What is a real man?

Who's asking?

Pretty much everyone. At some time or another. Men do some strange stuff.

Call to Action:

So if you weren´t aware, this past month a school in Nigeria, Africa was stormed by members of the Islamic Terrorist group Boko Haram and an unknown number of girls were kidnapped. The number of girls captured was initially reported to be very low, but in the month that has passed the articles and videos dispaly a more accurate number near 130 girls.

This post is currently under maintenance...please enjoy the infotainment while your party struggle buses his way to copying the words to the computer with slow wifi

So no this post will not be about the four pillars of manhood because I think there are more than four and I chose that picture because I felt it would be a good preface for the entry. If you're pulling my arm and making me choose, I would have to say that honor, respect, determination, and strength (all kinds) are probably the four pillars I would choose. 

Now on to the actual content.

Continued from above... (disclaimer: I'm not a professional writer or anything so excuse me if this isn't all encompassing or pro grade. I also like to mix in humor with all this seriousness, gotta keep it at least a little light. Giving my probable three readers due diligence)

     After I heard about the news coming out of Nigeria I was taken aback by the reaction from all of the social media sources across the globe. Make no mistake I was definitely in favor of this reaction but the thought did cross my mind, as it usually does in these scenarios, as to what the criteria is for a national outcry when several other grotesque news stories don't get nearly as much coverage. One can't deny that many other terrible stories fall by the wayside and I'm just curious as to what processes make a media sensation. Luckily I feel like I've been kept well informed about kidnapping and trafficking. I remember hearing plenty about it during the "Toxic" series at sanctuary and learning about the tremendous efforts to put an end to trafficking in major cities like San Francisco. Even with this information about substantial efforts on the home front, it's sad to see that even with progress here there is still no refuge for millions of people out there in the world where evil and malicious intent thrives.

     In this instance the headline of "300 girls kidnapped" is plenty criteria for me. In my time abroad I have absolutely learned more about the dynamic between men and women on a global scale. I didn't really know too much about the feminist cause, but when events like this surface (regardless of the underlying causes or motivations),  the "Down with men!" battle cry is hard to argue with. Now being a man, this surely doesn't sit well with me I think in equal parts because I like to hope that in large the majority of men are decent human beings but I also know for a fact that there are terrible "men" out there that commit horrific atrocities against women. It's interesting because in the weeks leading up to my full exposure to the Nigeria situation, I just happened to have partaken in some discussions about topics such as rape culture and feminism with some of my friends. Also among the topics was the role that men play in some of the most grotesque aspects of society including the sex slave trade, human trafficking/kidnapping, and rape. Before this gets too one sided I want to mention that women are not guilt free as there are plenty of rape cases with a male defendant but I think the stigma is firmly directed at men. 

     The news in Nigeria about this mass kidnapping of women (by men) got me thinking and my first thought was of course "Why would anyone do this?" I'm still gathering info about the men behind it and their organization but the details are still a bit murky. Furthermore as I thought more about it I came to realize that even though I was really hoping for a quick and safe return of all those captured, the odds are that this won't be the case. As bad as it sounds, I think the clock began to tick for some of those girls as soon as they were taken and with all the cracks in the system it seems almost certain that some girls won't be coming home. I hope I'm wrong. I'm not going try and make conclusions based on feeling as I do not have expertise on the matter, but like everyone else I'm watching and waiting for positive news to come out.

     Another thought I had though settled more on the themes that resided behind the flashy headlines and gritty images on CNN. These themes were sure to be on the minds of many after the initial dust settled and people assessed how they felt about the situation.  Some of these themes are undoubtedly surrounding ideas like domestic violence, sex slavery, rape and ultimately the interplay between men and women. I can't speak for men that aren't me and I'm sure that other men do hold my views about proper treatment of others, but the reality of high abuse rates leads me to believe that the number of those other men may be smaller than I predict. Again I know I'm focusing on violence toward women but let's not forget that violence is often a two way street as the term "domestic violence" doesn't have a specific aggressor-victim gender definition attached to it. The cases that stem from an abused woman taking revenge after being abused present a profound moral quandary (I would not want to be on that jury) but that is just a part of the discussion. It would probably need its own post as well. The main train of thought I had though is what really got me to start putting ideas on a page. I know that there have been plenty of other people dissecting these issues but I think it's important to work things out for yourself as well. Who knows you might find something in your consciousness you hadn't thought of before. 

