{"id":2458166,"date":"2020-05-07T09:50:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-07T15:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=325353"},"modified":"2020-05-07T09:50:00","modified_gmt":"2020-05-07T15:50:00","slug":"asher-on-aspen-san-sebastian-dreams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/asher-on-aspen-san-sebastian-dreams\/","title":{"rendered":"Asher On Aspen: San Sebasti\u00e1n Dreams"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.7327459618209\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-325353-387\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled gallery-container\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-1024x684.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Getty Images\/iStockphoto | iStockphoto | Landscape view on mountain road and San Sebastian city with Tenerife island on the background in the morning\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"-1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8\">\n<p><strong>Landscape view on mountain road and San Sebastian city with Tenerife island on the background in the morning<\/strong><br \/>Getty Images\/iStockphoto | iStockphoto<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-1024x684.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Landscape view on mountain road and San Sebastian city with Tenerife island on the background in the morning\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-1-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Getty Images\/iStockphoto | iStockphoto | View of sandy beach of San Sebastian (Donostia), Spain in a lovelyl summer day. San Sebastian is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Spain\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>View of sandy beach of San Sebastian (Donostia), Spain in a lovelyl summer day. San Sebastian is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Spain<\/strong><br \/>Getty Images\/iStockphoto | iStockphoto<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-1-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"View of sandy beach of San Sebastian (Donostia), Spain in a lovelyl summer day. San Sebastian is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Spain\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-2-1024x684.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Getty Images\/iStockphoto | iStockphoto | San Sebastian - Donostia city, Basque country, Spain, view of the Zurriola beach, Urgull mount, La Concha bay, surrounding Pyrenees mountains and Atlantic ocean\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"14\">\n<p><strong>San Sebastian &#8211; Donostia city, Basque country, Spain, view of the Zurriola beach, Urgull mount, La Concha bay, surrounding Pyrenees mountains and Atlantic ocean<\/strong><br \/>Getty Images\/iStockphoto | iStockphoto<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-2-1024x684.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"San Sebastian - Donostia city, Basque country, Spain, view of the Zurriola beach, Urgull mount, La Concha bay, surrounding Pyrenees mountains and Atlantic ocean\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-3-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Getty Images\/ | Spanish Pintxos from the Basque region of San Sebastian.\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Spanish Pintxos from the Basque region of San Sebastian.<\/strong><br \/>Getty Images\/<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-3-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Spanish Pintxos from the Basque region of San Sebastian.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-4-1024x677.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Getty Images | The Old Quarter of San Sebastian.\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>The Old Quarter of San Sebastian.<\/strong><br \/>Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/asher-atw-050720-1-4-1024x677.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"The Old Quarter of San Sebastian.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/san-sebastian-dreams\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/san-sebastian-dreams\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">One year ago, today, I was meandering around Spain and all was right with the world.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">With the inability to plan any sort of getaway right now, my gypsy soul aches for the ability to travel again. My mind wanders to last year at this time when I was exploring the beautiful cities of Barcelona and San Sebasti\u00e1n. Barcelona took my breath away with its dazzling beaches, vibrant nightlife and rich architecture \u2014 but at the end of the day, it was San Sebasti\u00e1n that really stole my heart.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Located in the mountainous Basque region of Northern Spain, San Sebasti\u00e1n is a legendary beach town filled with lively pintxo bars and Michelin-starred restaurants. Brimming with charm and sophistication, the town feels a bit like Spain\u2019s best-kept secret. The delightful town is best known for its romantic ambience, world-famous cuisine, prestigious film festival and friendly locals who proudly show off the Basque culture to tourists.