OBSERVATIONS OF SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN

It is the start of 2016 and only now am I posting about a trip I took in August. Shameful. Part of the delay is due to work, but a significant part is I lost the desire to write. I even fell off in my journal! Considering the amount of traveling I did in 2015 I have a lot of catching up to do. What better start than one of my most favorite cities in the world to visit, San Sebastian, Spain!

Now, I wrote observations about turning 40, but I didn’t really talk about in detail where I celebrated my birthday. As far as I know, San Sebastian isn’t as well known as a Spanish tourist destination like Barcelona or Madrid or Southern Spain, but lord have mercy it should be! These are some things I notice every time I visit this city, because I try to visit as often as possible.

If you believe in horoscopes I’m a Virgo. A TRUE Virgo so I’m told. I’m super rational and logical and detest when people try to change my opinion based on emotionally backed arguments. So astrology and crystal energy and past lives is lost on me. Totally 100% lost on me. Or used to be, until I visited San Sebastian... Now, let me explain. The first time I visited San Sebastian was in 2004 with a group of co-workers for a short weekend getaway. We were living in France close to the Spanish border and had heard it was worth checking out. The second we arrived. I’m talking about SECOND I had this overwhelming sense of déjà vu. I was convinced I’d been there before and felt like I was coming home. Crazy right!? It was my first time there, and this was before Trip Advisor and Instagram. I seemed to always know where to go without asking people or having a map. Talk about out of body experience! Some years later, a very good friend of mine convinced me to speak to a psychic. Why? I can’t remember. For sure I had a smirk on my face from the start of the “session” cause I don’t believe in that mumbo jumbo one bit! So blah blah blah the woman is talking and suddenly starts talking about an ex-girlfriend of mine. My friend must have told her about this ex and this scam art..uumm.. psychic is trying to play on my emotions. Long story short she goes on to say my ex and I shared a big love somewhere in the very Northeast corner of Spain and that I have a really strong connection to the region. Now, as I’m so analytical I immediately assumed she’d gleaned this information from my friend, but I’d never told ANYONE how I felt when I was in San Sebastian. Not a single person because it was so unexplainable for a person who is always so focused on how to explain logically. And I hadn’t even started blogging at that point for someone to google me and read up on my travels. WEIRD! But in a way, it did explain my connection with this city. I said all of that to say San Sebastian is in my heart. I always feel as if I’ve come home when I visit. It’s like pure magic when I roam those streets. Those strong feelings I always have when I visit obviously might cloud my observations. And that’s my disclaimer.

First thing I observed about San Sebastian is that it’s like the greatest hits album of your favorite band, but for a country. Seriously. It takes all the things that make Spain great as a whole and packs them all into one city! It has the typical things one would expect from Spain, nice weather, friendly open people, relaxed culture. But then it has other things I’ve never experienced anywhere else in Spain. Part of the reason could be the French at different times controlled the region which adds to the unique culture of the city. I don’t know, but whatever the reason San Sebastian is a city that will always be on repeat for me.    

It has beaches right in the middle of the city. I mean seriously, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY! Not on the outskirts, but directly in the city center. You don’t run to the beach for your morning or evening jog, you start it at the bench as you come out of your apartment. How bada$$ is that?? I’m from Florida and let me tell you, not too many places have the beach in their city center. And for all you non Miami people that say South Beach SHUUD UP! South Beach is NOT Miami. It’s a vey small section of Miami that tourists visit and then say they know Miami. I’m sure there are other cities that have this, but I only know of San Sebastian.  Also, San Sebastian is a great destination for wind surfers. AND if you are a surfer, there is a public bus which takes you to top surfing spots in nearby France. A PUBLIC BUS that takes you to surfing spots in another country!?!? Beat that California!! So if relaxing on the beach isn’t enough for you, you take a scenic bus that costs less than $6 to get to another country to go surfing? Actually, I’m not sure why I’m so excited by that because I don’t lay out on the beach or go surfing or wind surfing. I guess I got excited for all of my white friends for a second. But the thought is beautiful though!

 Then there’s the food. San Sebastian has the second highest concentration of Michelin starred restaurants in the world. The EARTH people! Not the country, but the whole entire planet!! The tapas in San Sebastian are way beyond the simple ham and potatoes variety you find in many Spanish cities. Fresh fish and seafood every day of the week, and chefs who aren’t afraid to throw down in the kitchen?? What?? This city does not play with food. In general Spain is cheap when it comes to dining out, but in San Sebastian you’re definitely going to pay more, but you get more for your money also.

Another thing for me that was very apparent in San Sebastian is there style. I don’t know if it’s due to the French influence or what. But people in San Sebastian are smoooooth. I would put this city up against any other city in Europe for the best dressed. It’s this really nice mix of classy, but not too conservative; stylish, but not too pretentious. It’s a good mix they pull off collectively very well. Which in turn means shopping in San Sebastian is dangerous. Going shopping there is like going out to a bar with that one friend that is borderline alcoholic. You wake up the next morning doing the, “Where’s all my money?” game. You’re walking down the street window shopping and next thing you know you feel the weight of shopping bags holding you down and you have no idea how it happened. Leave your bank cards in the hotel room and only take a minimum amount of cash while you city explore. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

PLUS, the people are welcoming. Ok, I’ve lived in Berlin for the last 9 years so someone from Southern Spain might argue they aren’t. Well these are my observations so deal with it. For me, they are very nice and very welcoming. My first time in San Sebastian over 10 years ago I never once felt like my color was even on the list of things people recognized. I can’t say the same about Madrid my first time there. Now, it’s extremely possible that the history of the Basque Region where San Sebastian is located has something to do with that. It’s almost like they go out of there way to be nice to anyone not from the Madrid region of Spain just to piss off the people of Madrid. A lot. Again, it could just be because of my feelings for this place and I have selective memory. All I’m saying is I feel totally unguarded when I’m walking the streets.

My last observation of San Sebastian.. They have the beach which I mentioned, AND directly overlooking the city they have mountains. I know that's not SO unique, but how many cities have build a theme park at the top of the mountain!?! I sh*t you not people! They have a theme park at the top of a mountain with a view of the entire city!! It's called Monte Igueldo. It's not Disney World but who cares! You're on top of a mountain! I admit, I was a little scared riding the coaster, but I'm glad I did! Me no punk b*tch! I even videoed it here! 

Man, I could go on and on about San Sebastian, but then it would start to sound like a love letter and not independent observations of the city. Which might explain the magic I spoke about earlier. I love this city. If it were a woman it would be the one that got away, but as I get older I’m being drawn back to it with the promise of a reconciliation. No words to really explain it properly, and that’s why you need to visit yourself and experience it first hand.