     Let's start with the dynamic between men and what the heck happened to it! This age old relationship driven at times by lust, love, friendship, hate, and pretty much every other emotion you can think of has only become more complex since our hunter-gatherer days. You know "the good ol' days." Well maybe not so much. Now it seems like more than ever there is a call for the end of atrocities like the forced selling of sex and abuse, yet the rates of these incidents seem to be on the rise. What's going on? Well for starters everything. A myriad of factors play into how these and other situations arise. Again I'm not going to try and pretend like I'm an expert on the subject. I'm not a violent man so the mindset that would lead to these things is even that much more foreign to me despite my predisposition of being male. At the moment I'm just a 22 year old guy trying to build up some wisdom for the storms I know life is going to throw my way, she's a "clever girl" that one is. (Bonus point for those the catch my Jurassic Park reference) I'm also pressed for time being a teacher in Spain while also needing time to enjoy the country as well. I'm just gonna do my best to make a coherent post and go from there.

Sorry about that friends. Like you´ll find me describe in the Things I Miss post, the internet comes and goes.

Many of the aforementioned issues have at their root a man who has lost his way or has taken liberties with his stature in such a way that produces intimidation and fear. Now don´t get me wrong, I´m not throwing around the phrase ¨lost his way¨ lightly, in the sense that at trial the defendant can say ¨well I dunno what I what doing there in her bedroom waiting for her. I guess I just lost my way.¨I use that term seriously. For example just the other day I listened to a podcast about a man who lost his daughter after she was murdered and raped. This man was in a home that wasn't his while trying to escape happened upon this young women. He propositioned her for sex and she said he´d have to kill her first. Unfortunately he did just that. Understandably the parents wanted the death penalty, but were also deeply concerned about the man´s backstory. In this case the offender in was born in a mental institution and had several other mental issues. He had quite literally, and also figuratively, lost his way. Now I understand this isn't the norm and this violent crime probably steers your mind toward rape and abuse but there was something in the mind of that killer, some kind of seed, that allowed him even in that altered state to request sex and then force himself on a woman. That tells me that the cultural impact facing men is stronger than I thought.

Going back a ways to the time of the first and second world wars, I think we can see one root of the current mindset entrenched in today's society. The role of women today, at least in the minds of some, is still several rungs down on the totem of respect. Some people still think that women are best at providing services to men and that they can give a "good time" to any man. This is evidenced in part by the extreme proliferation of the underground sex trade. So back to the 40s and 50s. It hasn't always been this way, in fact during the height of the second world war women took on a larger role in aiding the war effort. Women saw substantial gains in autonomy during this time and reaching even further back, women's suffrage had made substantial headway for the respecting of women in future generations. During the war when most all of the men were away fighting, the women were the ones who went to work in the factories helping construct planes and doing work with heavy machinery. Over two millions women found work during the war in roles originally thought only for a man. Still, women faced scrutiny and criticism along with reluctance from the government even though they were performing the job functions well and at times better than the men who preceded them. After some digging I came across data that in my hometown of Long Beach, CA, detailing the efforts of women at the Boeing hanger constructing planes. Even so, that reluctance I mentioned remained and indicated that despite their success and devotion to country, there remained underlying feeling of superiority and disrespect among men primarily.  I can understand where these ideas come from a putting it matter of factly, in that time men were the bread winning, family defending, war winning symbols of the country. Not that women didn't have an equally important role raising the future of the nation. It's akin I think to jobs of today that many people see as beneath them but in reality know that without them life would cease as we know it.

I think this lack of respect is based not only in a prideful feeling of a more imposing anatomy (usually) but putting the duty of men in the limelight caused the country to adapt its view in a way that help men superior and bred disrespect. even with this being a possible contributing factor, I don't think this view was one of inequality. I don't think the result of the war was men coming home and immediately beginning to disrespect their wives but it was probably a byproduct of the male adoration. My grandmother and grandfather were together for decades and after being in the service I know my grandpa never disrespected her. They had a high level of mutual respect that I saw each time I went to visit, so I don't think the 40s and 50s were a time of improper treat when you compare it to now. I do think that seeds of the past have sprouted into some pretty terrible manifestations though. This of course is just scratching the surface and provides only one theory about why respect toward women has slumped since the baby boomer generation.

I think I'll leave it at that and move on to thoughts about rape culture and culture in general today. First up on the chopping block:

THE MEN

Who's fault is it that in today's society there is so much disrespect and an attitude of belittlement toward women? Men
(Don't worry women are up on the block next)

Ever since my talk with a pretty cool Canadian I met in Paris, I've been racking my brain trying to get a grip of the situation that is the mistreatment of women. It's tough for me to put myself in the shoes of a man that would do anything to hurt a woman intentionally because that's not how I roll. I feel like I need to think about it anyway for my sake and for the sake of the friends I make in the future. I think that most guys are well intentioned when they set off to the club looking to "score." Let me stop right there though because somehow "meet a nice girl" has morphed into "score" over the years. Now people go out looking to score and I get it but it doesn't make it any better. I think I benefited from my parents blocking most junk TV that was on when I was a kid. I didn't watch MTV or VH1 (except for the music videos, loved those) or Simpsons, Southpark, etc. Looking back, I think that maybe some of the messages you get bombarded with for the first 10 years of your life can have a negative effect. Pair that with parents that don't take the time to correct those effects or teach their kids to be above and of course you have a recipe for disaster. This seems like a far way off from rape but I think it's relevant to some degree. 

