Monday, July 11 - We decided that we were in no rush to drive to San Sebastian. We chose to drive the local roads along the coast known as Green Spain. OMG was it beautiful! When leaving Hondarribia we followed the signs to Lezo - Jaizquibel - Guadalupe. This lead us along the incredible coastal road past the Church of Guadalupe. The coast of Galicia is green and lush we saw Cantabria (Playa de Berria) and Asturias which is gorgeous.
I have to admit that I have always felt that WE had the most beautiful coast in the world in California. But after driving this coast I can say this is as beautiful, if not more beautiful that our coast!
We stopped in Zumaia not only to have lunch but to visit the Flysch Rock formations. Here is a video from a drone flying over the area.
The Flysch Rock formations are amazing. Here is what a web site detailed about the area:
"In the town of Zumaia along the Basque coast, northern Spain, are two beaches that contain a geologic treasure that contains MILLIONS of years of the Earth's history. The Itzurun and Santiago beaches are the hot spots for geologists because it houses one of the longest continuous rock strata in the world called a "flysch" This flysch in Zumaia was found to have formed over a period of 100 millions years by the crashing of the waves against the cliffs. The result is an abrasion platform with alternative hard layers (limestone and sandstone) and soft layers (clay and loam). The flysch extends eastward and westward from Zumaia, stretching a total of 8 kilometers (about 5 miles) to the towns of Deba and Getaria. Apart from the impressive rock formations, Zumaia also harbors important fossil evidences. The Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, a rock layer that marks the end of the Mesozoic era and the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, if found in Itzurun beach. Fossils of ammonites, ancient molluscs resemblance of the nautilus, are also found in the rock layer."
We loved this town and didn't want to leave BUT we had to carry on!
Our arrival in San Sebastian (French) or Donostia (Basque) surprised us as our first thoughts were that it was a bigger city then we imagined. It's only 12 miles from the French boarder and has a population of about 200,000. It's commonly called the European Capital of Culture. It just feels big I think due to the large amount of tourism. But no doubt San Sebastian is wonderful.
We stayed at the Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra. It is right on the beach and we took an ocean view with a balcony to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the Atlantic ocean.
Some photo's of and around our beach
Our first afternoon/night we went to a recommended Pintxos Bar called Gandarias. It did not disappoint! I had as much seafood as I could as we stood at the bar and ordered more and more. Loved it! In case you did not know it Basque country has over 40 Michelin star restaurants.
Tuesday, July 12th - it was raining today so we went over to the San Telmo museo - the museum on Basque Society. I really was not well informed on the Basque society. The have quite a history. What we saw on display was "Jokoak (Games) Material and Challenge" which exhibits the Basque universe through pelota, (ball), rowing, stone-lifting, wood-chopping, grass-mowing and stone-dragging, they even had a game that looked a lot like bowling. We enjoyed it very much. Just a little about the Basque's and some of there history here.
Here area few things we saw in the Museum
A reed made lobster trap, for my family in Gloucester, MA
Old Jai-Alai basket
This bicycle reminded me of a photo I have of my Grandmother Elsie standing next to a bicycle just like it.
And a Donosti car, read details below
After wards we walked over to see some Henry Moore sculptures displayed on the beach walk!
We love this about Spain, you can do most everything....run with bulls, get tomato's tossed at you, have fireworks pointed in your direction, etc. etc. but they like to point out rules and then they normally follow them. The board at the beach above listed the areas for swimming, body surfing, beginner to advance levels of surfing....we loved to see it!
For lunch we tried another recommended pintxos place called Bar Nestor. OMG probably the best meat I have ever eaten, outside of Argentina! They ONLY have 4 things on the menu - Rib eye (ox chop Old Cow), Omelette, Gildas (anchovy, olive and always guidnilla peppers). Gernika green peppers freshly made (fried), with salt and Tomato salad with the best olive oil and best tomato's. We had the Gernika fried green peppers, the tomato salad with the best olive oil and the beef. It is cooked only ONE WAY, it comes our close to raw....it seems only the outside is cooked. It was so amazing it truly was out of this world....well worth the 20 minute wait to stand at the bar!
Wednesday, July 13th - As we all know Beth LOVES her cheese. We wanted to take a cheese tour, but it was the wrong time of year. So we choose to go the a outdoor market that included cheeses and then check out the cheesy museum.
