The Pleasures of San Sebastian

Although probably a lot less touristy than southern Spain, San Sebastian´s wide palm-lined boulevards and multi-lingual inhabitants seemed part of a completely different world than the one I had gotten used to in the Pyrenees. It was a nice change, but only for a short while. After a couple of hours on the promenades, I went off to explore some of the surprisingly uninhabited coastline north of the town. During my entire day of walking along the cliffs and past ruins of old aqueducts and fortifications, I met no other walkers except near the very start and end of the trip. My main companions on the journey were gigantic black slugs, slithering along the wet overgrown path, maintained by a local farmer for everyone to enjoy.

After taking in some spectacular coastal views and a few ripe figs along the way, I arrived at a narrow inlet, with small towns hanging above the water on either side. I crossed the inlet by water taxi and walked through Pasai Donibane, once residence of Victor Hugo, to take a return bus to San Sebastian.

Back in town, I went bar-hopping to sample some pinxtos, the delicious local version of tapas, usually consisting of bread topped with various elaborate concoctions of meat, vegetables and fish. I also managed to get laundry done in a real washing machine (a first in weeks) and get my usual "zero" haircut, which featured one of those frightful straight razors I had only seen before in movies.