BikeSanSebastianRestDayFive

A lazy rise today with a 9.15 breakfast! A rest day in San Sebastián. A coolish morning but pleasant in the afternoon. Didn’t stop some hardy souls from swimming in the beach.
We caught the bus to the town centre and found the starting point for the Little Red Tourist train, near the wide canal that is part of this attractive city. Having done our reconnaissance, we wandered.
First was lunch. Hard to do just a quick snack in Spain, but managed to get by with one course. Then through the old town, rebuilt after being obliterated in the 1813 war with England and Portugal. A notable conquistador from that war was featured in the park. Interesting to see children being picked up from school. Their playground consisted of 4 small corners like the one in the photo.
Had to take photo of the fluffy sort-of-cypresses. Introduced in the 1800’s,  they are a prominent feature of this coastal town.
The beach is the focal point of San Sebastián, and deservedly so. Very clean, showers and taps to wash your feet, oodles of sand and so readily accessible. Even the junior soccer team trained along the shore. I was amused by the lines of umbrellas, tents and awnings for daily hire. The tucked-away bathing tents reminded me of the brooms in the Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
The town was a favourite of former royalty and their summer house sits on an appropriate knoll in the middle of the bays. It was calming to walk around its now-public gardens.
We finished the day as the locals do...pintxos at a bar. All the counters of the bars are laden with elaborate canapés, tapas in Spanish, but pintxos in Basque. We enjoyed San Sebastián. As the lady at the motorbike shop said ( Tony needed new riding gloves. All of that clutch movement has worn them out), San Sebastián is “tranquille.” Into France tomorrow. Lourdes. Could be wet.