The Ordizia Market/Fair's history dates back to 1512, every Wednesday. "There are plenty of fresh foods (including a wide variety of ready-to-eat olives, cheeses, cured ham, wonderful cakes and pastries and locally made apple cider) to enjoy on-site, but also an interesting variety of local items you can take home with you, such as marinated wild mushrooms, local olive oil and fresh honey.
What we came for is the most popular food item, the Idiazabel cheese, a hard white cheese, strong in flavor and high in acidity, made according to centuries-old family recipes. You can still buy the cheese directly from the shepherds who make it from the milk of their Latxa and carranzana sheep, two indigenous breeds to the area. It is hard to believe that 300,00 kilos of Idiazabal cheese are sold in this tiny village of Ordizia each year. We were told that if we wanted to buy the "real" small farm made Idiazabal cheese it should have the number 99 stamped on it.
From here we took a short drive to Idiazabel check out the "cheese museum". I thought it was a bit cheesy, pun intended. In the interpretation center we first saw a children's animation video of a mouse telling you about cheese and the Basque mouse even had 2 of his relatives visit, a French and Italian mouse. We then saw a "reproduction" of the old farm houses. Followed by 2 pieces of cheese and some apple cider for me. Like I said cheesy, but we do also like to support these types of local places.
After our bread and cheese lunch, we headed for the walled town of Segura. It was built by King Alfonso X, known as "Alfonso the Wise". "Nowadays Segura is declared a historical-artistic monument. It is an oval-shaped town and the municipality still preserves its medieval charm, with its ancestral houses and palaces that reflect the nobility of the past."
Notice what looks like a dryed sunflower on the upper right side of the door. It's called a La Carlina. In Catalan mythology there are a number of legends of witches. This symbol is used to ward them off!
After these interesting and enjoying visits we drove to see the Albaola museum. They are, rebuilding the original San Juan whale ship. It is quite a project as detailed in this video. We enjoyed this and continue to learn more about the history and culture of the Basque's.
This was in the town of Pasai. We then took a boat across the ocean, about 30 seconds to visit Pasai San Pedro.
Tonight for dinner we went to our second Michelin star restaurant called Zuberoa, it was excellent. What an amazing day!
Thursday, July 14 - our last day in San Sebastian before we drive to Bilbao. A picture from our room, looking at the beach.
We walked the beach, and saw some of the view points.
We drove to Bilbao to spend the last night of our "mini" vacation. We arrived and checked into the Miro Hotel Bilbao.
***** I am going to post this NOW, even though I am not finished with this entire week. I just want to make sure I do NOT lose what I have completed!!!!!!!!
Friday, July 15th - visiting the Guggenheim Museum - at the front of the museum just before you enter they have a "cat sculpture" with different color flowers growing on it, I liked it!
As we entered we were struck by by how Frank Geary obsession with fish was reflected in the glass panels that looked like scales of a fish (BTW his father was born in Brooklyn, New York to Russian Jewish parents and his mother was a Polish Jewish immigrant)
We first walked in and out of the Richard Serra's sculptures - which is called "Matter of Time". They are absolutely amazing. As it is written on this link "Shifting in unexpected ways as viewers walk in and around them, these sculptures create a dizzying, unforgettable sensation of space in motion" I might add that some of them can create a feeling of claustrophobia! But we loved them very much.
This first one called Snake "consists of three enormous, serpentine ribbons of hot-rolled steel. The two tilted, snaking passages capture a rare sense of motion and instability"
Next we saw the Louise Bourgeois exhibit called "Structure of Existence - The Cells"
OMG - WOW I was not familiar with Louise Bourgeois. Her work could be looked at as quite disturbing or very strange.
I did not know, until I took one photo that they were not allowed. However they said I did not have to delete it so here it is. It is quite tame compared to what we saw. I can say the exhibit certainly stirs emotions!
We then dashed to the airport and flew home....what a trip!
Saturday, July 16 - after being home for a day we checked out what was going on for the Valencia Festival of July....and there was a Karaoke to movies in the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall). Tonight is was Grease, but it started at 10:00pm. Beth didn't want to go but I said I was going and she decided to join me. It's hard to imagine how these people love to enjoy life... there must have been over a couple thousand people there...aged 5 to 85. They put out a number of plastic chairs along with bandana's to wave, confetti to throw, glow sticks to use...all when appropriate. The movie, on a big screen is dubbed into Spanish with English subtitles. BUT they have a group of about 8 singers/dancers who come out onto the stage to get the the people us to sing and dance to the songs in Grease...it was SO COOL!
Look at the time on the clock at the beginning when I pan over the Town hall. BTW the event ended at about mid-night and almost no one left!
