San Sebastian/Donostia
Update August 14: Thanks to Kelly's comment, I will now remember forever the fish below is a Cuttlefish!
Of all the great buildings and churches we would see on this trip, of all the cities and castles and towns we would see rich with history (both world and personal), I have to admit that I was really, really, really looking forward to our three-plus days in San Sebastian. Also known as Donostia in the Basque language, it is a beautiful city with pristine beaches on the Bay of Biscay.
Of all the great buildings and churches we would see on this trip, of all the cities and castles and towns we would see rich with history (both world and personal), I have to admit that I was really, really, really looking forward to our three-plus days in San Sebastian. Also known as Donostia in the Basque language, it is a beautiful city with pristine beaches on the Bay of Biscay.
As our train pulled southwards out of Bordeaux, and as we approached Hendaye, the French town on the border, our family's excitement for a few days at the beach grew. We saw blue skies, and clear ocean water from the train window.
It was cold but sunny that late afternoon when we arrived at San Sebastian in the taxi and checked into our hotel. Right before we left for supper, I tweeted this picture with the caption Greetings from Colder than Expected Spain
As soon as we left the hotel that evening, it started to rain. And it seldom stopped raining the rest of our time there.
It wasn't our sunny beach vacation but we made the best of it.
More after the jump
We did get to the beach every day, though not for hours in a beach chair under a sun umbrella like I envisioned it. One benefit of it being cold and rainy was that we basically had the beach to ourselves.
Some of the best beaches in Spain, the guidebooks touted.
Even cold and wet, it was A BEACH. We've felt pretty starved for some beach time. Myles certainly was.
Sunday Mass we attended at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. It was built in the late 19th century, which seems so new compared to the Dom and the churches of Bordeaux. After the Siege of San Sebastian in 1813, though, the entire city was burned, so most construction dates after that.
The Mass was actually in Basque language, Euskara, which I had never before heard. Listening to the homily especially, I was struck how the cadence and pronunciations sounded like nothing I have ever encountered.
It was beautiful, regardless of its, ahem, newness.
While walking around the wet but still charming streets of the Old Town
we came to the Basilica of Mary of the Choir. This church sits at the end of the Calle de 31 Augusto, the only street to survive the 1813 fire. The church was built in the 1700s.
And every good beach town should have an aquarium, for the rainy days. The Aquarium Donostia/San Sebastian has actually been in existence since 1923. The current aquarium was an enjoyable distraction from the rainy-not-going-to-the-beach blues.
It had the requisite sharks and odd-ball fish, like this one.
I didn't write its name down, because I thought that looked like that I could not possible forget its name. And then I, uh, did.
The last morning we took one final trip to the beach. The rain slowed and we actually started to see the clouds break up. Just in time for us to leave.
It was cold but sunny that late afternoon when we arrived at San Sebastian in the taxi and checked into our hotel. Right before we left for supper, I tweeted this picture with the caption Greetings from Colder than Expected Spain
As soon as we left the hotel that evening, it started to rain. And it seldom stopped raining the rest of our time there.
It wasn't our sunny beach vacation but we made the best of it.
More after the jump
We did get to the beach every day, though not for hours in a beach chair under a sun umbrella like I envisioned it. One benefit of it being cold and rainy was that we basically had the beach to ourselves.
Some of the best beaches in Spain, the guidebooks touted.
Even cold and wet, it was A BEACH. We've felt pretty starved for some beach time. Myles certainly was.
Sunday Mass we attended at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. It was built in the late 19th century, which seems so new compared to the Dom and the churches of Bordeaux. After the Siege of San Sebastian in 1813, though, the entire city was burned, so most construction dates after that.
The Mass was actually in Basque language, Euskara, which I had never before heard. Listening to the homily especially, I was struck how the cadence and pronunciations sounded like nothing I have ever encountered.
It was beautiful, regardless of its, ahem, newness.
While walking around the wet but still charming streets of the Old Town
we came to the Basilica of Mary of the Choir. This church sits at the end of the Calle de 31 Augusto, the only street to survive the 1813 fire. The church was built in the 1700s.
And every good beach town should have an aquarium, for the rainy days. The Aquarium Donostia/San Sebastian has actually been in existence since 1923. The current aquarium was an enjoyable distraction from the rainy-not-going-to-the-beach blues.
It had the requisite sharks and odd-ball fish, like this one.
I didn't write its name down, because I thought that looked like that I could not possible forget its name. And then I, uh, did.
The last morning we took one final trip to the beach. The rain slowed and we actually started to see the clouds break up. Just in time for us to leave.
Comments
its SO gorgeous and man do they do churches right!
looks like you had a blast!
Cuttlefish!
Love the pictures of the beach and the cuttlefish.