I'm not going to say that TV or the media or whatever other mediums that parade sex around like a flashy new car are the cause of rape culture because after I figured out the security pin (sorry mom and dad) I would occasionally watch MTV and all the other not so great TV. I didn't turn out to be someone that mistreated women so I dont't think that media is totally to blame. I think that over time a combination of things like media, and influence of friends, and interactions with women help shape that kind of man that boys become. This is difficult to articulate without going on and on but I'll focus on the relationship with women. Men want to meet women and date women but like I said before I don't know how the "meet a nice girl" become "score." I think it has to do with the idea that the dynamic between men and women has changed dramatically over the years. I think now women have much higher levels of self respect and a mindset of independence. These two things can be tough for men to reconcile with because it adds to the challenge of meeting that nice girl. And unfortunately as a result of this independent attitude some men have taken the low road mentality and that mindset has steadily spread. So maybe that's a key. This is why I think the men0women dynamic is so crucial to this issue. Women present more of  challenge in today's society and it's directly related to the treatment of women by men. I have no doubt on the other side of the coin women are looking for a "nice guy" but that has become more difficult as the screening process for men has become even more stringent over the years. Also more often that not a guy will screw it up before the screening is even halfway done.

This vetting process can inevitably lead to failures and frustration for men. I'm sure even in the day's of Grease Lighting there were well intentioned guys that struck out. (Hence the "nice guys finish last" argument, yet another topic for another day) I don't know for sure how this frustration over time led to the reckless and too often violent reality we exist in but I can imagine it having something to do with frustration coming to a head and a boy who didn't have a firm guiding hand along with a decent group of friends, thinks he's being led on by a girl, and realizes he could use his stature to take what he wants. Is this wrong? Hell yeah it is. Is it immature? Extremely. Do I understand? Completely, but that will never make abusing your situation ok.

This day isn't celebrated out here in Spain, so for anyone that was curious about whether or not it's only a Mexican-American thing you were right. Happy 5th and try not to drink tooo much

Paris: April 16-18

After barely an hour in the Barcelona airport I was on an outbound flight to France. This is when the itinerary on my trip got a little hectic for the first time but hey I made a bold decision and I´m taking more risks these days because hey why not! The time from my plane landing to the bus to the station leaving was about 10 minutes and the time from the bus arriving at the station to the train leaving was 4 minutes.

The first stop was Angers so that I could visit Angie and see how things were going in her world. I can say that Angers did a good job being the first destination I ever traveled to in France. I can say that paying 20+ euros for a meal is just plain theft but hey Europe is jammin to the beat of its own very expensive drum. I spent only a couple hours in Angers because I had another train to catch that night taking me into Paris. After a quick tour of the town and a short dinner I was off again into the sunset.

I arrived in Paris late, probably around 11:30, then I set off looking for the hostel. Luckily my phone hadn´t yet died and I was able to navigate to the hostel without issue using the citymaps app. It´s a great app and I recommend it to everyone. Got to the hostel and checked in a little past midnight and headed up to the room. This was my first dip into the world of hostels and now I can see where all the crazy stories/horror stories come from. My story isn´t so bad. I felt bad coming in that late when everyone there was already asleep and I felt especially bad for the guy on the bottom bunk below me because there was NO way he was staying asleep through the ordeal that was me climbing to the top bunk.

I made the leap though and I was in for the night. That wasn´t the end of the noise festivities though as there was another group of people arriving after me. Three girls got to the hostel later in the evening and then some drama ensued. Surprise surprise. (sorry ladies that drama stuff does tend to follow you guys around) Apparently three girls got to the hostel around 5 or 6 in the morning and only two of them had reservations for that night. They figured the third girl could just sleep on the floor until morning rather than searching for another hostel. This was apparently going just fine until one person in the room, there´s always that guy (but this time it was a girl), wasn´t ok with there being seven people in a six person room. So she goes down to the front desk and tells the manager and now I´m awake and not even really angry. I was more curious to find out why the door kept opening and closing. I was thinking ¨is this hostel life??¨ Turns out they let the girl with no reservation stay on the floor (how gracious) and that was the end of the debacle. However the three girls definitely had no love for the one that tattled on them. I would come to learn this later on as we chatted.

