To get from Cadaques to San Sebastian, we'd made some decisions, chiefly to get around the mountain ranges of northern Spain and southern France avoiding twisty roads that cause motion sickness. We could go north and then west via France or south and then northwest. Outside Figueres, the landscape has that could-have-been-on-a-canvas feel to it. Rolls of hay, fields of sunflowers--Toulouse is not so far... As much as we were tempted by the signs to Franca, we returned south to skirt the ranges on Spanish highways. But as left Olite we realized the heat of Zaragoza was behind us and the world got a lot wetter and colder as we traveled north further into Basque country. When we climbed the Sierra de Andia and rolled through towns like Lekunberri,we thought were experiencing fog but it was really rainclouds hanging on the mountains. We'd only seen cities, beaches, or dry landscapes in Spain, so the deep green of the forests was an exciting change. Plus the language switched so highway signs were all in Basque language, rich with z's, i's, x's, and a typestyle/look all its own.
By the time we reached San Sebastian, the temperature had dropped from 95-100 degrees to 60 degrees. San Sebastian has a broad, golden beach (actually two), nice waves, clean sand, pale water, swimming platforms with slides, and a gorgeous promenade of beach bars that must be such fun when it's not raining. That first evening we did find a lovely carousel that even our roller-coaster kids wanted to ride. In fact, we couldn't find anything to fault that beach for, other than the endless drizzle. We really hoped for better weather in our 2 1/2 days but it wasn't meant to be, though there was much more to love about San Sebastian...
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