BILBAO

[jenni_blog]

I arrived later than planned in Bilbao on December 2nd. There was not much else to do but have something to eat for supper and go for a walk around the hotel. The next day I decided to visit the Guggenheim Museum and then do some shopping at the stores I saw the night before. It was raining and I didn't know my way around Bilbao at this time, so I took a cab to the Guggenheim. What a spectacular place. Here are some of the photos I took there.



This is the famous Guggenheim Puppy, from the back.



The Puppy from the side. He was covered in pansies which do well this time of year. In the summer he is planted with more colourful flowers.



The sculpture that looks like Christmas decorations. This and the Puppy are on the outside of the museum.



On the first floor were these huge sculptures that you could walk through.



Also on the first floor was this room that had a wall of blue and red lights, coursing up and down from ceiling to floor. It's too bad the photo cannot show it adequately.



I enjoyed taking the lift up to the second and third floors. You can see there are walkways where you can see down below.



Unfortunately, that is all I got of the Guggenheim. You weren't allowed to take photos of the paintings and artwork on the other two levels. There was a show on the second floor called "HAUNTED" and an exhibition of the Dutch and Flemish masters' paintings on the third.

When I left I went for a walk across the street and took a picture of the Guggenheim from that vantage point.



~~~

The next day I was devastated because my two friends couldn't join me because of the Spanish air traffic controllers' strike. But I was very fortunate that they 'introduced' me to the most wonderful Spanish girl xurda87 whom they had met through the Athletic Club community on LJ. When I met her we hit it off immediately and she took me for a long walk to see the countryside. Here are some of the most outstanding photos I took.

We went up in a lift to the top of a hill. This was one of the views from the top. You can see how beautifully green it is.







This is my lovely companion, on the bridge that you take once you get off the lift.



And this is me, on the same bridge. It was windy!



This is the path we travelled at the top of the hill.



We could hear sounds of a football match and came across this old arena.





I liked these unusual trees planted out front.



Then we went inside and watched part of an amateur match!



And this was the really, really old concession stand!



This is the Casco Viejo metro station. I have always been impressed with how clean and modern the train and metro stations are in Spain. Last year in Sevilla and Cadiz, this year in Bilbao!



The stairs that go all the way down to the bottom of the hill!













OMG! The Museo Vasco! We never got to go inside. They have funny hours...it was only open between 11:00 - 14:00 and we were never around at that time!



OK, this is all for now. I need to do some more resizing of photos before I make the next post! :)

Comments

[aglaiya.livejournal.com]

Bilbao looks like a beautiful place!

Thanks so much for sharing your photos! *hugs*

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Bilbao IS beautiful. And so is Berlin, each different of course. Bilbao has a very relaxed atmosphere. It's not at all commercial although it has its share of shops and stuff, but there is a very unique, laid-back feeling there. And you can see how most of the old architecture and buildings are preserved. I remember Marta telling me about Biarritz, which is also in the Basque Country, and I think I know what she meant when she said it was unique and wonderful and she wanted to go there again. I'd like to visit it too...you could get to it easy by train from Bilbao.

I love your icon! I need some new ones and the architecture ones are appealing to me now. I might make some from my photos! :)

[aglaiya.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I love the relexing places....
I know Marta loves the Basque country and especially Biarritz too *smiles*

On my icon is BOGOTA!!! (I still want to go there but I guess it will be always a dream)

I think you could make icons from some of your photos!

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Yes, the relaxing places are very good for the spirit at times! :)

I remember your icons of Colombian places! They were so beautiful...I would love to go there too, but in the meantime I have made some great friends in Europe that I would love to visit again and again and again! It leaves no time for visiting other places unless I can win a lottery, quit working and travel, travel, travel! :)

I will try to make some niceeeeee icons!!! XD

[aglaiya.livejournal.com]

Some dreams will be dreams forever and maybe it is good!

[txorakeriak.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOD.