In the morning I would start my journey to see all the touristy things around the city and really embrace my inner tourist. I already stick out like a sore thumb so I busted out the camera and went on a little journey. I had it in my mind that with an entire day to kill I could avoid public transport and just walk from place to place. I'm really glad I chose this option as I got to see all of the sights along the way to the tower but you better bring your comfiest walking shoes because Paris is no joke in terms of amount of ground to cover.

With the touted tower being the last stop on my list of sights, I decided to start the circuit with the closest thing. This happened to be the pretty awesome Notre Dame cathedral. It was a beautiful morning, not too hot just yet, and as I walked I took my time to really take it all in. I knew I would only be in the city for a day so why not slow down the pace a bit.

I arrived at the cathedral and immediately realized why people rave about it so much. It really is quite an impressive building, and not just because it's really really big. The architecture is fantastic and it seems to have a sort of presence as it looms over the waterway. Not bad for a first stop in my opinion and a suitable introduction to the architecture of the city. 

The view from the front

I wasn't surprised to see a ton of people walking around but there was plenty of room for picture taking especially because it was still early in the day. What did surprise me were the armed guards patrolling the grounds. This was a common trend during my stay in France. I guess I'm just not used to guards walking around looking like they're ready for live combat. Oh well, not a big deal I guess.

The morning was off to a good start and I kept going on a circuitous path that I drew on my ipad using the city maps app. I saw that Paris was way too big to walk in a single day, but luckily many of the major monuments were in the loop I planned to walk. It was about half of the inner city but still a considerable amount of hoof it. The next stop as I walked to the Louvre was the "Love Locks Bridge."I totally forgot about this bridge, but I remembered seeing it in the movie Now You See Me. The bridge has thousands of locks on it of various sizes and designs. It's a cool idea I think but not so cool that if you put your lock on more than a year ago it's likely covered with the locks of this past year alone.


I stopped on the bridge for a little while just taking in the view from the bridge and also taking a moment to appreciate it. I read online that the city council might remove all the locks sometime soon so the bridge might not be as glamorous when I return to put my lock on =P.

Next stop, The Louvre. Now this building I had some idea about coming in because it's one of the more famous landmarks I think. It appears in plenty of movie fly over sequences or the like I'm sure. Seeing it first hand is a whole different animal though, as is most of the situations where you see a landmark that has been described to you in the past but when you see for yourself it really blows your mind.

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I didn't have a chance to go inside because I didn't feel like waiting in that really long line on such a nice day. There was a nice walking path leading to the spire across the street from the Louvre so I snapped some pics and then went on my way.

The walk leading up to the spire was very nice and relaxing. I didn't realize how much I missed the feel of being in a park with a nice walking path until I was in one again. It's one of my few gripes about Spain but even the kids agree with me that they wish there were more parks. With the spire in the distance I made my way only stopping for a picture swap encounter with this nice old lady who I met along the way.

After the Spire, began the long trek to the Arc Triumphant (yes I renamed it). It didn't look that far on the map as it was a straight shop from the Spire but boy it was a true hike. Slightly uphill and probably near two miles in length it proved to be a formidable pre lunch task.  I decided to stop and take a picture of the view on the bridge to the left of the Spire/Obelisk as I was getting ever so close to the main attraction.

Getting closer to the finish line.

Along the way to the Arc you can definitely see the surroundings change from more parks and greenery to the hustle and bustle of the shopping district. It was store after store on the way up the street as the views around me completely changed. I wasn't interested in shopping, nor have I been for a long while since european sizes are not my sizes, but there was one things that caught me eye like on oasis during a desert excursion. There was a Mercedes Benz store. Not like a dealership but an actual store. I didn't even know these existed. There were cars on display and you could buy bags, cologne, jewelry and many other things all emblazoned with the Benz logo.  

 There was even a security guard at the door and he stopped the lady next to me at the door because you can't have food or drinks near the cars. Talk about high class living huh. I don't regret at all taking some time out to tour around this place a bit. I may or may not ever own a Mercedes supercar but at least I could take some time to gawk at the floor models. Not enough leg room anyway. Now for the food adventure to begin. During the long walk up to the Arc I was beginning to get quite hungry so thus began my first experience ordering food in France. After that 22-23 euro fiasco in Nantes I wanted something a little more reasonable for my lunch session. There was a burger place that I hadn't seen before and I thought to myself that maybe it would be healthier than McDonald's (I ended up getting McDonald's anyway but bare with me).

I walked in to the place and was delighted to see that they had the easy checkout kiosks in front of the counter. I appreciate that places have these know especially in places where tourists that don't speak the language will have trouble. I was one of those tourists. The ordering process went smoothly enough but when you chose the option to pay with cash the machine wouldn't give you a receipt nor was there a receptacle for bills or coins. After some head scratching I figured I would take a step back and watch some locals do it, but time and time again they were paying with cards which led me to believe that the machine was mislabeled or just incredibly complex. Or that there was a new form of currency specific to this fast food joint. Either way I was getting more and more hungry and feeling pretty incompetent. Luckily there was a family next to me having the exact same experience. We exchanged glances and gave those universal "hey do you know how to work this thing" hand gestures but to no avail. So with that I left.

