Winding down from the Serra da Estrela and crossing the border, it took us the better part of a day to drive 600 kilometres to the north of Spain - bypassing Salamanca, Valladolid and Burgos - to reach San Sebastian in the late afternoon.
Walking through the old town before dinner, we passed the huge town hall where food stalls were lined up in front of the park with delicious smells of pintxos, and grand old terraced apartments with upmarket shops below on wide tree-lined esplanades.
It was our second trip to the city since the memorable lunch we'd had at Akelarre two years before, and we were just as impressed with this organised, impressive and pleasant city with great public spaces and evident quality of life.
We were headed down to La Concha. The weather was overcast, but extended families of all ages and their dogs were doing the passeio.
On the beach a man was carving huge writing in the sand - we made out a statement about the ETA and independence.
We had gin and tonics in big round wine glasses with lime and ice outside the hotel Londres on the beachfront while people watching.
Later that night we had a lengthy dinner that was quite wonderful at Kokotxa, just off La Concha with windows facing the back streets and the Santa Maria basilica.
Through the windows we were entertained by the street scenes - people walking outdoors to late at night, drinking and eating in the streets - as well as singing from a bar opposite by Basque separatists in berets.
Afterwards we walked back to our hotel, over the river with the sight of the lit-up Kursaal concert hall facing the Bay of Biscay, and the grand Maria Cristina hotel.
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