Vanuary Day 12 & 13 🚐 Is San Sebastián Worth Visiting?

Two days in the city of San Sebastián eating vegan food and drinking beers, plus watching some Basque football.
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MUSIC in this video : Musicbed (affiliate link) : share.mscbd.fm/hollyexleyillus...

[@leighannenight]

The way that you're communicating about the things in this world that need addressing is not aggressive at all. The fact that people feel triggered or want you to stop says more about how they process their own emotions vs how you are communicating. You are honestly very kind, clear and adequately communicate the severity of the topic and I appreciate that so much. It's very important to deliver this message ESPECIALLY when so many people seem unable to even acknowledge what is going on. It's a head in the sand approach that protects a person's way of life... that's not healthy for them or anyone. Thank you for all you do in sharing important messages and helping people like me with resources.

[@hollyexley]

Thank you Leigh Anne 😘

[@JennyGranberry]

I really like the idea of being a seed - much more attainable than having to completely change someone's mind with a single interaction with the perfect words. All of the shifts I've made in my life have been over time from lots of little "seeds" Thank you for the inspiration

[@hollyexley]

Same here Jenny - it's unrealistic to think one person can shift a perspective, I feel like thats a pretty rare occurrence! Living that seed life.

[@itscarolinemary]

I’m proud of you for being vocal and using your platform for good. ❤️💕 I don’t know how anyone can be okay with thousands of people dying & so many injured. Its senseless & inhumane. So much death and destruction could have been avoided.

[@dirkbogarde44]

One group of people started it. When the Jews were murdered, Palestinians celebrated on the streets. Everything evil has a reaction.

[@alessazoe]

some of these drone flyovers look sooo surreal, fantastic!

[@hollyexley]

Thank you!

[@lawsdraws]

I am becoming quite addicted to the Vanuary videos, Holly! I shall miss them when the month is over :( Not sure how far south you planning on heading, but I can highly recommend a visit to Estepona, Malaga. Not sure how much of it will be open in Jan, but it's such a pretty beach town.

[@hollyexley]

Thank you Laura - we will be in the Malaga area at some point actually. I quite like the feeling of out of season beach towns too!

[@DrFjords]

I know you don’t think of yourself as very brave but speaking out in a public forum takes a lot of bravery and you do it consistently. I’m proud of you and see the hard work you’re doing.

[@hollyexley]

Thank you! Appreciate your support so much 💕

[@itscarolinemary]

The drone shots and the music at the intro is soo lovely ❤

[@thesaladczar]

It is a testament to your photography skills that you made the restaurant food look big and yummy. NYC, Berkeley, and San Francisco do have fantastic vegan restaurants/stores with nice American portions. Doubt you'd like the crazy cities but jsyk! I'm angry, too. Neither of our countries is good, but man, my country!!!!! The helplessness kills me. At least San Francisco supervisors approve a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Stay safe! The nice thing about bigger dogs is people are scared of them. Though I can't see Midge being the great defender. The illusion of power is power!

[@dawnbevins451]

Thank you so much for Vanuary, Holly, I’m finding it such a comforting series to watch. I too am feeling a lot of anger about what is happening in Palestine, all those innocent people being killed and all our government wants to do is escalate the situation. I’m angry at the needless death, I’m angry that we aren’t properly educated in the uk on what our country has done to other countries previously. It is like this situation has pulled back a curtain, for some at least, and I’m realising that the society I’ve been brought up in has always said ‘there, there dear, don’t you worry your pretty little head, we will deal with ‘whatever’ over there somewhere’ - but now with technology the world is getting smaller and smaller and I’m more aware of what is happening ‘over there’ and I’m horrified at what I’m seeing. We have been told so many lies. And people are still not talking about it in person, it is like this weird politeness, which is another thing we have had drummed into us ‘be considerate, don’t upset anybody’ it is driving me mad. I think I am following the main journalists is Gaza, Motaz, Bisan, Saleh, Hind, Belal (I love his art/murals/calligraphy), Nizar, Hamza Chalan, Ahmed Hijazi (I don’t think he has posted since the loss of his friend), ismail.jood (he has stepped back from reporting now), Hatem, motasem mortaja, msafia906, Mominabuoda, Aboodgaza, Abdallah_mazen997 and AliJadallah66 -there are a few more I’ve only started following recently so i can’t remember all their names. I hope you were happier with your painting when you looked at it the next day 🤗 I don’t have talent or skills anywhere near your level, but I feel your pain, I picked up the paintbrush for the first time since September last week, because I had been distracted by training to be an EFT practitioner, but it felt physically, gut wrenchingly painful it was so bad, it just made me so angry and frustrated, I know I need to try again but… maybe next week 😁 Thank you again Holly, these vlogs must be so much work, but it is really appreciated. 💕

