San Sebastian

We've been slow to post about the four nights we spent in San Sebastian, probably because this is such an amazingly beautiful and fun city that it seems like you'd have to write a lot. But in fact, visiting San Sebastian for us was all about the simple things. Sometimes a complex take on simple things, as in the many complicated and artfully arranged bar snacks that are the signature food of the city ("pintxos," the Basque version of tapas). But mostly we walked around, enjoyed the sunshine and warmth, watched waves and boats and surfers on the Atlantic, ate good food and drank the local wine and cider. Someday we hope to go back and do it all over again. 

The city is built around a circular bay, protected on either side by big hills/cliffs as well as a small island in the middle, Santa Klara. On the eastern side, Monte Urgull, there are walking paths and seating areas you can climb up to. It's a great place to climb around and watch the sunset.

The main beach, Playa de la Concha, from above.

A boat on the bay at sunset.

Jeff likes sunsets. Having his picture taken, not so much.

Me climbing. Once we got higher up on these stairs, it became pretty apparent that this was no longer an official route to the top, but it worked anyway.

There's a giant statue of Jesus topping the old military fortifications on the top of the hill.

On the other side of the bay, there's a viewing area at the bottom :

(you can just barely see the big JC on Monte Urgull in the distance)

But you have to take a funicular to the top of Monte Igueldo. The funicular was inaugurated in 1912 and is therefore almost a hundred years old. They say they've updated the mechanics, that only the actual seating car is the same, so there's nothing to worry about, but you know...

I worry a little.

Here's the view from the top. Worth the ride.

There is also a "FunFair" at the top of Monte Igueldo, including an Olde Mill (or equivalent), a Casa Del Terror, bumper cars, and other things that I guess children like. Such as the world's scariest roller coaster, first constructed in 1925:

Updated since then, surely? Doesn't look like it.

Even if it didn't break, I would die from a heart attack on this thing. 

San Sebastian also has a good surfing beach, less protected and with better waves. 

It is also, I think, a good place for performance art. Or to stand and stare out at the sea and think about the vicissitudes of life. 

Not entirely sure which activity this lady was engaged in.

Or indeed if she was born a lady.

We have now been back in Paris for almost a week, and it's as rainy and grey as ever, but at least I feel assured that the sky is still blue and the sun still exists. In Spain, anyway.

Bon Nadal!

The weather has obliged us by turning beautiful, so we have been getting our fill of sunshine and warmth here while France is apparently taking another walloping. Yesterday we went to the Park Güell, designed by Gaudí (the same architect who created most of the designs of the Sagrada Família) with amazing mosaics made of broken tiles and buildings that look like they belong in a Dr. Seuss book. Here we are at the highest point of the park:

(That's the Sagrada Família in the background behind Jeff)

Afterwards we went out and ate an absurd amount of seafood. As Midwesterners, we feel it is our duty to eat as many fishy and crawly things as possible when near the source, even though we are not sure how to do it elegantly or if some parts of it will kill us. We wished for the camera to document the giant mess of shells for you, but you can imagine.

Today we visited some of the many gardens on Montjuïc, a hill in the southwestern part of the city. Unfortunately the camera battery died, so we don't have much proof, but rest assured that the sun was shining gloriously, the sky was perfectly clear, the views of the city and the Mediterranean were amazing, and we had a great time.

We did get these photos in the awesome older botanical garden, which is built into this weird little gully on the hill. You will unfortunately have to rely on the internet for more pictures of this area.

In honor of Christmas Eve, there's a choral rendition of Christmas carols on TV, and right now a special message from the King (he looks very serious, I think he is talking about how much he likes Spain even if the economy's in the tank, or something like that), and we are having a big dinner. At the Boqueria Mercat off La Rambla, we got some gorgeous steaks and local "bloody milk cap" mushrooms (so-named because a red liquid seeps out when you cut them, not because they are poison), and Jeff is going to work his magic upon them pretty soon. Here's the before shot:

Tomorrow we're off to San Sebastian, so we'll be spending most of Christmas on a train, thinking about how much we miss you all, no doubt. Happy Christmas, joyeux noël, feliz navidad, bon nadal (catalan!), and much love to everybody.

Barcelona 2: Sagrada Família

After our first lovely, sunny day in Barcelona, the rain has caught up to us. Don't get me wrong, this is better than the frozen slush that has been inundating Paris and apparently ruining the Christmas break plans of thousands. But wet weather does somewhat hamper our usual touristic adventures: exploring neighborhoods and wandering for hours without any particular destination, hitting up the food markets for snacks or dinner supplies, and checking out the parks. We try to stroll romantically under an umbrella, but I think that only works in movies or for couples around the same height.

So we've been checking out some of the quite impressive indoor offerings here. One of them is the Sagrada Família, quite possibly the coolest church you're likely to see. Sure, Notre Dame de Paris is incredible, but to me, it feels very much like something from the past, like something that meant a lot to people a few hundred years ago. But a contemporary design, still under construction, being built now, relevant now - that's far more engaging and interesting. You get a sense of what it takes to build something so huge, the money and man power involved, the dedication necessary.

I hope I'll get to see it when it's done, when it should have a whole nother facade and a giant main tower, taller than the rest by about a third. I read they're hoping to complete it by 2026 for the anniversary of the original architect's death.

Here's some of our pictures:

They just got the organ in this year, in time for consecration by the Pope in November.

The roof of the nave, just totally enclosed this year.

The altar and the crucifix.

Turtles: at the basis of everything. 

What's underneath the turtle? Another turtle. Obviously.

Barcelona and the Three Miracles

Miracle #1

We arrived at Gare de Lyon in Paris an hour before our departure to find that none of the ticket machines take American credit cards and that the will-call ticket line was about two hours long. We bought tickets online but had no way to conjure them physically. This resulted in much panic, running around and the brief cussing out of an old woman. She interrupted me while I was trying to talk to the information person- it was somewhat deserved. Five minutes before the train took off, we discovered the "just get on the train and figure it out later" method. This is the method we will use from now on. The super friendly train guys voided our e-tickets and sold us new ones, at a lower rate. They even found us seats, saving us from five hours perched on benches in the train bar.

Miracle #2

Due to another dumping of snow on northern France, our train had to go slower than usual, putting us behind schedule. We were going to arrive about forty-five minutes late to meet our connecting train in Figueras. Resigned to spending a night in what I'm sure is a quite lovely town, we arrived to find our connecting train waiting in the station. I guess it makes sense, but it was stressful at the time. Also, even though we had not bought a ticket for this leg of the trip, the ticket guy seemed to think we had, even when looking at the ticket that said we had not. It was confusing, but we did not correct him.

Miracle #3

About 11:45 we rolled into Barcelona, bought subway tickets and got on our train. In desperate need of food and drink, we wondered what, if anything might still be open in the rather quiet neighborhood where our hotel is located. After check-in and a brief look around the room, we went searching. Luckily, it didn't take long. Directly across the street, the only light for kilometers, stood a purveyor of the classic late night trash food: Doner Kebab. Gyros, basically. In some sort of combination of English, Spanish and French, I ordered our dinner and a bottle of Rioja to go. It was kind of like the loaves and fishes thing, if I am remembering the Bible correctly.

Barcelona is lovely, sunny and warm- about 60°F today. It's a welcome, relaxing change from the cold, gray rain and snow of Paris. Today we walked down to the beach and had a huge lunch from which we are now recovering. Our hotel is amazing- the best I've ever stayed in. Check it out here: Eric Vökel Barcelona Suites. It's going to be tough to leave, but the plan is to head to San Sebastian on Christmas day.