The last two evenings in San Sebastian a NIGHTMARE. Everyone I met had raved about this place but Oh My God I'ts Awful. The new place we got put at turned out to be right in the centre of town. All the streets in San Seb are very tighly packed and narrow, with tall apartment blocks very close to each other. At street level, the bars come alive. For those of you in Tokyo, imagine living on the floor above 911, Propaganda and the Irish Bar over the road I forget the name of right now, on St Patricks Day and the day of Japan winning the World Cup. With the window open. In 34C heat. Tres Impossible.
I guess it wouldn't have been so bad if the only company I had wasn't The Man With No Personality Who Didn't Drink. At least then we could have gone out and had a few drinks and got some sleep. But No. It was a case of the lesser of two evils what with the window closed and no ventilation or the window open and some ventilation but the noise to keep you awake. Drunk men karaoking at the top of their lungs, guys vomiting all over the show, girls squeeling and screaming. It was two of the worst nights ever. I think also it was some kind of Fiesta evening which we didn't know about. Finally, after several hours of induced wakefulness, got to sleep about 5am and on the third day we had to get the bus at 7.45. I was pretty glad to be leaving though!
The San Seb council has this whole routine down pat. Around 6am the bottle cleaners come past and all you hear is the loud crashing of bottles into enormous metal containers. Then they wash down all the streets so the smell of urine and becomes somewhat dissapated. Then the sweep everything clean and by 9am when the tourists wake up again you'd never know what had happened the night before. I suppose if I were 10 years younger I'd think it was just great.
Arrived in Barcelona after an 8-hour bus ride (sans Brett in a different seat finally). Met a great Aussie girl on the bus (Belinda), and we have today conspired to try to lose Boring Brett once and for all. After my tales of what he does all day (hacking and spitting and following you around), she agrees with me that he has to go.
Took a walk with Belinda (Brett in tow) up the main touristy street La Rumbla, last night, before stopping for some Sangria and Tapas. Too expensive to stay there long, and we meandered around the Old Quarter. Lots of people out enjoying the balmy Sunday evening at a cool 42C. Many things to see - street performers, human statues, and one woman who was crouched in a refridgerator and when I took her picture and gave her some change, she ´sneezed´ so hard I jumped out of my skin and couldn´t breath for several seconds and then almost had a delayed-reaction heart attack. Nightmare. I think I got a good picture though!
Anyway, up early today (well 8.00 early), and off out to see some of Gaudi´s parks and arcitecture around the city. Will stop back at the hostel which is right on the beach, for some more sunbathing.
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