Bilbao
My friend Howard and I took 6 days to travel to Bilbao and see the Guggenheim museum as well as some of Northern Spain. Bilbao is a depressing industrial city with little to recommend it except cheap flights from London with Easyjet, a fabulous museum building and easy access to the rest of Northern Spain
The Guggenheim museum in Bilbao is a confusion of curves and angles, reflections and shining panels which reminded me of dragon scales that glisten in the sun. From all sides the building looks magnificent. Around the museum are derelict buildings, a container loading area for trains and a graffiti covered bridge. At the front of the building is the Jeff Koons “Puppy” which is an enormous frame covered in flowers. There was an interesting exhibition titled “The Art of the Motorcycle” as well as some local installation pieces and other painters I did not recognize. Go for the building – the exhibitions are icing on the cake.
This is Jeff Koon’s “Puppy” sculpture made of flowers.
Northern Spain
We rented a car and drove to Rioja land. In the center of the vineyards is a town called Haro. We spent a few hours basking in the sun and watching a pair of regal looking storks who had nested in a chimney above the town square. The countryside of Rioja is beautiful – snow capped mountains in the distance, rich red soil with vineyard after vineyard. Each producer has a “Bodega” where you can sample and purchase their wines. The medieval walled tiny town of Laguardia has a wonderful hotel overlooking the plain called El Castillo Collado. Each room has a name and poem and is decorated in with appropriate furnishings for the subject. The hotel is lovingly run by its owner Xavier.
This is the parador Emparador in Hondarribia which we stayed in. It’s a magnificent old castle with stunning public rooms and charming bedrooms. The breakfast room looks out on the ruins which have been preserved in the courtyard and the rooms have views over the Bay of Biscay.