Day 6: Rain, Rain, GO AWAY!!

Rain, Rain, GO AWAY!!!  That's pretty much how our day went today.  We headed to the lovely beach town of San Sebastian, were greeted with rain (and our local guide Eduardo), had the sun show up a few times, but then allow the rain to return...ugh...

But, amongst the rain drops, we were able to see this beautiful seaside town.  Here we are at the top (or close enough) of Monte Igueldo with the Playa de la Concha (Shell Beach) over to the left...gorgeous!!

 Here are the kids with our amazing guide, Fran!

After our city tour, we headed back into the Old Town and went tapa-hopping.  However in the Basque country, they are called Pinchos (Pinxtos).  This place above was great!  Kids all ordered themselves and enjoyed the local fare.  We headed to another place down the road and had some more yumminess!  The kids did some shopping before we headed back to the bus and headed off to Guernica!!

Guernica is the city that Franco had bombed 75 yrs ago this past April.  The Spanish 3 kids study Picasso's painting that is in the Reina Sofia museum in Madrid that the kids saw just a few short days ago.  The Peace Museum is closed on Mondays, but we got to go to the Assembly House and see the Tree of Guernica, the few things that didn't get bombed by the Nazis.

Behind the kids here is the "Old" tree which is nearly 300 yrs old.  The Tree is the most universal symbol for the Basque people, representing freedom and independence.

After a rainy drive back to the hotel in Bilbao and another delicious dinner, we had to go on our nightly adventure...including ice cream.  Only Kate, Brian & I myself got ice cream, James got Oreo cookies and Chloe & Meredith said they were "full"...even though there's always room for ice cream...whatever girls....

We also explored the area south of our hotel and found a playground and what we called an "Outdoor Gold's Gym."  It was beautiful night to wander the boardwalk and reminisce about another amazing day in Spain.

I ask the kids what their favorite city has been, and their responses are all of them...they are just impressed with every place we've been for a variety of reasons.

We're leaving early tomorrow heading east to Pamplona (no, we're not running with the bulls - that's early July) and staying the next 2 nights in Barcelona.  Parents - we'll try to call from there.  We're hoping there is better (warmer) weather there to greet us!

~steph :)