Harvey and Adrianne Arrive

The next day, Wednesday August 17, we chilled out in Pamplona in the morning awaiting the arrival of Jordan’s father Harvey and his partner, Adrianne. It was a beautiful day and I went running in the morning to explore some new parts of the city I had not yet seen. I ran past the public pool and then up toward the Plaza de Toros (the bull ring) and along part of the promenade that encircles the old city offering views of the foothills beyond. Again, I admired the blending of the old and new: modern metal and glass footbridges and elevators adjacent to ramparts several hundred years old.

That morning I also had the pleasure of meeting Virginia’s brother-in-law Oscar and his children, Iztal (5) and Beñat (3). They came over because we had a problem with the window in Caleb’s (really Todor’s) room. The full length windows have two settings – one that tilts open from the top and the second that allows you to open it like a door. If you have an engineering mind, you can imagine the hinges required for these two positions. Well, the top corner hinge was not working properly, and it would still open like a door, which meant that it was really only attached properly by the bottom corner hinge – a recipe for disaster. Of course, being a guest in their home, I was afraid of doing damage…and, well, let’s just say that my fear was not unfounded. Most of the items we broke were replaceable (the glass carafe of the French press, the plastic knob of the stove…I even trekked across town to find the service dealer with the spare part!), however the window – which I don’t think we broke – was a big deal. First their cleaning person, Pili, took a look at it, then she called Oscar, and he came over and called their handyman to come. We got it in good working order, but I was still a bit nervous about it. No major problems ever arose thankfully.

Celia looking out her window to Calle Mayor below

Oscar was very sweet and generous in inviting us to swim with his family, and to have dinner with them. We met his wife Oskia, Virginia’s sister, and she was charming as well. Virginia comes from a large family, 4 girls and 2 boys, who all still live in Pamplona. Her mother also lives in the old city. Ultimately we met all of the female Redins who hosted us for meals. We were very touched by their warmth and generous hospitality.

Oskar & Harvey

Harvey and Adrianne were excited to meet up with us and especially to see how the children were enjoying Spain. Their hotel was two blocks away, and had a pool that the kids enjoyed. They rested that afternoon and we met them for dinner…for what was one of the most stressful nights of the trip.

As most of you know, Jordan is a foodie. So in his typical style, he spent the better part of the afternoon researching where to eat in Pamplona to show his parents a good time. Despite a handful of suggestions from Oskar and the hotel concierge, Jordan’s diligence resulted in a different restaurant in the old city which received very high online ratings. The pictures of the food on the internet and the menu all looked enticing. He made a reservation. However, upon arrival at 8 pm (of course, we were the only ones seated in the dining room making the reservation a joke), the restaurant was rather lack luster and the menu appeared to be different from what we expected. Jordan was rather intent on eating there, but within a few minutes, I suggested we not stay and Harvey concurred. No surprise; Jordan was not happy as we left the restaurant.

The quest that followed was a series of disappointments. The other restaurants that had been recommended were closed for vacation. We traipsed around, children gloomily in tow, looking in one after another restaurant which did not satisfy our expectations or needs. Here the food was too light, there is was too heavy. Jordan obligingly followed along with a very grim expression on his face and no opinion to offer at each option, his flock having not only lost its way but also having seriously pissed off its shepherd. So, we ended up eating in the Plaza de Castillo (score one for authentic Pamplona), however at the Italian restaurant chain, Tagliatelle (strike one – Italian???? strike two – chain????). Mute Jordan declined to order at this offensive establishment, and only after Spanish wine was brought to the table did he soften slightly. Ultimately, the food was delicious (great, super thin pizza and excellent pasta in US-size portions), the kids were well fed, and harsh feelings dissipated. The night was completed with – you guessed it – ice cream in the Plaza. The next day the multi-generational family relations resumed unharmed.

Thursday was a little rainy, so we left Harvey and Adrianne work off their jet lag while we idled around the apartment and watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. That evening we had dinner with Oscar and his boys in the courtyard of Virginia’s mother’s apartment. It was typical picnic of meat (chirozo) and cheese along with the local delicacy – white asparagus. The kids all got on swimmingly and Oscar provided us with useful maps of the Pyrenees and of the North written in Basque to help us navigate the roads.

Basque is an interesting language. It’s considered to be one of the oldest known languages. Some guidebooks even credit it with being the language spoken in the Garden of Eden. It seems to us that everyone who speaks Basque also speaks Spanish, so we never heard it spoken directly to us. But the road signs in the north would suggest its more common than Spanish. Reading the road signs aloud suggests there is a lot of spitting involved with the pronunciation of Basque words. Lots of tx’s, k’s, and other hard consonants back to back. We later learned from Maria – Virginia’s sister – that “tx” is pronounced “ch”. If you ever really wondered why we have the infrequently used letter X in our alphabet, ix because (I couldn’t resist) Basques borrowed it from the Ancient Greeks and started using it in Algebra. Of course, we then needed a way to abbreviate Christmas – this is true. That and the Boggle-players union lobbied hard for more words like xylophone (I mean seriously, why not then xip your xipper??).If you’re really interested, see Wikipedia on the origin of the letter X, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X. Anyway, if you are driving through northern Spain the roads are generally well marked. But don’t expect it to be that easy. Especially if you are trying to get out of Bilbao…but I will leave that story to another day.