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">When I reminisce about my trip to San Sebasti\u00e1n, I fondly think about the hours we spent roaming through the historic Old Quarter. Here, we were met with a maze of winding cobblestone streets \u2014 dazzling our senses with an overload of charming shops and quaint pintxo bars. It felt almost as if time stood still here. However, it wasn\u2019t until we discovered Txakoli (cha-koh-LEE) that we really fell in love with the town. This is the local white wine that is poured from high, in a somewhat theatrical fashion, to aerate it and to add sparkle. Txakoli pairs perfectly with the abundant seafood cuisine and it quickly became our new favorite drink.<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col\" readability=\"6\">\n<div class=\"row at-donation at-donation-mobile p-0\" readability=\"7\">\n<div class=\"col-xl-4 p-2\">\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png)\" class=\"p-0 mt-2 mb-2 h-75 text-center rocket-lazyload\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png\" class=\"logo m-0 p-0 invisible\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"d-inline mr-3\">Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n<p><button class=\"btn d-inline\" type=\"button\" onclick=\"handleDonationButtonClickMidArticle()\">Donate<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Basque bars distinguish themselves by wonderfully displaying platters of pintxos (local specialties, similar to tapas) allowing customers to snag a plate and grab what they want. The selection of food will have you drooling, wide-eyed with how delicious everything looks. Barhopping in the Old Quarter is a terrific way to spend the days. When looking for a place to start, Bar Borda-Berri should be on the list. Despite the low-key vibe, the food is phenomenal. You can smell it before you can even see it. We indulged in the specialties here, which consisted of melt-in-your-mouth beef cheeks (carrillera de ternera) in a red-wine sauce, risotto with wild mushrooms, and grilled goose liver (foie gras) with apple jelly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The bars are small in size and often we would find ourselves bellied up to the bar or standing around a table outside to munch on our tasty tapas. We learned that you must be assertive when ordering \u2014 fighting the crowd to get your order in is common. I distinctly remember rehearsing my order to my travel partner and making sure he thought it was correct before I attempted to order our food. Traveling always reminds me that no matter how much you know, there is always more to learn \u2014 a language, for instance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">To work off the tapas, we rented bikes to explore more of the city. We rode along the coast until we reached Playa de la Concha \u2014 San Sebasti\u00e1n\u2019s pride and joy. The beautiful stretch of sand, bordered by the Atlantic and anchored by mountains at either end, is a popular hangout. Well-dressed families, couples in love, street musicians and worldly backpackers adorned the 2-mile long promenade. It was easy for us to lose track of time here while admiring the immense beauty and the esteemed architecture of the city.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">My favorite day of the entire trip was when we hiked to Mont Urgull \u2014 home to the statue of Jesus Christ visible from almost everywhere in the city. Locals find it calming to look up and see Christ no matter where they are \u2014 as if he\u2019s always watching over the people of San Sebasti\u00e1n. Once we reached the summit, we were rewarded with a beer and live music from a hidden bar that was disguised by castle walls. In my opinion, this is how every hike should end. We enjoyed a Ca\u00f1a con lim\u00f3n (beer with lemon soda) while listening to local tunes and it was a great way to wind down our week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">In retrospect, I don\u2019t know what I was doing going to Spain. I most certainly couldn\u2019t afford the trip at the time. As they say, travel is the only thing you can buy that will truly make you richer. Well, I can honestly say that this trip made me richer. It changed my life. It shook me up a bit. I have never felt so disoriented and removed from my comfort zone. Overall, it made me a broader minded and more understanding individual.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">I dream of the day that we can all travel the world again. It will come and when it does, remember to book the ticket and worry about the money later. While that statement may seem a tad irresponsible \u2014 at the end of the day, it\u2019s all just money and experience is far more valuable than money ever will be. There is nothing more magical than exploring a foreign country with someone you love. Until my next trip, I will daydream of the days well spent in San Sebasti\u00e1n.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/san-sebastian-dreams\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Landscape view on mountain road and San Sebastian city with Tenerife island on the background in the morningGetty Images\/iStockphoto | iStockphoto View of sandy beach of San Sebastian (Donostia), Spain in a lovelyl summer day. San Sebastian is one of the most famous tourist destinations in SpainGetty Images\/iStockphoto | iStockphoto San Sebastian &#8211; Donostia city, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2458166","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-17 18:22:03","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458166","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2458166"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458166\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2458166"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2458166"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2458166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}