August 26th, 2007

Well, I guess that someone has sung us all Happy Birthday over the phone. It always draws a smile in our face, doesn't it? This guy who was crazily in love with me used to dedicate me songs in the radio. Every Saturday and Sunday, no exception. It was pretty embarrassing, dunno why. I felt like everyone would know that it was me, even though my last name wasn't mentioned. I have them recorded in old tapes and it's been a long time sice I don't listen to them *sigh* Disco times LMAO. He was a total sweetie, and pretty hot indeed. Not to mention that he knew how to grab a girl to dance to a romantic and slow song. Whoa, whoa, press the brakes BM, I am rambling again :oops:

Calvin and Hobbes are propriety of Bill Watterson and Universal Press Syndicate.

Awwwwwww, you can't tell me that this wasn't the sweetest stripe ever. I love it when Calvin says that Hobbes is squeezing his tears out. Like some kind of a sponge. I totally loved it. And I'm gonna use it most definitely. I'm such a weepy girl, that it will come in handy. It is a great truth that a hug that it's given from the heart is a really valuable present. Don't you think so? :)

On the personal note, ok, so yesterday we covered stage 1, aka the Zurriola beach and the Cubes. Today moving on to Stage 2, the New Promenade.

We have to cross over the Urumea river by the Kursaal Bridge to reach the beginning of the New Promenade. I guess that the New Promenade was so called "new" when it was first built, but the name stood so I dunno how old it is now, but it is still called the New Promenade. It goes all around Urgull mountain, by the sea, and this is the point where the Cantabric sea shows his fury with more strength. The stones that finish off the wall, have to be replaced from time to time, because the huge waves jump all over, wearing them out amazingly. Yes, I am in love with my city, bite me :D

Here we see the Zurriola Beach in the background, and you can appreciate how the mountain is totally exposed to the sea, so you can figure that a way that goes round it is windy and constantly wet with the salty breeze of the sea. However, it is really beautiful, because you keep the ocean all the time at your right, and little by little, as you go round it, you start to glimpse the first bits of the St. Clara Island and finally the gorgeous San Sebastian bay.

This is the very beginning of the New Promenade, and that building is the Photographic Society. From this point onwards, there are no buildings, there is no point in building them there. Why? You may ask. Well, right before the Photographic Society there is a hotel which windows are constantly broken with the fury of the sea. I bet that they have to charge expensively for a room with the excuse of the great views, because they spend a lot of money in window replacement. From this point onwards the Promenade is closed to the cars when the forecast predicts bad weather. Why again? Because the waves ruin the cars. You don't believe me? You'll see it for yourselves.

This is the next bit, which is a bit calmer than the last one. Penny had the rare chance to see a calm New Promenade. I hadn't seen such a calmer sea for years. Both bf and I were amazed. Not everyday we have the huge kind of waves, but the sea is always beating hard against the wall. You taste the iodine of the sea only by licking your lips. There are tiny water drops suspended in the air constantly. But not the other day. It was amazing. You can even see some bits of the remains of an old castle that fought quite a lot of wars from the top of the mountain. There are quite a few remains, but we didn't have the chance to visit it :(

This is the next bit. New benches and railing and litter bins have been placed, all made out of stainless steel. Go ask Penny how rotten they were already. The sea just eats anything in the New Promenade. But people just love getting a raincoat and going for a walk in there. People from San Sebastian are totally in love with their city, and forgive such inconveniences to enjoy a nice view. Can you tell? :wink:


Here we are arriving to the last bit. The Igueldo mountain, that closes the city by the east can be seen already. Up there we will end our first day trip. Here is where the sea beats more bravely. The Promenade gets wider. Since the summer festivals were held when Penny came visiting, all the fun fairs where set in this point. I know, it doesn't make much sense, but there is a lot of space and people love it in here. You can't imagine the feeling of going for a ride in one of those attractions and look like you are going to be expelled to the sea or smacked against the mountain. And man, did we experienced it. But hey, I'm just anticipating :)

And this the last bit, the more dangerous one. The other day was pretty much like this, only that even calmer. See how wide it is? When there is bad weather, people gather in here to go play with the waves. And the weather in San Sebastian is quite unpredictable. There is this atmospheric phenomenon called "galerna" that makes the temperature go down like 15 C degrees in a matter of seconds, and the winds blow furiously. (According to my translator, galerna is:
galerna f Meteor violent north-west wind that blows on the North coast of Spain)

People from the city can easily tell when a "galerna" is coming. I dunno, we feel it. I remember when was a kid and I was in the beach. When the galerna was about to strike, people deserted the beach. It amazed me. But sometimes the galerna si faster than our sense of prediction, so I remember having been helped out by the firemen to leave the beach and reach the safety of the city centre. They set up ways limited by tensed ropes on both sides, so people can grab them and walk. Yes, it is furious like that.

Ok, now time for you to believe me.

Pretty :shock: right? See the ruined cars? Was I right or not? I've been there, playing with the waves quite a lot of times. It is freaking scare, but so exciting at the same time. The sea roaring, the people screaming, such a release of adrenaline...of course, you end soaking up, no matter what you do. There is a Spanish saying that summarizes the sensation quite right: "it places your balls where your tie should be" :lol: (Jordina, how difficult it is to translate this stuff, huh?)

So, Penny missed this. Well, it doesn't happen like everyday, the very huge ones, but it is kinda normal to have to run a bit when you are walking around the New Promenade and a stubborn wave decides to give passers by a nice shower. She would have loved one of those little ones. And little ones are like 10-15 metres ones, so they jump over the wall. But hey, at least we had to chance to enjoy a nice weather which was much appreciated for the rest of the journey :)

Alright ladies and gentlemen, this was stage 2 of our trip. Get dry clothes, because tomorrow we will be moving to the Port and the Old Part. Hope you are enjoying it. Huge hugs for everyone :D