Train to the coast

Departing Madrid

After getting up early this morning, I checked out and went to grab some breakfast at the hotel restaurant. A beautiful older Japanese woman came in and attempted to order her breakfast in Spanish. The waiter was having issues understanding her, and looked at me. After talking with her for a moment, I discovered she knew a smattering of Spanish and Japanese. And she was traveling alone. I am in awe. I can usually find an English speaker when I get into trouble with my limited Spanish. There are few Japanese here.

So! Got to the train station with 6 minutes to spare, and was running down the station trying to figure out where my train was. A kind guard helped me , and urged me to 'vaminos!'. I did, made it, and was not the last one on the train.

The terrain around Madrid is rather like LA; dry and brown with the occasional shrub. As we headed toward the coast, it became more and more mountainous and green. The hillsides were interspersed with turbine windmills and ancient crumbling ruins, it was quite surreal. Where I live feels so young in comparison; the ancient ones of our lands did not leave stonework behind, and we have so few 'permanent' reminders.

Arriving Donostia (San Sebastian)

This part of the Basque country is lush and green with amazing crumbling old stone, and tons of ruins. I've seen Aloe and Bird of Paradise growing in back yards. I expected it to be colder than Madrid, but it is warmer and wetter. Ah, elevation change and the marine effect on climate.

Having sat on the train for 5 hours, I was ready for a walk. After checking into my hotel, I walked down to the town and along the beach path. I then hiked up one of the hills which bound either end of the town.

I had the most amazing chocolate cookie today; Dark chocolate with hazelnuts raisins and toffee over a butter cookie. Rocked my world. The actually have fresh fruit and vegetables, which were scarce in Madrid. I love it here; the people are friendly, they have amazing food, plus hills to climb and water to play in. What more could one want?

Took some great pix of the harbor and the fishing boats, enjoy.

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Part of trip: Spain & Morocco 20090912

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