San Sebastian

Regular readers of the Food Vine might have gleaned from my many references, recipes and photographs of Spain that it is a very special place for us. We have traveled extensively its length and breadth and in France, where we live, we are lucky to be only 2 hours from the city of San Sebastian, considered the gourmet capital of Spain. San Sebastian is located on the Atlantic coast 20km south of the French border. It is a small, intimate, elegant city bursting with life, style and fabulous food.

I first went to San Sebastian when I was 21 and I have returned on and off ever since but I never thought that first day just how much the place would mean to me in my later life.  These days we cannot go to France for five months and not go to San Sebastian - it would not feel right. We try to go once a month or thereabouts and friends who come to stay often join us on these two to three day trips. A mutual sharing of the city, the food, the wine, the hospitality and the conviviality of the Basque people and we have found a great home away from home at the Hotel Parma in the Parte Vieja, the historic and gastronomic centre of the city.

Last summer, on one of our regular trips, we had the pleasure of being in the good company of friends from Australia, Stewart and Liz. Not one to let an unsnapped moment go by Stewart captured our time there in these lovely, colourful photographs.  Life as it is; in the markets, the tapas bars and in the food we ate. Thanks, Stewart and my apologies for taking so long to post them on the Food Vine.