Blogs from Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain, Europe - page 3

After eight months in Latin America, I was now returning back to Europe, and back to the country that I left Europe from – Spain. But naturally, I couldn’t leave Cuba without experiencing its frustrations one last time. Before spending my last CUC$10, I ask the lady at the bureau de change if there was a minimum amount that I needed to change. She smiles, and says no. So I then ask a stranger for five cents so I could buy an overpriced CUC$5.50 pizza (worth CUC$0.60 on the streets of Centro Habana) and have a nice, round CUC$5 note left to exchange into Euros. Going back to the bureau de change, she then tells me that I need a minimum of CUC$6 to change into Euros. I JUST F*CKING ASKED YOU IF I NEEDED A ... read more

So, with September approaching and the memories of my St Malo to Nice trip starting to fade, it seems like the Summer hasn't quite flourished in Scotland yet so I've decided it's probably time for another relaxing break. The whole guided cycling trip was great fun. but I thought I would try it on my own - unless someone else wants to come along for the ride... I've decided on Bilbao to Barcelona. Two cities that I love, and a route that Skedaddle do. This means that I can kind of copy their route knowing that there will be somewhere to stay at the end of each day, but with my own modifications as I'd like to revisit San Sebastian and Pamplona on the way. Logistics is a bit more difficult as there's no van to ... read more

Guggenheim Bilbao has been on my wish list since it opened in 1997 and I was right to want to come here. It is an amazing building - an art work in itself - and both the Gehry design and some of its signature pieces really have to be experienced spatially. Persuading the Guggenheim Foundation to build the museum in what had become a depressed former port city was an absolute genius move. I don't think it has totally transformed the city - there isn't much else to Bilbao- but it has certainly made the place an important international cultural destination. The building is a striking modernist titanium and glass structure which reflects the shipping history of the city and provides magnificent light-filled galleries of many shapes and sizes. Like the NY Guggenheim it is a ... read more

I'm going to write this very quikcly - I'm on the hostel's laptop... For the first time all week, I had a lie-in! Bliss... I still woke up around 10am though, which meant I got to see Will when he came by. He was off to a rugby match with Fernando (who I'm not entirely convinced came home last night), but Fernando had left his wallet at home. Had a very quick goodbye, and then a fairly quick breakfast. The number of children had tripled... As well as Raquel and Victoria, their two cousins and some friends were over. I think there were 7 kids, all under the age of 8 (that's a guess). I very quickly ran away to pack, though I didn't know when I was going - there were buses every hour, and ... read more

Absolutely massive lightning storm last night, but made for a nice morning - smelled fresh, like rain. Spent the morning mainly down at the Cathedral. And honestly, it was nice, but there was something I just didn't like about it. I can't quite put my finger on it, but mainly it just seemed too nicely put together. Like all of the character had been rubbed out of it, and all the tourists were given this cleanly scrubbed thing on a platter, just to look at, but not touch. There just wasn't any life there - which is ironic considering the church is something like a 1000 years old. Leave things be I say. Not everything is better cleaned up. Lingered in Burgos until around 2ish, when I caught yet another bus North, for the 3 hour ... read more