That evening, we discover that a room with a balcony overlooking the street is not a good thing in el Parte Viejo! All night it goes on, echoes of drunks, loud voices, breaking glass, garbage trucks, street sweepers and cursing. Bad dreams result. My house is being demolished by my relatives and my neighbors house catches fire and is drowned by the fire department.

In the AM we discover the

Pension Itxasoa
c/San Juan 14, 20003 Donostia
tel. (00-34) 943 430 086
fax 943 420 132
email itxasoa@euskalnet.net

It has a balcony overlooking the river mouth, crashing surf, surfieros and the beach and city beyond on the north east part of town. Ah, what peace!

Surfing the jetty on the west end of the city.

We take the bus to the other end of La Concha, the shell shaped bay with a small island at it’s center and view Edwardo Chillida’s sculptures, the Wind Combs. They are magnificent poised upon massive boulders at the edge of the sea and engulfed by the pounding surf. Magnificent indeed! Also part of the show are ports, channels, holes, whatever, in the pavement of cobbles that spew the sound of the wind and the forceful columns of air that gush forth with the crashing of each wave upon the breakwater. I stand above one and am blasted in the face with the rushing air as the spume lands upon my back.

Los Peine de los Vientos (Wind Combs) by Edwardo Chillida

Blow Holes

Then it’s up the nearby funicular we go for those postcard views of the city, it’s island, it’s bay and the hills beyond. (See photo at top)

That evening again we do the tapa pub crawl and retire to precious sweet sleep with the sounds of waves lapping upon the rocks below. Sweet dreams we have.

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Shortly after leaving Dosostia we stop in Herraina at Edwardo Chillida’s one year old "Chillida Leku Museum." The museum is housed in a casiero, Basque farmhouse, with several surrounding acres that he developed to show his work. The house has been restored and various floors have been removed to better house and show his sculpture, painting and drawing. On the grounds are approximately 40 of his sculptures. This is a peak life experience for us and will undoubtedly alter our views on art, it’s production and display. I am jealous of this space and Chillida, who we espy on his adjourning estate trimming trees, righteously deserves his place on the world stage of art.

See more of the museum and work of Edwardo Chillida at:

http://www.eduardo-chillida.com/en_museo.htm