Beauty and the Basques

This weekend, Megan, Eric, and I decided to take a quick overnight trip to San Sebastian, which is about two hours north of us. It's one of the most important cities in the Basque region, although not the biggest (Bilbao) or the capital (Vitoria). If Bilbao is the region's industrial and financial center, San Sebastian is its cultural center (much like the relationship between Edinburgh and Glasgow or Amsterdam and Rotterdam).

In any case, San Sebastian is known for its food and the best pintxos in the world. I was more taken by its natural beauty, however - the beaches look fantastic even when it's too cold to swim, and the surrounding mountains seem to wall off the rest of the world. Although the weather reminded me of the rainy coastal climates of Holland and England (and cities like Seattle, Vancouver, and Halifax), I am sure I will be returning to San Sebastian. Hopefully the weather will be more conducive to swimming when I do.

Until then, here are some photos from this weekend's visit.