[@hollyexley]

I relate to so much of what you've shared here - you've really summarised British society so well, so much silence and respectability politics! I'm over it! I did like the painting more the next day, thankfully. I made some edits. I hope we both have more enjoyable painting days to come this year :)

[@ChantelleArts]

this is unbelievable, this is such a fascinating series, I love it ☺☺☺

[@karolsartoasis4815]

Great video. Keep expressing yourself and your views you have a platform and it’s good to use it for the greater good. ❤

[@hollyexley]

Thank you Karol - I really appreciate your support and encouragement :)

[@karolsartoasis4815]

You are welcome. Your videos are fantastic and I hope it brings you success. @@hollyexley

[@pdbowman]

So much to be said - about anger, about feeling powerless to do what matters, and on and on. Two things that your followers based in N. America who share your concerns about active solidarity with Palestinians and who work in creative/media spaces might want to look into involvement with: the National Writers Union (and its Freelance Solidarity Project especially) and the more recently founded Cartoonist Cooperative.

[@hollyexley]

Thank you these are great suggestions! Unions have been so great on this issue, and theres been some great creative industry organising in the UK too, pushing back against institutions silencing Palestinian voices and culture.

[@pdbowman]

Unions in the U.S. have been slow to respond, broadly speaking, it’s a sad thing to have to say. You can read more on the subject in In These Times, for instance. There’ve been exceptions, the (quite small) NWU among them. But this reflects the greater dynamic. Israel is of itself (whatever the evolving ideas of the Israeli body politic may be) in no position to do what’s been done in the West Bank and Gaza these many decades. Israel is so positioned entirely because of relation to the Atlantic powers - Britain in a sense first, historically, but since 1945 above all the U.S. together with its shifting N. Atlantic coalition. Ultimately, dead Gazan children in the thousands is on these hands, U.S. hands, indeed my hands - extension of the pattern that starts with the genocides and deeply inhumane forms of exploitation on this continent, in which the U.S. originates and to which its place as global power and the illusory sort of hyper-prosperity realized here owe first of all, ‘liberal values’ and so on notwithstanding. Labor union interests everywhere are tied to national interests, and here we have to observe the terrible impact of U.S. national interests on union ethics. Revolting, but hardly strange.

[@product_designer_lp]

Hey Holly! Really love your illustrations and just wanted to ask: how do you send the final illustrations to clients living in a van? Do you have a scanner or do you take a pic that you edit in Photoshop ?

[@hollyexley]

Hello - scanner every time :) My scanner has it's own drawer in the van - its very important, and a bit fragile!

[@r.hunterpatterson9787]

Like you I have been shocked by recent advents but I can not sit back and hear some of the things my so called friends are saying.I come from a very, don't really no how to put this, but I am 70 year old woman and most of my friends and family are right wing and well off.I have always been the odd one out and have always stood up for my principles but in a gentle way.However no longer now I just let loose and say what needs to be said.Am I losing friends yes but they needed to go and honestly it feels liberating.P.S like you am a climate change activist which in the country town I live in makes me very unpopular as rural Australia is very conservative also an atheist in a little town with five churches.Anyway keep up the good work you are amazing.Oh,also a vegetarian in a town with not one vege restaurant.

[@hollyexley]

I'm in awe of you - wow! Thank you for being so brave and outspoken in your community.