San Sebastián

Okay, so the following is a blog post about day two in Bilbao, but really we weren't in Bilbao. Karin and I took a day trip to San Sebastián, which is supposedly more touristy than Bilbao and I can see why...the beach. San Sebastián is right on a bay and it is really pretty so I can understand why it is more touristy. Especially when it's summer and beach weather! Anyway, we started off our morning pretty slow. We taxied to the bus station and slept literally the entire way since we were out late the night before. When we arrived, we walked around, ate lunch at McDonald's (unfortunately, ha), and then we started our ascent up this hill that had some buildings and stuff at the top. I'm still really not sure what the place was, some sort of a castle or fort? Just looked it up, it's called Castle of the Holy Cross and it is indeed a fortress that has played major roles in defending the city. And, to prove that it has been a successful fortress, there is also an English cemetery on the mount for some English soldiers that were killed there during a battle in 1813.

Karin and I on Mount Urgull

Bay of La Concha

Basque Country flag waving on Mount Urgull

After we took several pictures, we started to go down the hill only to realize that the way we went down was blocked off, so we had to go back around the mount, which wasn't ideal, but it was too much of a detour. We were just anxious to see the beach. Well, I just gave it away. The beach was next. We walked on it briefly got some pictures and admired the view. We (well at least I was) were wishing that we (I) could be laying on the beach in the summer weather. It really was a beautiful day that day, just not beach weather, ya know?

City Hall in San Sebastián

Bay of La Concha

After the beach, we walked around for a little longer to the plaza and in some souvenir shops, then our last stop, before the bus stop, was the cathedral: Catedral del Buen Pastor de San Sebastián. We didn't go in because it was closed, but the outside is beautiful! It was really tall too, so it was hard to get a picture of the whole thing, but oh well.

After the church, we walked to the bus station and waited for the bus. We got there super early, but it was okay, because we just sat and chatted and laughed and had ourselves a grand old time. Once back in Bilbao, we took the street car home and then ate dinner. We took a short trip out because we were craving chocolate, then once back at home we watched Christmas Vacation, which was SO great because it was the first real Christmas movie that I watched of the season! Such a great movie and a great way to end my day! Day two in the north of Spain..check. Again, keep your eye open for our last day in Bilbao! Hasta luego!