Enter McDonald's. Luckily a few stores down there was a McD's and I thought surely this American establishment would be more foreigner friendly. However I had the same problem with the kiosk. There just didn't seem to be a way to pay without a card, but then it dawned on me that I had multiple cards I could use to complete the transaction. So I whipped out the Visa and was done in a flash. I'll chalk this one up to a case of overly advanced fast food digital terminals. Scarfed down the meal and then I was back on the road.

Conveniently the Arc was mere minutes away and when I got there I was stunned at how large this stone monument was.

Way bigger than the Arc in Barcelona

The Arc sits in the middle of a huge roundabout so getting a good photo is difficult at times. There was a sizable crowd on the sidewalk so that only added to the issue. With some patience and some breaks in the roundabout traffic there were some opportunities for a good shot. I didn't know how it would compare to the replica in Barcelona but this one is much grander. I didn't realize why the roundabout needed to be so big but then you see the Arc and realize that the thing is gigantic so it makes sense to have the mother of all roundabouts encircling it. I still had plenty of walking left to do though and I set off for the crown jewel of the city, anxious to get some good photos.

The walk to the tower didn't take long and I'm glad I walked the way I did because the observation deck behind the tower is pretty cool. There were people everywhere taking pictures of course. I think the view from this side is better as opposed to the grass lawns on the other side because you have a higher vantage point. Anywho I started my picture spree from the deck and proceeded to get closer and closer taking multiple pictures from a lot of different angles. Embracing my inner tourist I wanted to get a lot of pictures because it was a beautiful day and I'm sure I won't be back in Paris for a while...at least I think.

I really enjoyed getting to see the tower up close and personal and I wasn't too bummed about not being able to go up the lift. It seemed as though the wait in line would have been quite long anyhow. I think that you have to book tickets at least a few months in advance if you want to move through expeditiously. Maybe next time I'll go that route. My day of sightseeing ended with the tower and I did some exploring in the surrounding area. There were some tents set up and it was a little market of sorts with vendors and food items. After a few final pictures I decided to head back to the hostel because I had a long walk ahead and I wanted to take a nap. The tourism part ended there but there were some more adventures back at the hostel as well.

Ireland to Paris to San Sebastian. This will most likely be a three part series and I will do my best to get it up and running regardless of my wifi quality. I'll find a way! Updates when I get home.

Enter Ireland: April 11-16

So the Easter break had finally arrived and after careful planning and consideration, more like thinking to myself "ok where do I have friends I can stay with," I decided that Ireland would be a good first place to go. The journey began Friday the 11th because I couldn't get a Saturday flight without skyrocketing in cost so I had to miss a day of school. No worries because they were going on a field trip that day to Camp Nou. I'd already been so I guess I wasn't missing too much. That friday my flight was around 11AM so I took the first train from Malgrat to Barcelona and set off. The flight was smooth and through all this travel I'm doing I can say I've gained valuable experience as to which European airlines allow for online check in and those that don´t. I can´t say how much of a comfort it is to not have to worry about lines when you have booked flights back to back. You always hope that the timing works out but you have to make preparations for that late passenger or the endless pre flight checks or the cat on the runway.

Whatever it is sometimes life throws a spanner in the wheels and plans fall through. So back to my main point, online check in can be a life saver and with this being the first leg of the journey I didn't have to worry about it...yet.

The first flight was Ryanair and they do make you take some extra steps to check in, including going to another window for a stamp even if you checked in online. So for you travelers out there with American passports remember that before you go through security you have to have this stamp. From then on it was pretty smooth sailing all the way to Dublin. I grabbed a quick lunch and even though it was McDonald's I don't feel too bad because as you'll see in later posts this was about vacation and not about eating super crazy healthy. Plus, on the road I've learned that it's quite difficult to eat healthy during the transitions i.e the waiting in airports or the journeys between countries. For example I bought fruit in the Dublin airport. NEVER AGAIN. That orange I had didn't taste like orange at all. Anyway back on track to the Bus from Dublin down to Cork where the Lewis family resides. It's always super nice of them to let me crash at their place so I am eternally grateful.

The bus ride down to Cork takes about 3.5 hours so you have plenty of time to get comfy. Unfortuately for me that was not my reality. It was probably the combination of sitting on a train for an hour in the morning, then sitting on a plane for two hours that made my lower half extremely tight and sore. So tacking on the additoinal 3.5 hours was no walk in the park. Mi culo was not happy with me at all.

