Day 11 - Trains. Trains. Trains.

23 December 2021

Alarm at 5.10 am. No breakfast. Bikes packed.

Arrive at Logroño. Board train to Castejón. No problem. 90 minutes later arrive. Quick change. Castejón to Miranda de Ebro. Two hours later, arrive.

Four-hour wait for the San Sebastian train.

Every train we have caught (successfully) has been a ‘Regional Express’. Train to San Sebastian is ‘MD’.

Should we ask the ticket man?

Shell, firm no. Just get on the train.

We do.

Three hours later we arrive in San Sebastian. I have absolute faith in Spanish trains. They are reliable and amazing.

We disembark. Feel the warmth. 18 C. Heaven.

The bikes won’t fit in the elevator. Stairs down. Stairs up to exit. Tough work with fully loaded bikes. Get to the other side. Tickets won’t let us out. Get the attention of staff. We are out.

Quick ride to Hotel. Check in. Hit the streets of San Sebastian. What a city. First time I have seen the ocean in two years. I miss it.

Tapas for dinner. Thousands to choose from. Delicious. Exceptional. Rioja to wash it down.

“You'd have a hard time finding anything better than Barcelona for food, as far as being a hub. Given a choice between Barcelona and San Sebastian to die in, I'd probably want to die in San Sebastian.” - Anthony Bourdain

We sit there in the warm winter weather. It is so nice to be warm. I am so happy to be here.

Asleep by 9.00 pm.

Long day.