Donostia - San Sebastian!
5月15日, スペイン ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
We slept fairly well ... just not long enough ... in our little loft bed. It was cozy and comfy. We awoke to cloudy skies but no rain in sight. I'll not go anywhere without my rain coat here though. I'm extra glad I brought the coffee pods that I bought in Madrid ... they work with the Nespresso machine here!!
We opted to go out for breakfast this morning ... taking advantage of the dry weather. Here is where we encountered our first travel mountain. The cafes that were open at 10:00am did not serve things we would consider breakfast. They served lots of baked goods and deli sandwiches, but no eggs. After not having a real supper last night, I was in need of some real sustenance.
And, it didn't help that we had no clue where we were in the grand scheme of things because we didn't have a map yet. And, Google Maps seemed to be messing with the old boy as he tried to navigate to a spot that he thought served breakfast. In fact, at many points along our path today we had no service at all!
By the time we finally arrived at a place that served "heuvos" ... I was beginning to have blood sugar issues and was feeling gaunt. The menus were inscribed upon towering wooden blocks on the table. The problem was that there were no empty tables. There were some seats at the bar, but we quickly learned that those were only for folks ordering pinchos. So, we had to wait until a table cleared so we could order.
The old boy chose two things ... and he had no idea what they were. I admire his courage to go out on a limb like that. I ordered the bacon and eggs with french fries. It actually worked out really well, because one of his pinchos was filled with grilled veggies. We split up the contents between us and enjoyed a very nourishing meal.
Then, we needed to get groceries and get ourselves more familiar with our surroundings. We wandered down to the tourist information booth. We got a map and determined the pick up spot for the Hop On Hop Off bus. After an hour on the bus, we had a pretty good idea of the lay of the land.
We also learned that San Sebastian burned down four times. And has been rebuilt each time ... so ... it looks quite young at heart. It also has no buildings with corners on them. They are all angled for better aesthetics. And, fortunately, the streets are all at right angles. It sure makes it easier to find your way around.
By the time we wandered down to the Old Town, we were hungry again! We stopped at a really nice white linen place for a late lunch. We had to wait 30 minutes for a table, but it was worth the wait. It was stated right on the menu that table service required the purchase of at least one starter to share ... and... one entree per person! Interesting, eh? Makes me wonder what the French gal who broke the table rules at the train station would do?
We shared some crab stuffed peppers for a starter and they were exceptionally delicious. The old boy ordered the Turbot and I ordered the Cod. We had a red Tempranillo Rioja in honor of my mother. It was called "Muriel". It was delicious. And, the server said her favorite dessert was the caramelized French toast with ice cream. So, of course we had to try it! I wasn't fussy about the texture, but the taste was really nice.
After that, we wandered towards the beach. We bumped into a nice couple from Texas who offered take our picture for us. We ended up chatting with them for almost an hour. They gave us some great suggestions for places to travel to ... including a place they stayed in the Maldives. They had also taken a food and wine tour here last night. So, we might do the same tomorrow.
We walked along the beach on the way home and discovered that since the tide was out, an artistic fellow had etched an incredible design into the beach!! I'm not sure if it had special meaning or significance, but he had a square positioned below it for people to throw coins in appreciation.
We wanted to call it a day early so we could get to bed early. We had a little trouble with the outside door ... again ... but, it didn't take too long before we got in. Hopefully, we are getting the hang of it now. 🤞🤞
And ... although the day started off with some food and direction mountains ... the good news is that we didn't get soaking wet. It has started raining now, but we spent the day outdoors (except for our 2 hour lunch) and it was chilly but dry. Here's hoping we will be blessed well by the weather gods tomorrow too!!
We'd like to hike up Urgull hill and get a view of the city from up there. There is a huge statue of Jesus up on the hill. It is truly a gorgeous city! I can see why people come from far and wide to spend time here.
And, given that it is known for its gastronomy, the food options have been remarkable! We are hoping to make a reservation at a really nice place for tomorrow! I'm not sure if we will go to a Michelin Star place or not ... but ... the old boy is checking it out now. It would be something to experience wouldn't it?
Here's hoping that we'll have fewer travel mountains to scale tomorrow ... and ... that we will make it up that Urgull hill!! I hope you all are having a lovely day ... just 9 more sleeps and we will be home! Looking forward to seeing all of you again.
Love k&j ❤️もっと詳しく
旅行者 What a beautiful place. I guess a few mountains are worth a beach like that. ❤️❤️❤️
Lansers on the Loose ... Yes indeed❣️
旅行者 Great picture!