Friends and Food!!!!

San Sebastian is freAkin awesome!  I feel at home here!  There's just something in the air here....a really good vibe.  I'm feeling it whatever it is.  The mountains are butted right up against the sea, the beaches are incredible, the food is really fresh and authentic, most of the people are friendly, and weather is perfect...for now, that's all I need! I've settled into a comfortable hostel that's just a block from the ocean front and pretty central to everything.  I took a picture of the view from my balcony.  And the beach in the pictures is called Bahia de la Concha, it's the closest beach to where I'm staying.  I've been meeting a lot solo girl travelers, so that's always a huge plus!  In the picture from the left is Marisa, Maiya, and Winnie.  The girl in the blue is Ann.  Last night we all went out for pintxos (tapas) and drinks.  I think I ate a lb. of olives yesterday!  The sardines are fresh here, and taste nothing like any I've had before.  They're called Boquerones, white anchovies served in usually olive oil or vinegar and eaten with bread to get every last oily bite.  It might be my favorite bite yet!  The flavor is actually really mild and I could drink the olive oil it's in.  In bars legs of ham hanging from the ceilings are as common as TV's.  It's cured for at least 2 years and a leg can cost over $2K!!  It's called Iberian ham, named after the breed. It resembles prosciutto when it's sliced.  You can usually find octopus on the bar as well.  It's called Pulpo, which means octopus, and it's usually served in small chunks in the oil it was cooked in.  A tortilla here isn't a tortilla, it's more of a frittata.  It's about two inches thick and made mostly with egg, potatoes and sometimes onion.  It's called tortilla..?  This is definitely my ideal eating environment.  Small salty bites of fresh seafood, yummy Spanish olives with peppers, cheese, wine, bread, and God, the pastries!!!  I wish everyone I knew was here to eat with me!