Sunday, July 17. No rest for me, even on Sundays. The proof today, we went in the direction of Spain in Donostia (San Sebastian) with a visit at neighborhoods Gros, Centro,
Amara Viejo, Parte Vieja and the Castillo de la Mota (Monte Urgull) and the beach La Concha. Here is the video of the day.
Already, I want to say that the sun Standing in Spain is a legend. We left in a gray de Guiche, via motorway towards Bayonne and then Donostia. The rain begins to fall already from St. Jean de Luz
and we will follow to the parking lot in Donostia. I also stated that finding the parking has been a true treasure hunt because the highway road signs in Spain ... huuu is not that at all.
Notice then: unless you know well the route or that one is Spanish, it is better to take a good map or a GPS. I do not know if it's the same everywhere in the rest of Spain but in donostia any case,
for example, on the Avenida de Navarra or the Avenida de Zurriola, we have a fire every 20m (preferably red). I counted over 20 of these two small streets (they are not very long).
Enough of chatter on the quality of outstanding Spanish and start reporting. San Sebastian French, San Sebastián-Donostia in Spanish and Basque is an important seaside resort on the banks, not the Atlantic Ocean
but the Cantabrian Sea. It was taken for it called the''pearl of the Cantabrian''by its beauty and its location. The city has just under 200,000 people (2011), the city and its suburbs have about 110,000 when in
their people. The city has known very (too) many reconstructions due to fires (more than 6 times in 200 years) is another fire in 1489, which will force the city and its inhabitants to build in stone and no
longer wood. It is also from this period that the city, before essentially become a commercial site with its military port (Pasaia) and will become a walled city and fortress to protect Spain from French attacks.
Shook the city in a state of permanent war until 1719 when the French army of Marshal Berwick shoed down the city.It's two years later that French troops withdraw thanks to the Hague Peace. The city will
continue to be strengthened until 1863 and after the War of Independence, August 31, 1813, a last fire caused by the Anglo-Portuguese troops will leave only two standing houses and 35 parishes because of British
and Portuguese officials to resided. 12 fires have ravaged the city until 1863, there has been no more since. But the misfortunes of the city are not finished, in fact, in 1918 the Spanish flu is wreaking havoc.
It seems that is where started the pendémie that struck Europe.
We start the visit by the search for Donostia the tourist office. We pass the Puente de Zurriola towards the Parte Vieja (our car park is the Avenida de Zurriola). Once the tourist office and found the
machine distribution map of the city used (very funny this system, rather than let people make their map directly in displays, you ask a machine like an enormous photocopier us give one
(with choice of language and must provide information, how long we stay, purpose of visit, how many people and their ages as well as the captain). we will then open in the direction north
to the church of San Vicente (St. Vincent). Personally I would rather say a cathedral because of the size of the building but hey, I am not giving names. San Vicente is the oldest church
of San Sebastian, built in the early 16th century, it houses one of the finest Roman altarpieces (Ambrosio de Bengoechea and Juan de Iriarte) and an organ made by M. Cavaille-Coll in 1868.
It must also note its beautiful stained glass windows and a crown well known to the Christians.
Leaving the church, again a little rain. It is almost 13:30, it is time to think about eating. Before coming we decided that we eat tapas or rather Pintxoak (or pintxos in other parts of Spain)
(pintxo singular). We have now arrived in LA CEPA, a small tapas bar that has a room next door yet not so small that in the end. The nice thing is that if we do not know how it's done in
a tapas bar, just ask someone from LA CEPA and we also know how much that any Donostiarra (Donostia resident) after a few explanations. In addition to an excellent atmosphere, food is also
excellent (so much so that I began to cook also pintxoak me with great pleasure). But I must also add that taking a meal in a tapas bar in Spain without taking at least one glass of handmade
sangria is a bit like if we had assumed that 2 / 3 of the meal. And there also the sangria from the tapas bar in LA CEPA is frankly very good (ha is much more than what is found in stores).
What is a Pintxo ?
The pintxo is a small slice of bread that served as the basis to protect the contents of the glass (wine, beer) from insects. Then we added different ingredients on the bread like fish, ham,
potato tortilla, etc ... typical of the region. Today, the pintxoak are arranged in plates spread all over the counter, and are payable to the unit. One finds all sorts, consisting of
miscellaneous nature, grilled, fried or cooked in sauce: fish, crustaceans, shellfish, sausage, meat, vegetables. Considered for a meal and cooking competitions, more and more people
take their meals in alternate tapas bars where they can eat pintxoak leaning on the counter talking with friends and sipping a drink at the bar and then move below to start.