After de-boarding I had about two hours to kill so I walked around Cork and got to know the area a little better. I had already walked around most of Dublin but had yet to see what Cork had to offer. It was good to explore the area a bit. There are some cool shops and an open air market that has some really good food. I ended up getting lunch there on my last day of the trip. After the touring around was done I met up with Tony and we headed to the house.

It's always nice when you have friends in an area you're visiting as they provide good company and a way to unwind. Not to mention the monetary benefit of not having to pay for a hostel. The house they have is really nice and it's away from the city so it's quite serene. They don't have a full on farm but there are horses, chickens, sheep, and a stable so it does resemble farm life. I got to play around on the quad and even handle a few animals while I was there.

I don't know if being a farm hand is for me but I think in another life I could be tending to the sheep and carrying around bales of hay. After settling in and catching up with the Lewis family they thought that on Monday, since they had work I should go on a tour of the countryside since the weather was turning out quite nice.

They got me a ticket on the paddywagon tour bus that goes to the cliffs of Moher. It was perfect because they were all busy during the day anyway and I could go and see a cool Irish landmark.

Before that though I had to get in a bit of rugby action of course. The tickets were booked on Saturday but on Sunday night there was a rugby game that the family wanted to go see and of course I was going to go. I had never seen live rugby at the pro level so I figured it would be a good experience. The stadium was fairly full but not sold out and the atmosphere was still good. The game was between the 2nd and 4th place teams in the league so it figured to be a good match.

Unfortunately the game was a bit of a snoozer as the game got out of hand for the team we were supporting quite quickly. The final score was something like 17-5 and it looked as if the long season had begun to take the toll on the players. There always seemed to be someone down and injured with the medical staff running out on the field but in the rugby they just keep on playing. No diving like in soccer or flopping in basketball, these guys have legitimate reasons to go down.  All in all it was good fun and I´m happy I got to see it.

The next day I was headed to the city center to catch a bus Called the paddywaggon for a tour to the cliffs.


The bus was full of people from all over the world. There were two Italians in front of me, two germans behind me, and two abnormally placed (I think) french guys a few rows back. Just my luck though, I ended up sitting next to an American. What are the odds?? So we were chatting along the way to our destination. It is always nice to be able to chat with someone who knows about your home country and you can reflect on the things you miss about home. We stopped for a short lunch break in Doolin before heading off to the cliffs and I can say the meal was quite good.

Finally arriving at the Cliffs, they were truly a sight to behold. You had the option to go left or right and continue along the coast. I didn't know that each direction could be followed for miles on end, but I went right and began admiring the view. There were people everywhere and before I set off too far down the right side path Jessie (the american from the bus) was gracious enough take my picture with the cliffs in the background.

I  continued down the right side for a while just taking pictures and trying to soak in the enormity of the cliffs. They are much bigger than I expected and it's hard to give a picture of the scope even with photo evidence. I'll put some pictures in anyway just to give an idea. There were people taking all sorts of pictures from many vantage points but the cliffs are pretty dangerous because not all the areas have guard walls and some places you can just walk right out to the edge. These ledges make for great photo ops but luckily there wasn't much wind that day or else I don't think I would be the greatest idea. The tour guide said the wind can get up to 100mph so any travelers out there watch out. After the two hours were up we returned to the bus and headed back to Cork. I think the Cliffs are a great attraction and definitely something anyone visiting should try to see.

The next day was my last day in Ireland so after saying my goodbyes I went into the city to grab lunch then head back to Dublin. I went to that open air market and got a delicious sausage sandwich then went to McDonald's because I was just that hungry. Then it was off to get on yet another bus, this time the return trip to Dublin where I would spend the night in the airport to Catch my 6AM flight to Barcelona. Ah the life of a traveler, I honestly don´t know how some people can continously travel as it's quite draining but fun at the same time.

The night in the airport wasn´t so bad and before I knew it I was off to continue the next leg of the journey. The 2nd part of Semana Santa Concluded is next.

San Sebastian: April 19-21

So after 7 hours traveling by bus to San Sebastian I arrived around 3PM and immediately set off exploring after checking into the hostel. I had done some research previously and I knew there would be plenty to see. The town is quite beautiful and definitely has a quaint feel to it. You can walk across the town in about half an hour no problem. The walk down from the bus stop is lined with colorful trees and the views from the bridges lining the river are nice as well.

Arrival

Once I was in the main part of town I strolled around for a bit just taking in the sights. The town is very cool and pretty much embodies a beach town as ¨The Conch¨ beach is a big attraction nestled between two peaks. This means that there is plenty of seafood to go around. I was pretty hungry so I didn't look for any place in particular. I just stepped inside one that wasn't too busy and gave the menu a stare down. I opted for the Roski, described as:

a bocata sandwich

with

hamburguesa

queso

vegetal

and of course mayo.

