More to report...

Hola,
So I have a couple of stories to share with all. I hope someone out
there is reading these posts because let me just say I am reporting when I
could be out in the sun (sol). You know it is another beautiful day here in
Donostia. Regardless, I am committed to the blog, hehe.

Okay, well yesterday I climbed to the top of Monte Urgull, this is
where the giant Jesus statue is in San Sebastian. It was a good little
climb, and as Nicole discovered, the cell phone reception wasn't very
strong. In any event, I reached the top and the view was spectacular. I
could look out to the Atlantic, or in toward the city. I took some pictures
and I had the good fortune of stumbling into a British couple who took a
picture of me in exchange for me takig a picture of them. In any event,
Monte Urgull has served as a military point at various times in Spain's
violent history In fact, at one point even Napoleon used it as a military
post. Anyway there were lots of old cannons and old structures, armories,
etc. at various points on the mountain.

On my way down I decided to take a different route to see different
things. My different route put me near Playa De La Concha and I walked
between (entre...just a little Spanish for you) the beach and the Parte
Viaja district of San Sebastian. Parte Viaja is old, perhaps the oldest
part of the city, it has really narrow streets and countless bars and
restaurants. It is very quaint and very European. It was some time at this
point that it dawned on me that not only is the city beautiful it reminds me
a lot of my favorite city in the States, San Francisco. After all, it is
coastal, beautiful, lots of good food, and yet hustle and bustle. There is
that neat sense that you can essentiall walk anywhere, and there is no
annoying freeway carving up the city center like in just about every city in
the States, with the exception of San Francisco. Anyway, breathtaking is a
good adjective.

On a neat note, I stumbled across a Judo Club. I knew I heard
something familiar and then I looked over to see "Judo Club" in big letters.
The club sat within a stones throw of the ocean. What a great backdrop for
Judo.

Here is another fun story. Recently I seem to stumble across LDS
missionaries everywhere I go. I saw the missionaries tracting everday for
about a week in Columbus right before I left, then I saw missionaries in the
airport in Chicago. Well the other day I was walking along and I look up to
see, low and behold, two missionaries walking down the street. Well you
know I had to stop and talk with them, what a crack up. The one missionary
was from Sandy, Utah and the other from a town close to Tombstone, Arizon.
It was funny. Of course the guys gave me a card and told me where the
nearest church is located. Wouldn't you know it, the church is right down
the street from the apartment I am staying in.

What about this apartment? The apartment is really nice. It is a
three bedroom apartment. We are on the top floor, ninth floor, of the
building and there are only four apartments on each floor. The apartment is
in the Amara area of the city. It is just a neighborhood area. The
apartment has three bedrooms (Dormitorios), a kitchen (Cocina), a bathroom
(Cuarto de Bano), a living room (I forget?), a dining room (?), and a
gigantic wrap around balcony that each room opens to, with the exception of
the kitchen and bathroom. I share the apartment with Thomas from Munich and
Ellen and Sanna from Sweden. It is a really nice place, pretty impressive
for $250 a week.

Well okay, I think that is enough for thsi one message. I have some
more to report about what my average day consists of as well as an
additional food and drink report. Next message. In the meantime, hasta
luego.

Justin