February 13 – 14, 2017 –
With John and Eileen in tow we headed off to the Basque region of Spain. We took a train from Barcelona to San Sebastian on the Bay of Biscay, Spain’s northern coast. 
The Basque people, with their own language and culture, have been seeking independence from Spain. To date the Spanish government has blocked it but allowed them more autonomy than other regions. Thankfully, the protests for separatism are no longer violent, but the sentiment is still very much alive. Marches are frequent, and signs and banners are posted everywhere.
San Sebastian, located right on the Bay of Biscay is a magnet for tourists. The weather is mild, the views across the bay and from the top of the hills above the city beautiful, including a long and wide beach around the perimeter of the bay. 
And then there are the pinxtos (pinchos). 
San Sebastian, especially Old Town, is known for creating the pinxto, a small slice of bread with toppings and a toothpick stuck in. Creativity is the key here with everything from cheese to pig cheeks to be found. Each pinxto bar has its own specialty and most tourists have a glass of wine with a pinxto at one bar then continue on to another and repeat the process. Over an evening it becomes a pinxto crawl.
The city of San Sebastian operates the oldest funicular in the Basque region, Funicular de Monte Igueldo, located at the southern end of La Concha Bay. We rode the 100 year old funicular, with its wooden carriages, to the highest point in the city which provided sweeping views of the bay, la Concha beach, the city and the rolling agricultural hills beyond. 
At the top you can visit the fairgrounds and several restaurants, or just take in a stroll to enjoy the beautiful views and see why San Sebastian is called the “The Pearl of the Cantabrian Sea”.
Gallery Photos of San Sebastian
