Happy Anniversary Bike Ride

What a great place to park our rides

 

 

Happy Anniversary to my flavor-tite Monkey. 24 years and we haven't killed each other yet. We woke up to a beautiful Domingo en Donostia, a perfect day to be out on the bikes. We explored new territory today, as El Centro is packed to the gills with Marathon runners (I think 6000 - The Euskadi love to run!)  Neither of us wanted to spend our ride avoiding collisions with those for the race and the Pasear. Today we explored the vecino de Lorea, on the far edge of the University. Groovyness awaits around the corner.

The bride and las chicas.

Smoked salmon, avocado on crispy toast.

Old Antiquo

Last Domingo on La Kontxa.

 

Today was the end of almost 3 years of planning and plotting. All our earthly possessions arrived after a long passage across the pond. A great lesson of letting go and what's important. 

Un gran brazos to Pablos friends for taking such good care of us.

 

Mr Miko's warehouse, where tools and furniture are divided.

 We shipped from Boston,  October 2024. Our container went to Charleston, SC and Savannah,Ga before arriving in Rotterdam. In Rotterdam, it spent 3 weeks in Customs and several days out to sea waiting on a berth to unload. I think not a bad wait, no? All this travel Pablo tracked in real time on some weird little app he found.  Then it arrived in Spain, where everyone was on coffee break and nothing is to be rushed, and another 3 weeks were wiled away.

Anyways, except for one piece of glass, it all looks good. 

And I say to myself how nice it is to be around my stuff again. Maybe, this - is coming home.

The Star Person of Donostia - WOHOU

 

Benta Berri 2025

 

 

You'll see them everywhere in town. Old ones, new ones, little ones, bright ones, with flags and hearts and oh my, joy. They are ubiquitous to the Donostia landscape. They bring a smile to my face every time I see one especially, when I find a new one. Like them or not, the star person (if there is a proper name I don't know about, please let me know) is a citizen of Donostia along with "enjoy the silence".

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I've been recording Grafitti for years. I've got "F#ck the Police" from 12 countries (más o menos). Graffiti is the peoples art and I admire the star person and the artist.

Donostia 2024 - Paseo de Concha

 

 

 

So it's with delight I found this article, in Basque, about the artist - WOHOU. Google does a laughably bad  translation.

WOHOU - Hirutxuloko Hitza

 

Antiquo 2025

"Would you like another one?" Parte Viejo

 

 

 

Expect to see more Star Person and related artwork soon. 

Ciao!

BIKE RIDE!

 

 

It rains a lot in Donostia. No one moves here for the weather.  Since I've bought my bike, we have had few nice days where I could take it out for a spin around town. Yet, Saturday was glorious so we were up and out early for sun and fun. The bikes live in our parking garage, 3 stories below the ground. Just getting up the ramp and out the door,  is a work out. Our parking spot makes it possible to keep bikes in this city. Many, many friends we know, take their bikes into their pisos at night. It's not uncommon to see bikes in the doorways of businesses during the day. 

 

 

We headed straight for Ondaretta Beach via the Paseo.  The bike paths that follow the beaches to Parte Viejo and beyond. It's one of the cities busiest paths, I would hazard. You've got locals whizzing their way to and from work, tourists unsure of any of the traffic lights, Fracking Glovo service guys pedaling in the speed of light,  TONS of walkers and dogs under-wheel everywhere. It is an exercise of how long and slow can you stay on a bike before you fall over? But, boy it a beautiful ride beside La Concha Beach,

We handled 28km today. Pretty good for old people.