At the end of the meal, after some discussion with someone from LA CEPA, it offers us a glass of Patxaran homemade. This is a drink made of aniseed, cinnamon, coffee and endrina (plum)
and it's really very good. I note in passing that we had a great meal (and we saw our fill is used for the amount of Pintxoak) and cheap (in fact, the 2€ Pinxto (such as a mouse pc gamer)
with at least the same volume that a large banana (so 100 to 150g per pintxo). Thank you to LA CEPA for introducing me to the Pintxoak and giving me want to cook them well.
After eating and discussed, we set off again towards the Castillo de la Mota and we pass the Museo Municipal (which, incidentally, has some of the walls with... holes).
Then we go up the street 31 de Agosto and walk past the church of Santa Maria.
Just behind the church, here is the path that leads to the Castillo (castle), the slope is steep, it promises after eating. After a while, we have arrived at a fortified gate overlooking
part of the Old Town (Parte Vieja neighborhood). I take this opportunity to film a bit and do 2 panoramic views:
On the door flapping in the wind the Ikurriña, the flag Euskal (Basque).
We continue to climb in the forest of Monte Urgull (at the top is the Castillo de la Mota) and we can see some ruins.
After half an hour climb we are in the fortress. The Monte Urgull is about 123m high, it makes a good short climb to digest ... The Castillo has three chapels, one of which is devoted to Christ de la Mota.
It serves as a pedestal to the Sacred Heart (Sagrado Corazon) of 12.50m high (like in Rio de Janeiro). The fortress was the last bastion of the French troops during the siege of the
city in 1813. Today we can see the whole city of Donostia and the Cantabrian Sea and the island of Santa Clara is located in the middle of the Bahía de la Concha in front of the beach
the same name. We can also visit a museum about the city and the history of San Sebastian and its nearby region. Enthroned on the ramparts still cannons defended the fort.
After enjoying thoroughly gusts of wind, we go down rather quickly because the black clouds come and we are good to take the shower. It does not matter, rain and wind, it takes longer for
me to stop reporting. Direction the beach de la Concha.
Formerly a casino built in 1887, it was closed in 1924 due to ban the game. Converted in 1928 as the tourist office, he changed again in 1945 to become mayor of San Sebastian.
On the beach, you can see a statue (bronze?) two persons known but fiction: Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.
Then go a little to the beach (deserted because of the time) there are a lot of jellyfish washed up (and even a small coin which I do not know anything about the origin). There
are seagulls (or at least seabirds) that take advantage of their lunch time to do what the sea throws on the sand.
It is time to think back, it is not far from 16.30. We'll go by Amara Viejo neighborhood where we can see the Buen Pastor Cathedral. Built between 1889 and 1897, it is first a
parish church. It became a cathedral in the creation of the diocese in Donostia in 1949. From a neo-Gothic style designed by Manuel de Echave and inspired by the Cologne Cathedral
in Germany, his plan (based on the Latin cross) shows an aisle bordered with side aisle that are lined in the apse. The apse has not (compared to cathedrals in the region) ambulatory.
The length of the nave is 64m to 25m in height under ceiling. The total height of the cathedral is 75m. The name of ''tips'' that adorn the bell tower are called ''Pinnacles''.
We set off towards the bridge Puente Ma Cristina in front of the train station and we can see the gardens along the Urumea (the river) up to the Gros neighborhood decorated
with sculptures and beautiful floral arrangements, despite the rain. As well as fountains and architecture of the old town of Donostia.
And unfortunately the report of the day ends here. We returned to Guiche and tomorrow is the last day of the report, after it will go. The day in Spain has been very
interesting and I would have learned a lot (and also gave a mad desire to eat again quickly Pintxoak). I take this opportunity to finish that day reporting on a recipe
for sweet Pinxto:
Ingredients for 2 pintxoak:
- 2 slices of baguette cut at 45 ° (so that the slices are long)
- 60g of goat cheese very fresh
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon liquid honey
-1 Pinch of chili from Espelette in powder
Mix the cheese, olive oil, honey and chilli and form a dome on each of the two slices of bread to use all the mixture. Tasting fresh.