They put mayo on pretty much everything here

I thought the sandwich was pretty darn good. In the food taste scale I invented shortly after eating it I gave it a 8 out of 10. As my inaugural meal in San Sebastian it did not disappoint in the slightest. After that I had replenished the energy stores and felt it would be criminal not to climb up the peak that was looking right at me. The first of the two peaks overlooks the main part of town containing all of the bars and whatnot. I didn't realize how steep the climb was but it definitely provides some nice views along the way.

Once at the top, I found that there were already a large group of tourists/locals gathered around taking photos so I figured I was in a good spot. There were some trees blocking some vantage points but there were plenty of places to snag a good photo. I did my best to push the others aside (not really) and get a good panorama. I feel like tourists hate on each other sometimes because I saw one guy taking selfies with his girlfriend and they looked quite ridiculous to the average passer by and they were laughing at another guy with the big camera and lens taking what seemed to be a bajillion picture panoramic. Maybe that was it, this guy's camera must have taken about 100 snaps to get this panorama. Lots of clicking noises. Either way it was a nice first place to visit.

After pausing for a few pictures I went up to the top of the small mountain to see the statue sitting atop it. There was a tiny chapel and a grand carving peering over the town. It was difficult to get a good picture because of the angle but you have to respect the architecture here.

After the climb it was time to grab dinner and I definitely had my pick of the litter food wise. I went searching for a little while but I got to the feeding grounds right around rush hour and if you hadn't had time to adjust to how they do things in San Sebastian it may be difficult to get a word in. Beside the fact that here they simply throw the napkins on the floor when you're done, it is very difficult at times to get close enough to the bar to order. These bars aren't the biggest places in the world so fill up quick and then you're on the outside looking in. I found this was the case for several of the places so I went back to the place I went for lunch to slow things down and get some favorites of mine.

Dinner was a wonderful helping of brava and tortilla 

I kept it simple for the first night, but I vowed to expand my eating parameters the next day. I knew that I had plenty of time to taste the fare and the ice cream of course. There was ice cream a plenty and I definitely enjoyed that feature.

I finished the day with some of the aforementioned and pictured ice cream, it's hard to resist when there are shops on pretty much every corner, and returned to the hostel satisfied and really in need of sleep. It was a long day but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The next day, Sunday, I wanted to get the most out of it so I woke up early and decided that after breakfast at 9 I would walk to the 2nd of the two small mountains to get more good picture and work off some of the calories from the previous day.

Along the way to the second mountain

The base of the mount Igueldo

After a nice morning trip across the town I decided against taking the tram up to the top of the mountain. I was about 10AM and I figured two hours of time to climb and come back would get me to the bars in time for lunch. I didn't know how windy the roads were or how long it would take but sometimes you just gotta go. I'm glad I did too because there are some views you can only get by walking up the side and back of the mountain. Plus it's a good bit of cardio to start the day off right before you ruin it later with pintxos and ice cream. Maybe that's just me but I highly doubt it.

Was not expecting to see a slug of this size

I thought it was really cool though

After climbing for about 45 minutes at a leisurely pace, I reached the entrance. I didn't realize that the people that took the tram up would be wondering how I got up there but I feel like I absolved myself of the 2,20 euro fee by walking up the side. The scenic route on this mountain is much much more strenuous that the tram ride. 

The entrance

Now that I had reached the top, next stop was pictures. Of course! I didn't come all this way to not take pictures. I think in the end some of my shots were just as snazzy as the postcards I saw in town. The views were gorgeous though. On an overcast day it turned about to be perfect as the temperature wasn't to hot on the climb and the sun was blinding you as you tried to get a nice picture. Being a little higher up than the other mountain was cool as well, as it makes for even better panoramas. 

San Sebastian in the AM

After the picture sesh I was feeling extra fitnessy and decided I'm hike back down the mountain as well. I was really thinking about the future meals I would incur on my body and was doing it a favor. There are some really fancy looking buildings in SS and apparently there is a plot of land near the city center that is home to some of the most expensive real estate in all of Spain. This I did not know, but from the look of some of the architecture around town you can tell that there was a higher than average level of detail work put in.

LET THERE BE LUNCH:

The moment I had been waiting for had finally arrived. It was time to try out some of the best Pinxtos SS has to offer.

The first stop was to a place that has gained acclaim for a particular tortilla and apparently people line up for this little egg frittata. The first day I was in town I got to the bar at 1:07, they make this thing only twice a day at 1 and 8, and it was gone by then. So on this day I was not going to miss out. I got to the bar early and waited a little while, even put my name on a list, just to get a slice. When it finally came I was hoping for a life changing culinary experience but in the end it was just alright I think. I mean it was really good but I probably wouldn't stand in line for it. And that's not to knock the food here in any way, in fact I learned that all the food here is so good it's hard to go wrong.

