So, St. Sebastian then.

[Logan Mountstuart]

I don't go on holiday much. In fact, with 2 studying daughters and a divorced man's mortgage until I am 77, this is my first proper holiday for 7 years.

I've pottered my way down to a camping in St Jean de Luz where it's grey and raining, and forecast to remain so for the next week.

To be honest the Atlantic could keep me busy on its own. I've already been severely bashed by waves tonight and drunk a rose on the beach in the rain. I love Biarritz for its old Hitchcock, Grace Kelly, Yves Montand glamour and will be walking there along the coast path tomorrow. But I have the feeling that St. Sebastian might be my saviour in the longterm.

I know far too much about France already. My only experience of Spain was holidays in Asturias, as a better off family man, drinking cider poured from huge heights, wonderful seafood and, of course, my friend The Atlantic.

But, I've heard SS is supposed to be amazing. And 10 days down here's a long time in the rain.

Any recommendations? Not just SS, but anything Basque.

[Lang Spoon]

Hake cheeks man, hake cheeks.

[San Bernardhinault]

Eat. Eat like a god.

[Logan Mountstuart]

I understand. (which is rare). Is that part of the Pinxtos thing?

[ursus arctos]

A thread on Bilbao here

[WOM]

My pod mate just returned from Bilbao on the weekend, and she said it pissed down buckets the whole two weeks, as well. Said the locals were talking about how rare it was.

[Logan Mountstuart]

It rained all the time in Asturias as well. OK, sunny until about 13h and that was yer lot. But who cares when you are in Cornwall/ Columbia backed up by the Alps?

Thank you, Ursos. How is Eric's writing career going?

I tend to walk up to where a funicular heads and catch it back down. But that's only because I'm a nutter trying to stave off old age.

[Logan Mountstuart]

One thing I did notice, driving down, was that all the rivers, the Loire, Charente, Dordogne, Garonne etc were very very brown and fit for bursting. It must have been pissing down here for a while. Meanwhile, NL, and to some extent Gb, where I've been stuck for 7 bloody years remain gloriously sunny.

[ursus arctos]

Another thread, with some restaurants

It’s been decades, but I found Basque markets (both the covered ones and the weekly open air ones) to be massive amounts of fun. Some of the best cheese I’ve ever had in my life.

The Feve is also great fun. There’s also the Euskotren to Zarautz and points west.

The region’s tourism website is very good. This guide is an example (in Spanish, but they should have last year’s English version in the office

[Nefertiti2]

can be a bit of a pain, I've heard

[Lang Spoon]

I understand. (which is rare). Is that part of the Pinxtos thing?

Pure Affronted, so I am. kokotxas is basque for hake cheeks, you should be able to get them in loads of restaurants/pintxos places. Divine sir, Divine.

[Benjm]

Vitoria-Gasteiz, the Basque capital, is worth a detour to, if only for the life size statue of Ken Follett. We had an amazing tour of the cathedral while it was being renovated; a large chunk of the insides had been removed and replaced with scaffolding and clear plastic sheeting. It was like exploring the ghost of a cathedral or walking through a Christo installation. This was several years ago though, so not sure where theworks are up to now. Otherwise, there is a nice old town, lots of good food and fewer (anglophone) tourists than the big two.

[Felicity, I guess so]

I thought the thread would be about the gay icon fella with all the arrows.
Since it isn’t: we also went to Vitoria and liked it, despite Ms Felicity’s bag being nicked during a big street fiesta.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

I thought the thread would be about the gay icon fella with all the arrows.

I watched that Jarman film with my mum. Big mistake.

[Felicity, I guess so]

Did she get a bit too into it, then..?

[anton pulisov]

Donostia.

I was there once for 24 hours.

It's my favourite place in the world.

I'm afraid to go back in case I ruin the memory.

[Logan Mountstuart]

Donostia.

I was there once for 24 hours.

It's my favourite place in the world.

I'm afraid to go back in case I ruin the memory.

Standing here, looking out over the bay, after a brilliant night of food and strangers. This. I really needed this.

[Logan Mountstuart]

I remember that night. I walked back up to my old camper parked right outside the football ground. Got talking to a young German couple next door. I had the beer, and they gave me my first cigarettes in months. Its a great place. Like Bryan, I'm scared to go back and spoil the memories.

[Logan Mountstuart]

Not intented to distract from Gregario's request on the other thread. I just came over all warm from the memories.