Dear Readers:Another gorgeous day in Basque country!
Today was pretty packed, considering this is my more lazy leg of the journey. I slept in a bit and then reprised my run from yesterday ... actually going a bit further. On my way back along the coast towards my hotel I encountered a packed hoard of people lining the walkway above the beach. There were tons of people, and at first I couldn't understand what was going on. Soon, though, I saw that the walkway was dotted by a fleet of ballerinas who were lining up in preparation to give some sort of recital. It was so bizarre - as the dancers spanned through a number of age bra
ckets and were so plentiful. While I was running they were just lining up, stretching a bit and posing for photographs. After showering and packing my bag for the day I walked back along the coast to find a spot along the beach and the girls were still there so I was able to grab a couple of photos (thank gosh, right?).I was contemplating whether or not I should attempt to visit the Guggenheim Museum in nearby Bilbao, or just stay in San Sebastian vegging on the beach. When I first set out on my run at around 11am
I figured the day was slipping away and I would pass on Bilbao. But, while running and contemplating life, it occurred to me that I'm still thinking like an American whose day winds down at 5pm, and not like a Spaniard whose day winds down at 8pm. Soooo ... I decided to incorporate both plans - beach and museum - into the day. I packed my backpack perfectly - a hotel towel for lounging on the beach, next book from my traveling library for reading, Fodor's guidebook, North Face sweatshirt, camera, iPod, water bottle and snacks. I then set out for the beach where I took in the sun and read my book. Heaven.
After beach time I nestled into a restaurant along the coastline for a delicious lunch, featuring grilled tuna with sweet onions and vegetable confit. The tuna was seared rare and incredibly tasty - one of the best portions I've ever eaten. The setting was also great as the day continued to be clear and beautiful.Tangent observation...
Wheels are extremely popular in San Sebastian. It's almost like you need to be on a set to be cool (although more people walk than wheel around I suppose). Now, what do I mean when I say "wheels." Well - I've discovered three types that are most popular.
#1: Baby Wheels - The Stroller
There are many kids who are chauffeured around the city by their parents (some seem like they are old enough to walk - but why give up a good thing?).#2: Adventure Wheels - The Bicycle
Another popular type of wheels is the bicycle, ridden by children and adults. A bike path curves all along the coast line.
#3: Disabled Wheels - The Wheelchair
I am blown away by the number of wheelchair bound elderly people wheeled around the coastline. Not that the number is so high - but every time I go out walking I pass at least four or five. So interesting.
Back to my day ... after lunch I headed for the bus station to catch a ride to Bilbao, one hour somewhat northwes
t of San Sebastian. This part of my day led me to one of my first travel snafoos of the entire trip. Simply put, I had hoped to catch the 3:30pm bus to Bilbao in order to find my way to the Guggenheim with 2-3 hours to tour before the 8pm closing. Well, I seemed to miss the bus by two minutes ... and had to wait until the 4:30pm departure. So, trying not to sulk (or stress) too much - I simply nestled into a cafe to sip wine and read until my time for departure arrived.
Bilbao was a nice looking city. Upon arrival I headed straight for the museum. I was
surprised to learn - while consulting my guide book - that the Guggenheim branch in Bilbao just opened about 13 years ago. It is connected to the other branches (i.e. New York) and houses both permanent and featured exhibits. The exterior of the museum is certainly stunning, designed by North American architect Frank O. Gehry - the same dude who design the Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles. I was also surprised that the museum is actually not so big. It holds three floors, each with around six galleries - but the galleries are rather small. Some house just four or five pieces of art.
There were two notable exhibits in my opinion. The first was a temporary one featuring artist Indian/British artist Anish Kapoor. His work took up all the galleries on the second floor. He works with all types of media, including wax, and is very contemporary. The second was a diverse collection featuring pieces from some of the most famous artists - Picasso, Marc Chagall, Georges Seurat, Andy Warhol, Van Gough and Henri Rousseau. It was pretty awesome to see works from these masters.
Getting a bit antsy to return to San Sebastian at a decent hour, I left the museum and returned to the bus station just in time to make the 8pm departure. Once back at my home base I grabbed a bite and started on the walk back to my hotel. Now I am sitting at a restaurant/bar next door writing you all.
(more photos to come tomorrow)
Adios,
Zach
Back to my day ... after lunch I headed for the bus station to catch a ride to Bilbao, one hour somewhat northwes
t of San Sebastian. This part of my day led me to one of my first travel snafoos of the entire trip. Simply put, I had hoped to catch the 3:30pm bus to Bilbao in order to find my way to the Guggenheim with 2-3 hours to tour before the 8pm closing. Well, I seemed to miss the bus by two minutes ... and had to wait until the 4:30pm departure. So, trying not to sulk (or stress) too much - I simply nestled into a cafe to sip wine and read until my time for departure arrived.Bilbao was a nice looking city. Upon arrival I headed straight for the museum. I was
surprised to learn - while consulting my guide book - that the Guggenheim branch in Bilbao just opened about 13 years ago. It is connected to the other branches (i.e. New York) and houses both permanent and featured exhibits. The exterior of the museum is certainly stunning, designed by North American architect Frank O. Gehry - the same dude who design the Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles. I was also surprised that the museum is actually not so big. It holds three floors, each with around six galleries - but the galleries are rather small. Some house just four or five pieces of art.There were two notable exhibits in my opinion. The first was a temporary one featuring artist Indian/British artist Anish Kapoor. His work took up all the galleries on the second floor. He works with all types of media, including wax, and is very contemporary. The second was a diverse collection featuring pieces from some of the most famous artists - Picasso, Marc Chagall, Georges Seurat, Andy Warhol, Van Gough and Henri Rousseau. It was pretty awesome to see works from these masters.
Getting a bit antsy to return to San Sebastian at a decent hour, I left the museum and returned to the bus station just in time to make the 8pm departure. Once back at my home base I grabbed a bite and started on the walk back to my hotel. Now I am sitting at a restaurant/bar next door writing you all.
(more photos to come tomorrow)
Adios,
Zach
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