San Sebastian; Jebus, tapa's & tits!

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Day451
We woke to the dreaded sound on RAIN!! We had a coffee and waiting all hoping it would pass but the rain unremitting we dug out the waterproof jackets determined not to let a little rain stop us. First we hit the Tapa's bars, Casa Alcalde over 100 year old bar with a great range of tapa's. We tucked into some chorizo, salmon and fried cod balls. We got a glimpse of the Santa Maria Basilica currently under renovation (like most things we were soon to discover in Spain covered in scaffolding), next stop was the Buen Pastor Cathedral where we were half way round before getting kicked out for lunch/siesta. We powered on through the unrelenting rain along the Urumea ibaia river, past it three bridges and the kursal conference centre designed by Rafel Monea.
Back into the Old town past the Gothic Church also closed to a local favourite Tapa bar for some Sangria and more tapa's. We wandered through the old town stopping for coffee at the square, souvenier stops, then at a small bar to watch the last hour of the Tour de france.
With the weather remaining miserable we got some supplies for dinner and headed home for a relaxing night in.

Day 452
With the weather still poor we had a slow start made a packed lunch and then set off for Mt Urgull. A dominating mountain overlooking the town of San Sebastian peaked by a huge figure of Jesus Christ. Carly found a shortcut turning our leisurely walk into a scramble but cut the expected time in half. On the site is an old fortress used during the war with France and now occupies a museum depicting the history of San Sebastion. We made our way down via the old cemetry and past the Empty construction sculpture. We stopped for a Sanga overlooking the ocean just as the sun finally began to shine. We stopped for a couple more tapa's and returned to our hostel to pick up our stuff opting for a taxi back to the bus station.
We arrived in Vitoria one and half hours later and with the taxi driver refusing to take us and all our luggage in one go, we got some directions and headed their on foot. We arrived at the surprisingly luxurious Hotel Dato and hit the shops for some San Fermin attire after being assured that its crazy and everything would get trashed. Fitted out in head to toe in white, the boys went to get our bus tickets to Pamplona (failing to ask what time the bus arrived) and the girls to the supermarket for drinks and nibbles.

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