Ole, Ole, Ole - Pamplona Part 1

I've said this year was the year of events travel - seeing all of the major festivals that are only really possible because I'm living over here and would most likely never do without living here. 

One of those main festivals is the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona.  Isn't that every American crazy person's dream to run with the bulls?  Don't worry - it was never my plan to run with them and having seen it twice now, it is not my plan to ever run with them.

I met my friend L on Thursday for a flight from Amsterdam to Bilbao.  Bilbao is famous for the Guggenheim museum, which I saw from the bus, but will have to go back to visit some day.  I think it's worth a second trip to the region just for the Basque flavor alone because....

We took a bus to San Sebastian to spend one night and get acclimated to Spain.  Bus was really easy once we figured out the outside of the airport and the signs.  It's much like Italy in that a little bit of Spanish (Italian) goes a long way...no habla ingles.  It's about an hour bus ride to San Sebastian.  We had a hotel along the water, which was a very pleasant 20 minute walk through the newer part of San Seb.  We saw the cathedral:



Then dropped our stuff at the hotel and walked to the old town, stopping for pictures along the promenade:

What an amazing city - having seen Nice and other cities along the south French coast, San Seb wins hands down.  Maybe it was just the night we were there, but I was kicking myself for only one night in San Seb.  I will be making a return.

View of the old town hanging off the cliffs

Beautiful boats in the harbor

You can see the Jesus statue in the far right hand side, which was added in 1950.  Reminds me of Rio (haven't been, but assume it's close)

 Jesus statue

View from the boardwalk

After a walk along the boardwalk, we headed up to the old town for a tapas crawl, using the RS book as suggestions.  San Seb is a culinary delight.  I love love love the tapas, which is a first time I can say that.  I never really cared for them in the states - too expensive and never good enough.  I cannot say that about San Seb.  I fell in love.

Best tapas of the night were at the first place - calamari and spicy potatoes with cheap beer.  I'm salivating just thinking about it.

Second tapas bar - SOOO good

Last tapas bar, duck and goat cheese.  That's the good life in San Seb

A couple more pictures....

Old town stroll

Just an amazing city!

Part 2 to follow....