*cries tons of tears of not-technically-but-still-homesickness*

*wipes away tears and blows nose*

Such gorgeous, gorgeous pictures. I remember all those places as if I was there only yesterday! By the way, we walked to the Casco Viejo first and then took the stairs up to the view point, so how was it to discover the old town by stepping down those stairs? :D And how awesome that you got to see that local club play! And LMAO @ the opening hours of the Basque Museum! This is exactly why my friend and I didn't go there either, even though we wanted to. *LOL* I have yet to meet someone who has been in there. XDDD

Thank you so much for sharing these photos! Can't wait to see more! :D

*GLOMPS*

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

OMG, I know!!! *HUGS* I was DEVASTATED when you and Becky couldn't come, truly devastated! But Iratxe was so fantastic and I had such a fantastic time and got so many awesome photos!

You took the stairs all the way up? OMG, that must have been quite a climb! Going down the steps was truly awesome. And when I get to the pics of the Puente Vizcaya you will see that we walked down some steep streets to arrive at the bridge and that was truly a terrific experience as well!

Oh god, the next time I go there the Basque Museum is going to be the FIRST place I visit!!!

You're welcome! I'm going to post the second batch SOON. Today! LOL.

[txorakeriak.livejournal.com]

I was devastated, too! But it definitely made things easier to know that you had great company and got to see all those fantastic places. :) And there's always a next time, right? One day, we WILL meet in Bilbao, and then no stupid strikes or ash clouds or whatever will interfere with that! :D

LOL, it didn't feel like that much of a climb because we didn't just walk up those stairs, we actually paused every couple of steps to look at the surroundings. :)

Did you use the metro station Portugalete to get to the Puente Vizcaya? Because we used the other one and there weren't really any steps. But it's quite impressive to reach the river and see the bridge, isn't it? And THAT VIEW!! :D

LMAO, I suppose then the museum will have opening hours from 11 to 12 or something like that. XDD

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Oh Bill, it really turned out to be the most wonderful experience, even though you couldn't be there. (And I am still so sad about that.) :(

But yes...we MUST go back there together!!!! I just adore the place, as I know you do. And Iratxe is just a wonderful person and was so helpful and like a true friend! She was great and thank you so much for introducing us! *HUGS*

Ummm...I don't think it was the Portugalete we used to get there. We caught the metro from the Casco Viejo station and it was 15 or 16 stops before we got to the Puente Vizcaya. Oh god, the view was AMAZING! The Puente Vizcaya post will be my last one on Bilbao. I've posted my 'meeting the Athletic players' one this morning!

LOL. I think next time we will have to camp out in front of the Museo Vasco and wait for it to open!!!! XDDDD

[xurda87.livejournal.com]

Hey!! That's me!! xDD I didn't remember that picture... :D

Can't wait for more ;)

Maybe I'll have to think about posting some pictures myself. Don't know why I didn't do it earlier...just didn't think of it! *ashamed*

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Yeah! The photo on the bridge is a nice one! I didn't even think mine was too bad either. :)

Yes, me too...it's taken me forever to get things together and to work on the photos a little bit. I have so many and didn't want to post them all, just a good selection.

Yes, and you should post some more as well! Right now I am trying to get another post ready for today. XD

[blue-eyed-miss.livejournal.com]

*sniff....cries....snivel....cries*

I so wanted to be there, it looks amazing on your photos and I really like those colourful sculpturs in El Goog !!

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Awww....*HUGS*

I know...it was awful that you couldn't get to Bilbao! *cries*

It is the most beautiful place. So unique. One day you will go there! :)

[lhuneldaiel.livejournal.com]

Lovely photos you took! Looks like an amazing place - of course I have also seen Bill's pics - and it's not hard to imagine you had a wonderful time :)

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Bilbao is truly beautiful in an unspoiled kind of way. Everything about it suited me to a 'T'...it was such a great experience to be there! :)

[wildmopdogs.livejournal.com]

Wow these are great pictures.
That's a really neat concept with the walk-in sculptures.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm51/jenn8ferZ/Personal/2010_1206europe-100101.jpg
his picture is so much love

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Yes, the Guggenheim Museum was amazing. If I hadn't been able to meet up with a friend from LJ I could easily have spent every single day there. :)