Life and Flavors: SPAIN + 22nd Birthday Basque Style

Hey guys, sorry if I have been MIA lately. Things were just really crazy these past few weeks/days and I’m just really getting away from some dramas. But now I’m back from blogging once again, I hope that this won’t happen as often as I really do miss my page views. HEEH. SOOOOO, hey there. New Year was awesome btw, too late to post for some New Year stuff as it’s almost Valentine’s. Last year, when I was still in Bangkok, I really didn’t get to spend time on Valentine’s with my best friends. Instead I spent it with my new friends at Le Cordon Bleu, went to Khao San and drank. That’s it. Well it’s an usual tradition of our clique that each Valentine’s day, when we were all still single, we spend the day with friends over dinner. The tradition has been running since College and for us it’s the Single’s Night. We didn’t want to feel to sentimental about the occasion that’s why we just eat our hearts out and make fun of the couples around us. Fun huh?. Valentine’s cheesy man! I can’t get over the idea of Valentine’s. It’s just really not me.

But hello hello, I’m back from San Sebastian, Spain. I had a wonderful vacation! It was just awesome. How WAS my internship??? Don’t ask about it. But I will blog what really happened when we were there. I’ll just wait for some of my friends to get out of that resto. Then BLAST OFF! I’ll just wait for the perfect time. Some restaurants don’t really deserve a Michelin Star after all..

My plane to San Sebastian

Madrid Stopover

Barajas Madrid

Barajas

Dubai

Dubai Meal

Emirates

GAAHH!!! BUT GENERALLY, San Sebastian was really nice! I mean come on! You are in a Basque Country… the abundance of produce is just evident. Bell peppers were as big as two fists combined, leeks were like a meter long and so as humongous potatoes. But the most abundant is their seafood. San Sebastian has a lot of food to offer. They have these omg delicious tapas and they call it in Euskara language as the “Pintxos” or tapas on steroids. They’re hugeeee man! I mean, I tell you, these are just devilish! Bell pepper confit, sardines, different kinds of cheese, tomato soup, shrimp, fish, meat, fresh bread, high grade olive oil, any combination! It just works perfectly! These appetizers are worth trying and worth the travel!!! Usually paired with a good glass of cold sangria or cider even beer. It’s DELISSSH… All in all, San Sebastian is just a really good place to visit, the weather, the good food, the nice people and the architecture. It’s very….EUROPE.

We stayed at the Parte Vieja (old part) of the city. At the middle part of the area, there’s this place called “PLAZA KONSTITUTION”. It used to be a bullring during 1800’s and was once the residence of the matadors, hence the number at the top of each terrace. Parte Vieja to be specific is an old town with old buildings, architecture and traditional food. At the other side of the area is the The Kursaal Congress Palace and Auditorium, it’s a complex comprising several spaces: a great auditorium, many-use halls and exhibition halls. It opened in 1999 and is the home of the biggest film festival in Spain, the San Sebastian International Film Festival, in existence since 1953. – Wikipedia. You think I would write that? Haha no. Also I got the chance to see Chef Dani Lopez, 1 Star Michelin chef for Kokotxa. He’s hot.

counting coins for the bus

Iberian Jamon

Pintxos

pintxos with bleu cheese

pintxos!!!!

cured Iberico hams

produce

seafood

brioche puff

pintxos platter 15 Euros. DOH.

bonbons

authentic paella negra

mozzarella sticks

ginormous bell pepper

pintxos architecture

more pintxos!

1 star Michelin, Kokotxa

Chef Dani Lopez

Bacalaos

During our 4 day stay in San Sebastian, we were just in time for the Festival of Tamborradas. Historically it is unknown when the first Tamborrada occurred in San Sebastian. Some people say its origin is the drumbeat made on buckets by maids and their companions, artisans, and soldiers, while waiting for their turn at one of the three fountains that supplied San Sebastian with water in 1836. It is more likely to simply be a development of an ancient holiday or fiesta.

The fiesta starts on the 20th of January at midnight when the flag is raised by the "Gaztelubide" Tamborrada in the former Town Hall, which is now the Town Library, located in the "Constitución" Square and continues for 24 hours. San Sebastian is a very noisy and colorful place for a whole day as the Tamboradas march around the town in traditional dress and costumes. When were sleeping by 11pm the noise started rolling till early in the morning. I wish I had more energy!

kid in chef uniform

cute kid

at the Tamborradas festival

Plaza Konstitution

nice dog

Kursaal Palace by day

San Sebastian

Grandma Terrace

Free food!

Kursaal Palace by night

Playa Concha

Basilica of the Saint Mary of the Chorus

Parte Vieja

Parte Vieja by night

Kursaal Bridge by night

Bridge of love. chos.

I also had the chance to spend my 22nd birthday in San Sebastian. One of my classmates and closest friends in Bangkok was also in the area for her internship. I invited them over and just had a really good time with them. We had authentic paella and authentic Rioja Red Wine. It was just really nice and intimate celebration. It was fun and just had coffee with them after and ended the night before midnight hits. Thank you for coming guys, I had fun with our talk.