“First we fight, then we party!” – A weekend in San Sebastian

El País Vasco- enough said. This past weekend, myself along with about 10 other friends had the opportunity to travel to San Sebastian. Without exaggerating whatsoever, it was quite the weekend…

We arrived in San Sebastian early Friday on October 12^th, el día de España, a national holiday. After waiting around for the bus for an hour (they don’t run as frequently on holidays), we finally made it to the center of the city, Alameda del Boulevard. We then proceeded to wander about the square from La Playa de la Concha all the way to the river in search of our hostel. After about an hour we finally found our home for the weekend, dropped off our bags and started our day. Well so we thought… Holidays also mean most stores aren’t open. With that said we spent the morning café hopping – drinking coffee and conversing in true Spanish fashion. After an afternoon of siesta we again met up with our friends for lunch. I told you I was getting used to the Spanish ways! But this is where the story gets good…

We’re sitting in the café and around 5:00 pm, we start to get kicked out and are wondering what is going on...it’s too late for siesta for them to close. As we walk out on to the street, we look to the left to see an entire brigade of police in full uniform, including large guns and gas masks. After starting to get nervous, we then look to the left to see protestors- true Basque country protestors, waving the Basque flag, holding up Antifascist signs, yelling for a free, independent Basque country on this National Holiday in Spain. The only thing that goes through our mind is MOVE and FAST. We start walking/running towards the police along with others, caught in a furry of not knowing what is going on or even what to do! We end up finding a spot (and by that I mean a nook in the wall) to get away from the danger. For about twenty minutes, we’re standing in this nook watching police shoot large rubber balls (my friend Aubrey was hit by one reflecting off a dumpster-oww) and protestors throwing large rocks in return. We finally decide it is safe enough to move, and walk down the street, turn the corner only to see more protestors, dumpsters turned over, and crowds of people everywhere. We finally duck into a café, where we proceed to stay for the next hour or so. The action continues, and we have front row seats as the situation continues to intensify. After about an hour and a half, we decide it’s safe to go outside and wander a bit more. We can’t go back to our hostel yet as the entire center square including the town hall is roped off. This is insane. We finally watch as the police untie the ropes and the drama, about three hours later, has come to an end with streets littered, over-turned dumpsters on fire in ever corner, and life slowly easing back to the norm once again…

Welcome to San Sebastian, right? What a day…

We head back to my friend’s hostel, and just sit. We are all so overwhelmed, a little shook up, and very excited! Everyone’s calling home, and we continue to tell the story over and over again, and it simply feels surreal. Every Spanish class I’ve ever had has talked about the Basque’s passionate desire for independence and we were in the middle of it. We then decide going out that night isn’t the best idea. Of course, again in true Spanish style, we start talking to a guy that works at the hostel, and he asks, “Why aren’t you going out?” We explain everything, and he say’s, “What? It’s okay. Two or three times a month, we fight, and then we party!” What country is this? We spend the night out and about in the city meeting various people and d iscovering the main discoteca on La Concha Beach called “La Rotunda.” After getting home at 6 am again (so this isn’t just a Madrid thing?), we head to bed to wake up to beautiful Saturday.

After Friday’s adventure, the remainder of the weekend was much more low key and relaxing. We took advantage of this weekend but truly using it as a vacation instead of running up and down the city sight-seeing. Saturday including shopping, enjoying amazing food, walking

along the boardwalk, and again, heading out at night- including meeting many people, stopping in a place pronounced (not sure how you spell it), Etche Kalde, filled only with locals speaking all in Basque, finding another amazing discoteca, this one on Playa de la Zurriola, called ZM, and finally heading home late again. We woke up early Sunday to a short day filled with nothing but the beach… San Sebastian is known for its surfing, and I can guarantee you, we saw plenty of it. On my list of things to do before I die is learn how to surf in Malaga- this weekend truly inspired me. We boarded our bus Sunday evening and made it back to Madrid late, exhausted after an unforgettable day and two beautiful days of hanging out near the beach. I would go back to San Sebastian, and if you get the chance, I would definitely recommend going- it’s gorgeous! The culture is so distinct from the rest of Spain, and the city has so much energy to offer. Just maybe avoid going on national holidays… Or go on a national holiday and have the experience of a lifetime- just be safe. :o)

Everything in Madrid continues to go well. School has started to pick up, so I am no longer feeling like a lazy bum :o) (as soon as I was starting to embrace it of course… go figure). Senora and I have also started to bond much more. We had a full conversation about ETA and Spanish politics in general following our trip to San Sebastian, and it was amazing to hear her perspective. With the elections coming up in March 2008, everyone has been remembering the last elections and the train bombings of March 11, 2004 in the Atocha station in Madrid. It has been very interesting to watch the news and hear the different perspectives from the socialist party (currently in power) and el Partido Popular. This along with reading the newspaper everyday, “Viente Minutos” a.k.a the free newspaper on the way to school every morning, has truly helped me feel more connected to the city and the country as a whole.

Despite the more serious political conversations, life continues to be very comical. Jess and I had a five-minute long conversation about soup with our senora. We were trying to figure out what the soup was made of, and tell her we liked asparagus so she knew for the future. It took us another ten minutes or so to figure out the soup was made from asparagus (or esparrogos in Spanish… you’d think we’d be able to figure that one out just by hearing it right? Apparently not…), which she told us the night before. And for future reference, turns out there are white as well as green “esparrogos,” not making this conversation easier… It was quite the dinner.

We also have three girls from Germany staying with us for the week. They are traveling throughout Madrid with their University. Needless to say, it’s been a very full house. They have been a little quiet but nice to get to know. Tonight, I think they are going to join us and experience the nightlife of Madrid so it will be nice to talk to them some more.

Es todo para ahora! Vamos a Granada esta fin de semana y estoy segura que será muchos cuentos para la semana proxíma! (That’s all for now! We are going to Granada this weekend, and I am sure there will be many stories for next week!)

Besitos,

Monica