More Pamplona, La Rioja, and San Sebastian

Prior to the trip, I was fully aware that travelling with three small kids might be no picnic at all. I was surprised, even delighted, to witness my children adjust with ease to a Spanish schedule – siesta from roughly 2-5 everyday, and no dinner offered at restaurants before 8:30 or 9 pm. The new stimuli – the city, the food, the language, the people – all engaged them fully. (Of course we still fed them dinner at 6 at home!)

Sunday morning August 14 began with our baguettes from the Taberna, the bakery where we came to be recognized (even waved to as we passed), then a walk to the Ciudadela, the Citadel of Pamplona, that is now a park. The fortress is small but welcoming with pathways and different levels to explore. It was a hot day so we found a shady spot under some trees to relax. The kids kicked around a soccer ball, and we let Pamplona soak in. Sunday is still a traditional day of rest there, so the markets and stores were closed. We cooked dinner at home and then walked to the Plaza Castillo for ice cream (open for the tourists, thankfully).

The food in Spain was somewhat challenging. You could call it the cheese, shellfish, and pork capital of the world (which is maybe why we couldn't find any synagogues to visit while there). Some of the local flavors were delicious - namely gazpacho and smoked salmon. The most common item, often viewed hanging from the ceiling in bars, is Jamon Iberian, or ham. There is a lot of charcuterie / meats available, chorizo sausages, and queso or cheese. Also seafood, mostly shellfish. A specialty of the north that we enjoyed very much are mushrooms, sautéed with olive oil (the olive oil in that region is delicious). Walking by the bars, you can see plates and plates of pintxos (pronounced “pinchos”) which is similar to tapas, but served on slices of bread and eaten with your hands (tapas is typically small plates of food you eat with silverware). They were delicious, and heavy. They could make a meal, but were really appetizers. Meals often were good but not great until we found a few restaurants that we loved and then frequented (Mi casa in the old City was one).Our favorite restaurant was in the most beautiful spot in Pamplona, the Rincon de Caballo Blanco (the restaurant was the Meson de Caballo Blanco), we practically became regulars there, ordering the same thing every time….a fresh smoked salmon tostada with salad, pickles, and dill. The kids loved the garlic bread and gazpacho there. We were hardly ever disappointed with the coffee – café con leche for me, and a“cortado” for Jordan which is an espresso with a little steamed milk.

It was difficult to find a lot of food for the kids in restaurants. They loved the tradition of churros y chocolate - basically dipping churros (like donuts) in to a thick chocolate sauce. Talk about nutricious breakfasts! We did have some amazing pizza with the thinnest crust I've ever seen in Pamplona...but don't talk to Jordan about eating Italian food in Spain. Between pasta, yogurt, cheese, bread, and a daily ice cream our kids did not starve.

Monday, August 15, turned out to be a bank holiday so once again everything was closed and we ventured out on our first daytrip from Pamplona. Our destination was La Rioja, the wine region southeast of Pamplona. We drove through Logrono, and stopped first at Elciego, where Frank Gehry was commissioned to build a special hotel in a Bedoga known as the City of Wine. This structure is akin to the Guggenheim. We unfortunately just missed the guided tour, so we settled for cheese, bread, chorizo, and wine in their shop. From there we drove through an area as lovely as Napa or Sonoma to a town called Haro, where many Bodegas or wineries operate. In the old town, we had some of the best mushrooms tapas at a bar, and found hot dogs for the kids. We spent the afternoon in Haro at a lovely little water park, complete with water slides that the kids loved. Once again it was reinforced that Spain makes smart investments in entertainment for kids and families right alongside adult destinations like wineries. The day felt balanced, satisfying all age groups. On our drive our of Haro, we stopped at some gorgeous wineries to buy a litte vino to take home.

The weather continued to be perfect, so the next day we headed to the beach in San Sebastian. Both Jordan and I had been there before (twenty years ago!!) and it was bigger than I remembered. It was also incredibly crowded, since most Spaniards vacation in August and San Sebastian is a popular destination and place where people have second homes. We walked around the old town a bit and then headed to the beach. It’s a gorgeous beach with the town surrounding it. The surf was small but very fun for the kids. They were shocked to see women without tops, and Jordan kept his eyes closed the whole time, I am sure. A note about European bathing suits: no one female wears anything but a bikini (and sometimes just the bottom). Regardless of size or age, people parade along the beach comfortably in their bikinis. I must say, I was impressed – not with what I saw, but with what it represents. I think Europeans have a better sense of self and more comfort with their bodies then we Americans do.  Thankfully, I brought a bikini with me, so when in Rome….(no photos allowed, ha ha)

We left the beach and headed to the old city and the famous Cathedral that I remembered from my previous visit. I took the kids through the church and they quickly decided it was not interesting (a very different travel experience with three small kids...sightseeing is minimal), and so we headed to a bar for some pintxos and sangria (a necessity when traveling with three small kids). We then headed to a small fishing village about 20 minutes away called Getaria for dinner. The drive was specatular….like the coastal highway in California, with small villages connected and beautiful beaches. We had dinner outside on the hillside overlooking the port and the beach. It was charmingly perfect and the fish was delicious.