Spain and after that it must be evening.)
The Boulevard between Old Town and the expansion district was constructed after the walls were demolished. The boulevard is over looked on one side by the bandstand and the City Hall. The later was designed originally as a casino and some of the biggest parties from that era were held in its halls. It is also famous for being one of the most beautiful buildings in Spain.
The Alderdi Eder gardens are opposite to it and feature the characteristic tamarind trees and carousel.
We arrived at the gate to the Old Town.
When the stores or restaurants are closed in Spain a metal garage type door is pulled down. I have noticfed that those that feature some type of art work excape being graffitied. Some are just very decorative and interetsing.
This statue is in a little square and depicts the people of San Sebastián rebuilding the city after the fire of 1813.
We stopped in Constitution square to enjoy a cup of coffee and the weather. Even took out myselfie stick to document the moment. We had seen a little hat shop and were wanting to go in it so had to pass some time before the store opened at 1630.
She had some darling hats and we both ended up with a few.
We had walked by the basilica earlier and it was closed but when we walked by it the second time the doors were open so in we went.
The Basilica of Santa Maria. This was started being built around the second half of the 18th century and is the third church of the parish of Saint Mary to be built on this site.
The main altar, by Diego de Villanueva consists of four corinthian style columns surrounded by the chamber of Our Lady of the Choir. Next to it are four paintings representing St. Mary Magdalene, St. Ursula, St. Dorothy, and St. Martha. Above the main altar is a large painting representing the martyrdom of St. Sebastian.
In the choir stands the extraordinary Cabaille-Coll organ (1862) about which the great French organist Marcel Dupre said in 1928 that it had such sublime registers that he never found any similar in his whole life.
After viewing the church we went back to the hotel and got ready for a night out on the town. We met our guide Tomasz outside the Old Town city gate. He gave us some great information about exploring San Sebbastian. Before leaving the gate area he offered us our first sampling of a pintxo - The Guilda.
The Guindilla was created in honor of Rita Hayworth when she was filming the movie Guilda here in San Sebastián. It is a premium Canabrian anchovy fillet, from nothern Spain, guindilla peppers, and pitted manzanilla olives. You put the whole thing in your mouth at one time and let the favors meld. It was wonderful.
The Guindilla.
At this point the rain started to fall but we stayed under the covered part of the wall long enough listening to Tomasz that by the time we left the rain had really ceased.
Throughout San Sebastián you will see what looks like restaurants but are actually Gastronomy Clubs and are private. There are more than a hundred of them in the city. They started out with men just getting together to have a drink after work and grew into men cooking for each other. Today some women are allowed but only men are allowed in the kitchen. Membership is inherited or one can be invited in. Initation fee is around 700 euros and an annual membership free of 100 euro's is collected from each member. Because most people live in flats which are too small to accommodate a large guest list most entertainment is done in the private clubs. Reservations are required as the clubs are unable to accommodate all members at one time.
San Sebastián also has the highest concentration of Michelinn stars in the wolrd. There are 16 restaurants with Michelin star ratings for a popuolation of 180,000 persons.
Looks like a restaurant.
We finally arrived at our first pintxo's bar. I have to tell you by this time I was getting hungry and of course thirsty.
We started off with a white wine produced in the Basque region - Txakoli. At first it's a little bubbly but that Tomasz informed us that the bubbles were only created as the wine was poured from the container. It was a dry wine - not bad.
As Sharon doesn't eat fish we ended up with two pintox at each restaurant - one for her and one for me. Usually you share the various pintoxs. It is customary to have one round ( pintox and drink) in each bar, and then move on to the next bar. You normally pay at the end and usually friends take turns to pay of they set up a "kitty" before they start.Every bar has its own star pintox. If you don't know what to order, order a drink and look to see what the regulars are eating. Then order the same thing!
We were back at Constitution Square. Tomasz pointed out something we hadn't noticed before. There were numbers painted on every balcony. The square was used as a bullfighting ring and the owners of the apartments would sell tickets. Buyers had to know where their seats were. The building straight ahead was the original town hall.
Here's Tomasz explaining something very serious to Sharon.
We stopped at this shopping center so Tomasz could point out a great place to buy some "supplies" if we wanted to take a picnic with us to one of the areas he had pointed out ot us in the beginning of the tour.
It also had a piece of the original city wall inside.
We only had gone to one pintox bar in the Old Town area and than headed to the neighborhoods to find some local bars. It should be pointed out that pintoxs are unique to the Basque Country. You may see pintox advertised in other parts of Spain but they are most likely tapas. The main diffference between pintoxs and tapas is that pintxos are usually "spiked" with a skewer or toothpick. often to a piece of bread. I have also seen tapas skewered so I'm not sure I know the differenve.
Tomasz told us an interesting story related to tapas. Apparently "a king" was being served wine and very often a fly appeared in the wine. He threatened to "dispose" of any serant who brought him wine with a fly in it so one of the servants decided to put a plate on top of the glass to prevent a fly from getting in. Now, a plate on top of a wine glass is not good but put some food on the plate "tapa" and that's a good thing!
Crossing the bridge into the neighborhoods of San Sebastián.
The very posh Maria Christina Hotel where all the stars stay during the annual film festival held here each year.
The "Cube" where the festival is held.
Here we were served a very popular local red wine. It is not aged and is filtered with only natural filters- hence the residue. "Give me aged wine"! I personally didn't care much for it but maybe it grows on you. Tomacz said it was often the wine that they drink at home. As cheap as good wine is in Spain and I can't imagine drinking this on a regular basis.
The food was good!
In our last Pintoxs bar we had cider. Not bad but I wouldn't oder it again. Sharon didn't like it all. Cider houses are big in the Basque area. Usually one goes and enjoys two fish appetizers - usually cod based and then a gigantic steak and one can drink all the cider you want. mmmmmmmmm
It was a neat bar and look whose name I found on the table cover.
One finally picture with Tomasz and Monty the owner, Tomasz walked us back to an area we were familiar with and sent us on our way.
It was a good tour. Tomasz is originally from Poland and met his "Basque" wife in Moscow. He was very well informed about this area - from the politics to the gastronomy. He never did eat or drink with us because as he said, "if I'm eating and drinking, I'm not talking and I have a lot to say".. He did!
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