San Sebastian, or as the txe people call it, Donostia

 The drive to San Sebastian via Pamplona took us through very dry land. The grapes changed to ploughed land, maize and hay. Quite a lot of evidence of past history – old Roman constructions in particular. We stopped at the Puente de Reina Bridge, and several more bastidas. Note the pimentos drying from the balconies – another typical smell in the area.

 

The area we passed through is one of the popular parts of the Camino walk, and we saw several individuals or small groups making their way along dusty paths. Also two huge solar energy plants and the ubiquitous wind farms!

San Sebastian is warm. TomTom took us straight to our accommodation – a narrow building in the city centro. She would have been more direct except she wanted us to go the wrong way up one-way streets. Our host, Inaki, was having a coffee next door, so helped get the bags up while I stayed with the double-parked car. Our base here, Pension Regil, (www.pensionregil.com), is right by the Hotel de Londres e Inglaterra, a landmark on the beachfront, very central. By far the cheapest, at about 40E, but it was well-recommended on Trip Advisor, and with justice. Small - to use the bathroom requires some contortion - but the bedroom has access to a Juliet balcony and clothesline, so good fresh air and space. We are one block from the beach front, with a lovely sandy beach, and space to walk for miles in both directions, and eight blocks from the railway station, where it will cost us E1.70 to catch a train to Hendaye on the French border.

We said goodbye to the rental car and had a very relaxed afternoon, walking along river, having a pre-dinner drink in a peaceful plaza, and people and dog watching.

Dinner was pintxo (the Basque name for tapas) in the old town. This is a real art form here and we relaxed at the bar, along with lots of others, sampling prawns grilled on skewers, mushroom tarts, tiny bocadillo (little bread rolls filled with delicious tuna, anchovies, pimento, jamon or really whatever you want.) Sorry, I know it’s all about the food again, but this is a holiday focus it seems, and this food was superb. We can certainly recommend Borda Berri and Goiz-Argi

Today dawned more cloudy, but we did manage a walk right along the beachfront. We first visited the 1952 ‘Wind Comb’ sculpture to the left of the bay. Spectacular waves coming in.

Then we went up Monte Igueido, coincidentally in the same funicular as a Wellington couple travelling with their two London-based sons and their attachments. Great views from the top, surrounded by lots of carnival sideshows and rides which are probably open in the summer.

The day deteriorated, so no chance to go up the mountain at the other end, but we did visit the port and were intrigued by the number of shallow open vessels and wondered where they might be used, given that once through the shelter of the bay the area seems quite unhospitable for such a craft.

Tomorrow off on the next leg of the trip after a very relaxing stay in Donostia, capped off by an delicious dinner at the more upmarket Bodegon Alejandro. No more Bastidas for us