Some northern parts of Spain

Salamanca still feels part of the orbit of Madrid, but León does not.  Many of the faces are more Celtic, and the mood of the city can be drab in an eastern European way.  Deindustrialization can be observed.  It is a real city, not much dependent on tourism, though the cathedral is one of the most beautiful in Europe.

Santander, a beach town, was much nicer than expected.  There is not much to do there, but it reminds me of how perhaps Nice might have been in 1974.  Fully for tourists, but somehow not very touristy?  And thus extremely pleasant and charming.  Places like that barely exist any more.  They are either quite obscure, such as Durango, Mexico, or they are overwhelmed by tourists.  Seafood was excellent, and it is a much larger city than I was expecting.  Nice promenades on the water.

Hondarribia is a Basque town and fishing village that feels like it should be its own country.  The half-timbered homes and unusual colors set it apart from anywhere else in Europe I have been.  Small, one day there is fine, but one of Europe’s best undervisited locales?

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