When I arrived in San Sebastian, it was raining and dark. I had taken the train from Barcelona that afternoon, watching the Spanish countryside pass by in anticipation for my arrival. I was dreaming about laying on the beach and practicing my slowly growing Spanish vocabulary. I was tired from my adventures in Barcelona and could not wait to be in a smaller beach town. So, when I arrived to a rainy seaside town, I was a little disappointed. The cab driver spoke very little English and something that sort of resembled Spanish, but not enough for me to understand. After 5 minutes, he was able to figure out where I needed to go and off we went.
I rented a room in an apartment off Airbnb.com like I did in Barcelona and hoped my little research on the area would pay off. As I entered the building, I saw a tall twisting staircase in front of me and proceeded to climb the stairs up to the 3rd floor. I reminded myself that I was strong as I hauled my heavy suitcase up the stairs.
The man who was to be my roommate for the next 4 days greeted me with a smile and pointed to the lift and asked why I didn't use it. I laughed at myself for not looking around the lobby downstairs for such a thing. He was kind and had a map ready for me with points of interest marked as well as the apartment's location so walking around would be a breeze. I was grateful for his kindness and very clean apartment and went to sleep.
The next day, I rose bright and early to wander around to familiarize myself with the area. It was very cold with strong winds and drizzle. I decided my first stop was going to be a coffee shop with warm pastries. I found a lovely spot near a square which had an amazing variety of pastries and coffee. I sat at a window and wrote while watching people walk by in the downpour that had started while I sipped my cortado.
When the rain stopped, I walked to the beach in hopes of tanning. The weather was still very cold and windy so I just walked the boardwalk until I reached a mountain. I saw the famous symbol for the Camino de Santiago that I have been contemplating on walking and decided to follow the sign to see a portion of this 500 mile trek. As I was ascending the mountain, the views became more spectacular and the weather warmed. I offered up my gratitude on this small portion of the trail and descended to revel in the sun on the beach below.
With the sun out, the water was a brilliant turquoise. A few brave sunbathers and swimmers flocked to the shore. I found a patio overlooking the beach and ordered what was to be my first mind blowing dish in San Sebastian...Iberican jamon tosta-- Iberican jamon on top of crusty bread with tomato rubbed into it, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. The jamon in Spain is amazing. It is full of flavor and sliced perfectly thin. So delicious.
Contentment was the only emotion available at that moment and I basked in its beauty. With the gorgeous water, mouth watering food and warm sun, the beginning of my San Sebastian trip proved to be just what I needed after the vibrant, gorgeous and addicting cacophony of Barcelona.
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