Pirate's Life 5/20/08

In the morning when I woke up, I'd decided today I was going to go hike to the top of the two hills where the two giant Spanish forts stand watching over the city. San Sebastian is guarded by these two keeps on hills at each side of the bay. There's a hiking trail up the one on the right, and then for the one on the left, you have to take a little train that takes you up the side of the mountain. I dressed, and made myself ready for the day. However, when I got outside I walked right into the pouring rain. Had it been just slightly drizzling, I would have just ignored it and gone up anyway, but it was absolutely pouring in huge marble-sized drops.

I was somewhat distressed at first, because this does put a slight damper on things. I'd pretty much done everything I could do on a rainy day yesterday when It happened to be sunny, and here today I wanted to do all the things which require sun. I decided however, that even so, I wouldn't let a little rain ruin the day. It very seldomly ever rains all day anyway. Eventually the skies were bound to break through long enough for the sun to peak out. I began walking into old town and over by the pier, just enjoying the rain and looking out over the ocean.

As I'd predicted, the sun did soon come poke out, and before long, the whole sky was brightly blue again. I began climbing the side of the hill on the right side, near old town. The paths were often steep, and difficult to climb just after a downpour such as this morning, but with careful steps I kept climbing up. The air in the densely green hillside was heavy, and smelt tropical, like entering a rainforest. It was rather humid under the treeline, but through the trees were the most miraculous views of the ocean and hills. I got to a point where the western battery once stood for the fortress. Old cannons still stood in their places, corroded by time and the salty brease. When I reached the summit, I climbed the steps into the Spanish fortress, and felt like I had strayed into a Pirate movie again. Scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Count of Monte Cristo flooded my mind. I wanted to leap across towers, waving my cutlass as the cannons fired on ships below. I found a favorite spot in a guard post overlooking the sea, and stayed there for a while and let the sea brease lap at my face. I wandered inside the main structure, which had been turned into a miniature museum, and read (what little I could) about the history of San Sebastian, and of the fort guarding it. Napoleon's army was stationed here for much of it's military history, until driven out by the English and Porugese. Privateers used to sail to and from here with orders to capture and loot the ships of neighboring countries. This city was a key station for Pirates, and merchant sailors. It was awesome to be sitting up at the top of the keep, imagining what it must have looked like at that time.

I worked my way off the mountain, and over to the other one. Unfortunately, there's not an easier way to walk to the other hill without going all the way round the bay, but at least it's a pretty walk. As I made my way, slowly over to the other side, I stopped periodically to relax in the sand.

At one point, while walking, I noticed I was being trailed by what had to have been the worst pickpocketer I've ever come across. First of all, he was dressed in a brightly colored, Tye-dye t-shirt. It was very easy to spot him in a crowd, and recognize I was being followed. Secondly, he was really bad at looking inconspicuous. When I'd stop somewhere and admire the scenery for a while, he'd stop a little ways behind, and not knowing what to do, he'd mimic what I was doing. When I looked at him, he'd look away, trying not to catch my glance. It was so blatantly obvious, I felt bad for him. For a little while I let him follow me, pretending I had no idea. I kept him a safe distance behind me, and when he moved in closer, I stopped and leaned against the railing "admiring the view." He'd stop, wait for me to continue, and the game began all over again. I strung him along for the good majority of the way to the other side, watching the frustration on his face grow every time I ruined his opportunity to reach inside my pockets. I eventually widened the gap between us by ducking in and out of people quickly, and then turned a corner, on the other side of the corner, I waited on a railing pointed his direction. He came around the corner walking faster, looking for me. When he found me, I looked him in the eye, and nodded to him as he passed.