A little beer while I waited

Next up was a place of high acclaim that I read about on a foodie blog, and the main attraction here is a skewer with shrimp and a special sauce. I got in line to order one of these, called brocheta, and whilst doing so I spotted a gem on the counter. There was a piece of chorizo wrapped in bacon and I thought nothing of it as I came for the brocheta but boy was I in for a treat.

brocheta

heaven aka chorizo con bacon

I took a bit of the shrimp skewer and it was fantastic. I quickly ate the entire thing because as you can see it is quite small. For only 2 euro though its a steal. Then came the chorizo. It is already one of my favorite ideas simply because it contain two of my favorite meats, but when I took a bite from the middle of this thing my taste buds sung out in glorious harmony. Yes it was that good. The tastes came together oh so nicely and I'm surprised I limited myself to just one. The journey through the Pinxto Palace could not stop here.

The next stop was conveniently right next door and the specialty at this place was the solomillo (sirloin). At this point though I was so convinced of the quality of food around the place that I really didn't need any convincing to get the specials. The food is just that good. I tried the solomillo and it was surprising good, in the sense that sometimes people don't cook the meat all the way through even in really nice restaurants around the world (ahem France). This thought was perfectly cooked and with a side of bread and patatas fritas I was a tasty little addition. 

I had to stop after that and appreciate the food I had just eaten. Plus it was time for ice cream, duh! Me getting an ice cream after dinner or lunch became a bit of a tradition during the two days I spent here. There were ice cream parlors on most every street and they all had a different style and prices. I wanted to try out as many as I could because you can get a mini scoop for less than a euro, making it easy to try many places and flavors.

After I grabbed some dessert I walked around for a little bit and enjoyed the atmosphere around the town. With the rain gone people were out and about enjoying the fresh post rain environment where everything seems a bit more crisp. I strolled around a little longer taking in the sights before returning to the hostel to update the blog a little bit and then grab a nap before I went back out later for dinner. 

I liked the hostel I was staying at, Urban House, the staff was cool and I often hear complaints from travelers that there need to be more common spaces to promote interaction but the lounge in this place was cool and I didn't have any complaints. After a brief hour long nap I got up and with a few hours to kill before dinner time I decided to head back out and explore the town a little bit. The town if divided by a bridge that leads to the old town but I didn't get to check that out. I did walk along the beach a little and explore some of the neighboring shops and monuments.

DINNER TIME:

Dinner time was upon me and I was ready for another selection of fantastic dishes. Again there were so many choices but I had a few places in mind to try out since people I talked to mentioned them being at the top of their favorites list. Even one local I met she always goes back to a place called ATARI so I had to check it out if not just for the awesome name. 

Dinner provided a similar feel as lunch with a bustling atmosphere and people all around the bars, but by now I had learned how to get by the crowds and get my order in no problem. I started off at Atari and ordered some croquetas because, well, croquetas. I mean come on they're amazing and probably the dish I'll be making most when I return home. I got four of them for 4 euro I believe and I probably should have only gotten two because they were just ok at ATARI. They were good but maybe it just wasn't their specialty. The next place I went to I got to experience béchamel for the first time and it is really good. I had no idea what to expect but the shrimp dish I had was up there for tops during the trip.

Other pinxtos on the counter

Didn't have room to try these. Next time

After leaving the last stop on the dinner train I went out for a stroll with freshly scooped ice cream in hand. There are few feelings so good as a really good meal paired up with a stress free stroll into the sunset. The sun was going down and what looked to be a wonderful sunset was in the making down by the pier so I followed the crowd and got my camera ready. The other tourists definitely had the same idea as people were all along the railing overlooking the beach. I found a good spot a little behind the crowed so I could enjoy my ice cream in peace and get a higher vantage point. The colors changed as the sun completed its arc in the sky and the end results were fantastic. I'll never get over how cool the sky looks during a sunset or sunrise. It's like a big rack of paint cans is balancing in the sky and depending on who knows what, some of those cans spill and dash the sky with amazing colors we are all compelled to stop and stare at.

A fitting end to a great day

A little earlier in the evening

I have to say that the north of Spain was a decision I definitely do not regret making. I already want to return and try the pinxtos I missed or bocadillos that looked so delicious. Most of all though, I like the feeling of being relaxed and in a town where the going is easy and the food is top notch. I think a place like San Sebastian would be a really nice retirement spot. If only a clone existed in the states, but retirement is a ways away for me so for now I'll just appreciate that clear skies and culinary experience that SS provided for me. A fantastic getaway I must say and an experience I'll not soon forget.