Pedestrians, Pintxos, And Other Puzzles

Santander, San Sebastian, Bilbao: so many pintxo bars, so many cake shops, so many ice cream parlours…so few obese people. How come? Here are a few observations - unscientific, anecdotal and observational, and based on a couple of weeks spent in Northern Spain - which doesn’t mean not valid. Mostly, the answer appears to be food culture and active travel. First, the food, though wonderful, comes in small portions – eg, pintxos (tapas). Very little is processed. Moreover, it’s ok to share. The fast food oligopolies/chain outlets (please don’t call them “restaurants”) are scarcely seen (San Sebastian has one McDonalds). Practically all of the dining happens in small independent businesses, whether bars or restaurants. There's hardly any eating or drinking “on the go.” You just don’t see people toting bottles of soda or eating crisps whilst walking. Eating goes like this: Arrive. Talk. Eat. Talk. Leave.

So much for the food culture, what about active travel? As per the previous post/Argus article, great swathes of Santander, Bilbao and San Sebastian are carfree and there’s efficient and inexpensive public transport. Not just in the main cities, but in many small towns and villages, cars have been put in their place – after pedestrians. San Sebastian is a poster child for rebalanced streets – cars come way down the hierarchy, below walking, cycling, roller-blading, skateboarding, jogging and running. Pavements are uncluttered and unobstructed - the advertising “A boards,” which make getting around on British pavements so difficult, are just not to be seen. Guard rails, which pen pedestrians onto pavements at crossing points, don’t exist. So what’s the paradox? Brits abroad will tell you that they love these places. Elected and appointed officials from UK local government go on fact finding- missions to see for themselves. But back in the UK many of the good intentions melt away, and motorists seem to acquire a magical power of veto when it comes to improving our towns and cities by better management of the car. The question is, why? Pedestrians have votes too….

Quirks & Idiosyncrasies of Public Transport

It doesn’t get much quirkier than this: if you want to cross the Rio Nervion to the north of Bilbao, you can take a ride on the Vizcaya Bridge, from Portugalete to Getxo. It’s a transporter bridge, which conveys vehicles and pedestrians in (on?) a ferry suspended by wires, which hang from wheels on a high level gantry. The bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If vertigo isn’t a problem, you can pay a bit more and walk across the top level.

Bilbao Metro: Subway to the Surf

Bilbao in the Basque Country has an extensive public transport network. Like many places, it includes buses, over-ground railways, trams and a metro system. But unlike many places, the underground train will take you to the beach: Line 1 terminates at Plentzia, on the mouth of a river a short walk from the coast. From Plentzia Station you cross the river by an elegant footbridge, follow a tree-lined riverside walk, skirt a small harbour – and you’re within sight and sound of the surf. There can’t be too many underground railways that take you to the seaside – although the New York Subway will get you to Coney Island....and Brighton Beach (which, unlike its Sussex namesake, is more sand than  pebbles). 

Pinxtos And Pedestrians: Carfree In The Basque Country

Santander, Bilbao, San Sebastian – three fine cities on the coast of Northern Spain. Two of which are in the Basque Country (Santander is in Cantabria). But whatever it's called, it's a great place for a carfree holiday. The food is great (especially those pinxtos, the Basque variant of tapas), there’s lots to see and do and the people are friendly, even if the Basque language is a bit of a challenge (some Spanish will get you by). Best of all, the three cities have gone a long way to being pedestrian and bike friendly, with carfree streets and cheap and efficient public transport. Not only is it easy to get around the cities on foot or using public transport, the region is very accessible, with lots of opportunities for side trips by bus and train – incredibly, you can go to the beaches near Bilbao using the Metro. Overall, here’s what we did and how we did it: taxi and train to Portsmouth, taxi to ferry port; overnight ferry to Santander, walk from ferry port to city centre accommodation, stay in Santander; train from Santander to Bilbao, walk to accommodation, stay in Bilbao; tram to station, train to San Sebastian (Donostia in Basque), taxi to accommodation, stay in San Sebastian; taxi to station, train to Hendaye (France) TGV to Paris, taxi to hotel, stay in Paris; metro to Gare du Nord, Eurostar to London, train and taxi home. Trains and boats were nearly all punctual (except for the 20 minute delays on the high speed trains - both TGV and Eurostar). But best of all, no jams, no hassles with parking, no motorway tolls, no getting lost, no driving on the “wrong” side of the road, no breakdowns, and plenty of time to enjoy the views rather than stare at the tarmac. More to come on the carfree delights of The Basque Country....and Cantabria.