I walked around and found the train leading up to the top. When I got off the train, I surveyed the area. From where I was, I looked out over the beach and surrounding city. The sand was a pale gold color between green and blue. The shallow spots could be seen like shadows in the water. The fort just across from me stood at eye level, with a blue ocean and a tiny green island between us. Out to the horizon were a couple of sailboats and then a vast emptiness. The sun was also at about eye level, drifting in and out of clouds as it began it's decent into the sea. All around me, the old fort had been turned into a huge hotel with a carnival at the bottom. By the time I'd gotten there, the carnival was closing up, but I still walked through it. As the sun began to set, I watched it leaning against a part of the old walls of the keep. I stood on the lip of the lower wall, and let the wind fill my clothes like sails on a ship. The sun sank deeper and deeper into the clouds, glowing bright red, and filling the sky up with yellow streams of light. From behind a cloud, the sun told of its glory, sending bright colors out onto the sea and into the sky. It was like an explosion behind a vail. When the it finally peeked out one last time, it glowed blood red and immersed itself in the ocean, taking the light with it.

After seeing all of this, I figured I'd better get down the hill before too much dark set in. I returned to the lift which took me up here, but no one was there anymore. The train had stopped running, and all doors had been locked. The hallways were chained off, and the place was deserted. I realized what time it was, and figured that they must have just closed. I'd now have to find another way down the mountain. I wandered around through the old fort, and the closed carnival. All gates were sealed, and all doors were locked. Every entrance or exit had been chained up, bolted and sectioned off, and I was locked inside. I wandered around and around, trying to find a door left unlocked or a gate small enough to climb. I finally found in one area, a wall which was a short climb on my side, but a long drop on the other. I figured this was my best chance. I climbed up my side of the wall, and lowered my body over the side, gripping the top with my hands. I struggled, and found a foothold, and began scaling down the wall of the keep. My footing slipped once or twice, but my hands held tightly to the wall, and when I reached the end I jumped down.

Once out of the keep, I was still up on the hill with no where to go. I remembered an area I saw from the wall which had a parking lot, and a street leading away from it. I decided that the street must be one leading down the mountain, so I headed toward that direction, and began following it down. The streets we're winding, and became darker and darker. However, the road seemed all downhill so I thought at least I was getting down the mountain. I lost sight of the town below, and all that was in front of me was a dark road and the next turn. I passed a couple really strange, creepy looking homes with small winding walkways to match their small winding roads. Occasionally a car passed, but I tried not to look like I needed a ride. The last thing I wanted was for someone to pick me up.

As I walked on, the road got silent and the air was still. Even the creatures of the forest seemed to hush themselves away. There was a rustle in the bushes behind me, and I turned to see no one there. I kept walking, and felt several eyes upon me. I quickened my pace. When I stopped again, my breath began to show in the night air, but it wasn't at all cold out. I puffed out plumes of smoke, and still and panting in the darkness. My eyes twitched to each side, and my body tensed. What little I knew about ghosts surfaced in my mind. I'd heard accounts on TV and magazine articles about certain signs of a ghost. Often times the air will be still as it was now, and the temperature may drop unusually to the point where one can see their own breath. I don't know if ghosts do or do not exist, but I do know that if they do exist, this city is packed full of spirits who would have died unhappily. The history of violence in this city spans through almost 10 centuries of wars, fires, pirates, and inquisitions. I decided that if in fact they happen to exist, I do not want to meet one here. I darted off, running down the street as fast as my legs could carry me. I felt like I must have hit 50 miles an hour, I've never run so fast my whole life. I think my feet only hit the ground twice the whole time I ran. When I was finally down the mountain, and back into civilization, I stopped running. My breath was no longer seen, and the air no longer still. The crickets were chirping, waves were crashing, and people were chattering. I felt much relieved.

As I walked back a little more towards where my hotel was, I decided to stop for dinner. However, rather than having "real Spanish food" I decided to try a ritzy tourist cafe, and see if it was actually better. I ordered cod fish in asparagus sauce. It was absolutely amazing. For dessert I had chocolate cake filled with chocolate fudge and vanilla ice cream. It was sooo much better than the "real" food I had last night. My theory is that when people told me that I absolutely had to try the amazing spanish restaurants in Spain, they meant the touristy restaurants, not the real ones. In real Spain, people cook. They don't seem to go out to restaurants.
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