Day 25 - San Sebastián

---

Today is a guided tour of the city and its culinary features. Into the old town by bus. This is an easy place to get around. To the information bureau to book the tickets. People everywhere. They have an automated ticket machine which asks language, is it for information or to book tours.
Get booking ticket, and fast tracked, much to some other people's dismay. The dude at the counter tells them to back off and we get our tickets. €20 each, includes a guided tour of the food dries, 3 Pintxos and 3 different drinks. We hadn't had anything to eat so thought it wise to line our tummies with something. Walked around the corner and saw the fresh fruit and veggie market, looked, but not a lot of fruit, then around the next corner where some people were eating and drinking OJ. Looked good. A ham and cheese Pintxos roll and a freshly squeezed OJ each. Just what the doctor ordered.

Back to the tour area where we we meet our guide, Inijo (or something like that - he said this was like a Peter or Paul, every 2nd person has this name). Had a good sense of humour and was happy to chat about all things food, etc. 14 of us followed and were told about the tour, where we were going and a lot about how the food culture in San Sebastián came about. A mixture of French Michelin restaurants (17 maybe) and then a fusion with the fresh food of the Basque region. He takes us to the veggie market, but stops and explains the different veggies, some delicacies like their black beans and cheeses and then we go down into the fresh meat and fish market. Very clean and very quiet compared to the Vic Markets. More explanation of food preparation and how they eat everything of an animal, including "the Bulls balls". A rare delicacy. More tidbits about food, including some names that Chris had eaten in her dinner the night before. Chris asked if she could show him the menu a bit later - no worries.

Walked through the fish market, but he was not allowed to stop as the fishmongers don't like big groups slowing down their trade. Really nicely presented fish and other bits. Finally out to the street and a now we are headed to our first bar for some tastings. We wander through the old town, and it all starts to look familiar. Stop at a bar where we are treated to a ham and cheese croquette with a glass of their cider. This cider is not sweet, rather very bitter and as he said, leaves a dry taste in the back of the throat. Interesting combination. The croquette is basically chopped ham, cheese and be heel sauce, rolled in bread crumbs and fried. Oh and by the way, it has just started to rain. On to our 2nd stop after the rain has eased. Here we get squid mashed and infused with squid ink in a light batter. Looks like pale cheezles. They come pile on forks jabbed into a wooden block. Interesting again, not a killer. Drink here is Carva, a very sweet bubbling white which he says many drink thinking it is not too strong. Wrong...... His comment is to close the mind and just taste them. He told a story about one group where he had spoken about eating all parts of the animal including the tongue. Yuck, but hey. He then gave them a tasting of a pastry with tongue inside. Everyone loved it. When asked what it was, half went yuck, one guy had to go and "puke" and the rest said they would have more. As he said before they knew what it was, it was all good. Not too sure about this but..... Finally to the last bar. Lots and lots of Pintxos on the counter. No drink of his selection so many have a red wine.

By this time we had met most of the people on the tour and had a Swiss couple (he was a Swiss banker), another couple from Finland, 4 "girls" from the Phillipines (turned out to be 2 from the Phillipines, and the other 2 from the States), 3 girls from England, 2 of which were actually Aussies working in the UK, and an American lady. The guide was happy that we were all chatting as that is what Pintxos and drinks are meant to do, socialise. One of the Aussie girls was from Port Lincoln and didn't get where the other one was from. They had just flown in last night for a 4 day weekend. They teamed up with the solo American and went off after some advice from Chris and I to the town.

The 4 Phillipines were actually college mates from 40 years ago who catch up every year somewhere. They just giggled and had a great time. We ended up staying and having some more food and wine and chatted to them for quite a while. Finished and went to check if the tour we were almost on had come through. Bugger, only 1 spot. Now what.

Decide to wander back to the room and sort out what to do now. Stopped on the way in the Miramar palace gardens and look down to the sea. Rang the Trafalgar consultant to check why our almost confirmed tour this morning had gone to only one. She was stunned as she had just sent me an email (noise of email as I answered the phone) offering another tour for the same dates but this one with Insight and from Barcelona to Madrid. Back to the apartment, look at the tour, and decide to go with it. Now to get to Barcelona. Spanish rail site says no bookings available tomorrow. Ok, off to the station to sort out. Get tickets for tomorrow, first class, but hey, we are off. Call the Trafalgar lady and get most things arranged, but will have to book extra night before the tour starts ourselves. Get details of the hotel and head back home.

Chris is in siesta mode so call and pay for tour, then book hotel trying to make sure they know that we really don't want to move rooms from tomorrow nigh tot the 2 nights on the tour at the same hotel. Not sure if that works, but we will find out. All done, emails flying everywhere, tour director sends the introduction mail, and also a separate one welcoming us as late entry guests. Nice touch. Now we can eat. Back to town, find a place that looks good, a queue to get in so must be good. Eventually in and food is good, paella for Chris and grilled prawns for me. Finished off with desert and back to the streets for the walk home. Walk 20 metres and bump into the 3 girls with the American in tow. They have had a good day and we chat for a little while, then say farewell and wander home. Good way to walk off dinner.

---