Spring Break to the North: Bilbao

The second day of our Spring Break trip (Tuesday for those of you who are keeping track), we woke up pretty early and headed to the bus station to continue our trip with a stop in Bilbao.  When we got to the bus station, our bus wound up arriving late and the rest of our group panicked while Lyla and I shrugged and calmly ate our "train sandwiches."  Never say that living in Central Europe did nothing good for my stress levels!  Finally the bus came along and we were off to Bilbao.  I struggled really hard to stay awake during the bus ride because the mountains of Basque Country are gorgeous but I have to admit I did not succeed.  I wasn't too upset, though, because, if you'll recall, I've already been to Bilbao.  I loved it, though, and it didn't disappoint the second time around.  The Basque Country (Euskadi/Pasi Vasco) is a really remarkable place.  You almost forget you're in Spain, what with the Euskara everywhere with its x-s and z-s, though nobody gives you any trouble about speaking castellano (Spanish-Spanish), because it's so lush and green and the architecture and and cuisine is just so different.  I really recommend that everyone visit it and give it a few days.  I don't think you could possibly be disappointed!

giant Jesus statue on the way from the bus station to the Guggenheim

a pretty little Greek-style park we found on the way to the Guggenheim

Puppy was being replanted with seasonal spring flowers.

Lyla, I, and the Guggenheim

We were unfortunately able to go into the museum due to the round-the-block line.  So after we finished walking all around it, we went and got coffees and another delicious pinxo (tapa).  This is the view from our table.  Then it was off to wander the town.

We visited the cultural center where people swim on the roof and looked at all the different columns.

The cultural center was having some sort of exhibition of Danish books, with their illustrations blown up and hanging around.  This little kitty reminded me of Yoichi.

Lyla and I did more wandering, including buying some jewellry at Oxfam, before heading across the river to the old town.  There, we visited a few churches and checked out the newly-renovated market hall before getting a lunch made entirely of pinxos at a place in the main square that ran a 1 euro per pinxo special on Tuesdays.  We ate one that was especially fantastic: a little sandwich made of carmelized peppers and onions between two thin slices of zuchinni which was then fried and placed on charred toast with a honey-balsamic glaze.  Yum!  After lunch, most things were closed for the siesta so we did a bit of shopping and then sat front of the theater by the water and ate waffles with icecream before leisurely heading back to the bus station, where we headed off to Santander!