First arrows from San Sebastian

 

Fishing villages, Victorian era resort with esplanade features. Basque gastronomy with pintxos.

Elegant shopping opportunities. Well, actually for us there is some truth in the above in the area of San Sebastian but it depends on bringing it all together if you want to realise dreams and expectations.

 

 

We left Zaragoza on a late afternoon train which dropped us off shortly after 9 pm. With day temperatures well into the high 30s, we did not exactly rush around this rather quiet but very pleasant city but we did manage to enjoy a visit to former Moorish palace of Aljaferia which is now the legislative seat for the Aragonese people and where we discovered a great little dining room hidden away. And of course we continued discovering Mr Goya before taking our leave.

 

San Sebastian is a very different kettle of fish and a city relishing its location, reputation and history. I have to confess we are having some difficulty adjusting to 'traditional' Spanish lifestyle as we understand it of late morning starts, big lunch, siesta, tapas/pintxos and late evening dining. We have tried this to an extent but not with great success. So we had some difficulty on arrival to quickly find a meal beyond tired looking tapas sitting on yet more bread. Most places were closed or just serving drinks. After a thorough touring team debate we found a small place in the old town that we could tolerate.

 

 

We are not big fans of paella dishes, having had mixed results with past experiences with this dish. There is some dissention in the tour group around the idea of standing in the small hole in the wall enjoying one drink and a tapas before moving on to the next hole in the wall for a second drink and more bread/topping etc. Unless we make tapas the main evening meal (undesirable) or want to end up the size of ocean liners, I think we have gone beyond the idea of tapas/pintxos.

 

As with our time in Barcelona we are living in a central city apartment. Another great location and a nest up to our expecations. So we can mix our eating and drinking to suit-as one has to do when on the move, as we are, over an extended period of time. That part of the trip is working out very well.

 

 

Yesterday was also warm here in San Sebastian. After the obligatory visit to the markets to store up for the week, we took our walk along the esplanade above the long beach where there were plenty of people enjoying the sun. We gave pintxos a miss before having dinner underground in a small local restaurant. Day over.

 

So now we are settled in and ready to explore further and try to make the most of our remaining time here. The weather is distinctly cooler today and we have had a little rain.

 

And the news seems to be much the same. Hilary on the way up. Brexit, Brexit, Brexit. Spanish elections. Football starting in Paris which is in a mess. Floods now retreating, rubbish everywhere due to strikes, airlines in a mess due to the annual summer pilot strikes, trains on strike, French people still fiercely resisting any form of adjustment beyond the 1960s. What a waste.

 

 

 

And our Queen just keeps on leading our Empire to further glory seemingly forever. We can't wait to get home in time to meet our own democratic obligations.