Raindrops on Pintxos in San Sebastian, Part 2

                           

The next morning we woke up in San Sebastian to cloudy grey skies and humidity-we hung onto the fact that it was only 8:30 am and the weather report we read only gave 60% chance of precipitation and drove to the Renfe station to pick Laura and Casey up. They were waiting for us and we gave big hugs and lots of bienvenidos on the quick trip back past La Concha and to the campground. As we ate neapolitanas de chocolate an "ocean mist" started blowing in, so we quickly set up their tent and went to shower and start the day. As we finished showering the clouds opened up and we ran for shelter. The camp employees told us, "Eh, it rains and it doesn't rain, you never know" and we debated on heading to Bilbao for the day, but suddenly the rain let up and we decided to go for it and hopefully spend the day at this most famous beach- by the afternoon it was going to stop raining anyway, right?

Playa Ondaretta-the smaller beach next to La Concha

                          

                         

                             

 First stop the beach. Walking past rows of blue and white chairs and umbrellas, we read some of the history of La Concha and the city and we played in the waves-getting soaked-looking for shells and sea glass. When the rain started to pour again we were already soaked so we took it with stride and headed into the city.            

                                 

                          

We we hungry and ready for more pintxos. We tried some new places and found quite a few vegetarian options: goat cheese with tomato marmalade or caramelized onions, Spansh tortillas, tiny Basque peppers, and stuffed mushrooms to name just a few- and tried the Basque white wine, Txakoli, poured from on high like Spanish cider. When finished it was still raining...we were still soaked, so we ate more. Still wet and getting colder-so we bought some sweaters and umbrellas and ate even more. By the time we lost all hope that the rain would let up-hurricane like winds were bending the trees lining the main avenues and we decided maybe we should check on the tents. They were fine so we and all the other campers took refuge in the camp bar drinking beer and mojitos and playing cards until dinner. More pintxos and rain at dinner unfortunatly made our decision to give up on seeing more of San Sebastian. After a long rainy night, we packed up in the pouring rain the next morning, said Agur (Basque for goodbye) and hope to see you again on a sunny day to the city and hightailed it to Bilbao-cold, wet, and tired-but happily, filled with pintxos.

Raindrops on Pintxos in San Sebastian, Part 1

After flirting with the idea of a roadtrip from Dijon, France (my future home, more details to come) and Santiago de Compostela (my current home)-imagining picnics in vineyards and walled midievil cities in France and beach upon beach and culinary heaven on the Cantabrian coast of Spain-this year's European adventure was cut to the second leg of the original idea-a week long road trip from the mountainous coast of San Sebastian to the green hills of Galicia with Diego, my bestie and her man. 

Diego and I set off from Santiago and made it all the way to San Sebastian in a short 8 hours, a pitstop in Burgos to see some friends there for lunch was the perfect break. The drive was a geographical history lesson, passing through the fortress of green hills that seperated Galicia from Castilla for hundreds of years, following the flat golden fields of the Castillian Camino de Santiago, and reaching the jutting spires of green mountains and long tunnels that have seperated the Basque country from the rest of Spain for hundreds of years. Just the drive in itself is enough to understand how the autonomous languages and cultures of Spain have remained seperate and strong-the thought of travel through these parts without national highways, bridges, tunnels, and a car even just 100 years ago is incredible. 

Galicia

Basque Country

We arrived to San Sebastian about sunset, and headed up Mount Igueldo to the campsite where we had reserved two nights. A long line of campers, speaking German, Spanish, French, and English, sat waiting to make their reservation. We were happy to have called ahead knowing we would have a place to sleep. After about 40 minutes we got to our campsite set up the tent, and headed back down the mountian into the city. 

Without a map, just a small guidebook and the help of a few San Sebastianites we made our way to the old town and the world famous Pintxos-the Basque Country has more Michelin stars than any other part of Spain. Being Monday night, there wasn't much going on in the city, but looking into the pintxo bars the array of beautifully arranged plates overflowing with little Basque style hors d'ourves was making us hungry. After a stroll around we picked a bar called Iskiña-probably the best place we tried while we were there. An animated waiter explained to us how the system worked-ask for a plate, fill the plate with whatever you want, show the waiter the plate when you have finished (to heat up anything that needs to be warm and keep track of your tab) and enjoy. Our favorites were the most amazing perfectly melted Croquetas de Jamon, and the Cod specialties Bacalao Pil Pil-melt in your mouth garlicy goodness (and it must be said I usually don't like Bacalao) and Bacalao a la Vizcayana-delcious tomato peppery sauce with shredded bacalao-warm and delicious. A few cañas and two plates later we headed to see Playa de la Concha where in September Hollywood stars pose at the Donostia Film Festival, and the lights of the city and the mountians lining the beach were sparkling. We headed back up Igueldo for the night, ready to pick up our guests bright* and early at the train station the next morning. 

(click on the links in the text for travel info and recipes)

Coca

Not your average Spanish tortilla dinner, coca is like a Spanish style pizza/foccacia. My lovely friend Ashley spends her summers in Menorca with her husband's family and says coca is an everyday staple in their diet-I'm hoping that one day we can take a summer trip to the island to visit them and try the real thing, but until then the recipe from Dabble magazine (jul-aug.issue pg. 143) is going to have to suffice.

(ps.I'm totally diggin dabble the perfect mix of design, food, and travel in an online magazine.)

The Calixtinus Code

Yesterday a robbery on the scale of Da Vinci Code craziness was revealed in Santiago. The Codex Calixtinus, a  one of the oldest historical books in Europe was declared missing from its vault in the cathedral of Santiago. The priceless 12 century book contians the history St. James and the Camino de Santiago and is revered as Europe's first travel guide. 

The cathedral staff think it went missing on Sunday afternoon but didn't publish the news until yesterday after searching long and hard throughout the cathedral. It's an unbelievable story, these mysteries really happen and so close to home? Incredible. It will be interesting to finally find out what happened and where the codex is...but until then Dan Brown get your pen ready. Read more here. 

Cies!

Summer is here! And so is the end of the academic year! The academy celebrated with an incredible día de convivencia laboral on the sea. 

Leaving from the port of Vigo we headed to the Cies islands where we anchored and either swam to shore (a few brave souls) or dove off the boat and swam in the "deep end" until the dingy came to take us ashore (my diving was more a cannonball-never have been able to dive!) 

 After, lunch was served aboard-jumbo shrimp, Galician empanada, various savoury pastries, and crab- and we headed to Portonovo where our journey ended, but not before anchoring again with a few more dives and some more swimming.   

 (photos courtesy of Niki T. and Ruth, merci ladies!) 

Hemingway

Next time we're in Madrid maybe we'll take some detours to follow this Hemingway route via the New York Times (minus the bullfights). Time to dust off For Whom the Bell Tolls from the bookshelf for some summer reading.