This week I am doing a virtual walk of
Camino del Norte, a dream shattered by the current situation, but now scheduled
for April 2021 so this will be a good preparation.
On
the first day, we are strolling leisurely around in
San Sebastian, place name
that rings many bells, but I haven't been here before. The closest I
have been is Pamplona, which is inland and already a different kind
of place.
I
have done some homework, learning to begin with that the correct name
in Basque is Donostia, which is etymologically the same as San Sebastian. The city has a
remarkable history, including being burnt to ashes by the British
during Napoleonic war. It was the European capital of culture in
2016. Those of you who wonder why I am doing this virtual trip: why
would I otherwise bother to learn facts about Donostia? The only
incentive to learn something is when it's relevant.
Other
interesting facts include that Donostia was the first city struck by
influenza pandemic in 1918, and that it is the second in the world,
after Kyoto, in the number of Michelin-starred restaurants per
capita.
I
have watched some
videos about Donostia, including one on
local food.
As a part of my immersive experience, I have made pintxos. The proper
way of having an evening meal in Donostia is to go on a pintxos bar
crawl. I am going to four bars tonight: Sukaldea, Balkoi, Egongela
and Logela. Now you have something to figure out.
No comments:
Post a Comment