Looking back on our trip through out northern Spain, I can't say enough how nice San Sebastian was. It wasn't just the fact that the city was located on the beach, the mountains, the immense rock outcroppings coming out of the water or even the architecture but the city seemed to have a slower feel to it than Madrid and Barcelona. In Madrid and Barcelona, you are always on the go. There is very little stopping time without getting in someone else's way. However in San Sebastian, things were just quieter. The atmosphere felt a little bit more like "the stop to smell the roses attitude" rather than get on the go and let's go. It reminded me a bit of the south, and I wonder if the fact that the city is wrapped in a natural environment is a reason why things seemed more relaxed. The south is usually more agricultural and rural, so I wonder if there is a connection between the general attitude of a city and its landscape. It would be an interesting study to determine whether green space or a more natural setting enhances the pleasure of a city scape, if it relaxes the general population, and if it causes the actual city to move slower in the day-to-day.
1 comment:
I don't believe you have ever been outside of the south, have you???
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