DAY 4/5 Monday/Tuesday in San Sebastian:

San Seb Furit Stall in Market

It was quite brisk the next morning compared to the lovely weather we have been having. Still bright and clear but very cool for us hothouse plants! Breakfast was not until 9.30 so we were able to pack and get squared away before eating. Everyone had been down and eaten by the time we got there at 9.45! Good grief! What’s the hurry folks? Actually, I am not sure if there were others, except for the young couple who were before us on the spa circuit! Kinda spooky!  We loaded up and off we headed on the next leg of the journey. There were a few trucks in that little pueblo with construction workers redoing roofs and things, so someone must be buying these old houses! Actually if you work in Soria, which is now a good sized city, living in this little town would be nice, it is only ½ and hour away after all.

We decided to go to Elizondo for a quick visit as it is on the way to San Sebastian, just a little detour. Carmen Garmin navigated us very ably through Pamplona, which for her is a first ! It was lovely to be back. A potty stop which turned into lunch! Eskiseroi has the best lentejas (lentils) in the world, I think. Delish. It is so funny when we walk in somewhere and they smile and say “hola” and suddenly they pause, and realize that we look familiar and remember that they know us from…..? Elizondo is looking lovely and we bumped into Joaquin in the Plaza. He is on portable oxygen and using a motorized scooter but looking good for someone who is in his 80s. He was thrilled to see us and promised to pass on best wishes to Begonia and the rest. We will see them all in a few days anyway.

Garmin really was behaving herself and took us directly to the hotel. We drove into the underground garage with great trepidation, side mirrors pulled in, taking a deep breath and holding out stomachs in! Damn, these ramps are so narrow, I don’t think Paul breaths until he gets to the bottom!

Hotel is in a great location, directly across from Ondaretta beach. A simple room but fine for a couple of nights. As soon as we got there I called Carmina a dear friend from our first years in Elizondo. It was lovely to see her and we chatted and laughed over memories of how crazy we were as kids (youngsters). Aaah, those early years in Spain, what fun! She is a little lonely, I think, still missing her husband but keeping busy and travelling to her different places in country. San Seb, Elizondo, Marbella etc. We walked her back a little, towards town so that all of us had a little exercise for an evening stroll!! Though cool, it was a lovely evening.

After a light meal in the restaurant we headed up for the night. We are acclimating but I am not sure if I am ready for cold weather! Wimp! We have been having beaucoup trouble with the  phones. We could not communicate. (pipe down in the peanut gallery) In fact he bought an Orange Sim card in Alcala but he is not amused that he has no internet so the mission for Tuesday is to find an Orange store and get it fixed! Whoo! fun times! Easy enough bus ride into the Boulevard/Old Town center and we split up to find an Orange phone store. The young gal had Paul’s phone sorted in just a moment, but because Jane’s phone is acting up as ­­well we bought the 2^nd Orange SIM card. Now both of us have voice comm and Internet for the remainder of October. As that took up the morning, we went into the Old Town and thru the market looking for bargains and enjoying the fresh food smells. Lunch was a varied selection of tapas (pinchos) in Bar Marteniz in the backstreets: fresh tuna, pequillo peppers (deep fried), Txaca (crab) and Cod Cheeks (deep fried). Afterwards, we ambled down to the harbor to see the boats and the children out for a field trip screaming and yelling to each other as 3^rd graders do so well. Found the Tourist Office who sell bus passes 6 roundtrips for 9 euros. Next it is back to the hotel for a power nap and refresh.

Jane, Carmina, and Paul, San Sebastian

SS has a great feel to it. It is a beautiful vibrant city. It is so pleasant to wander around and stop for a coffee or beer and just do our favorite thing,……people watching! There were 4 or 5 elderly ladies next to us just yuking it up. Cackling and guffawing over some shared joke, the server was enjoying them too. I say elderly but we are that and they were older than us! They each had to pay 3 euros for their refreshments and one lady handed over a 50 note. Well that just cracked them up even more!