Bilbao

15 March 2011 By Vera Ciria 0 In Life outside Barcelona

What could be better than escaping away for a bit of fun during the weekend? Destination: Bilbao and Lekeitio. I thought I’d take a moment to share some of the quirky things I saw along the way. Bilbao is a lovely city, smallish in size. Nice for a short visit; there was a sense of calm that invaded every corner, which I can only translate to the fact that I would be bored out of my mind in two seconds if I lived there.

This is a city filled with green areas, something that is sorely lacking in Barcelona. I love this little square; the grass looks like a lumped-up carpet. Each corner is graced with stylish street name plaques and public ceilings are used to depict artwork.

Part of the trip was spent in a little port town, Lekeitio. The reason for all of this was to celebrate a very special wedding. The lovely Inés of Happinés, so often behind the camera at weddings, was the one in front this time around.

The architecture in Bilbao is a hodge-podge mix and very charming. The new styles do not clash with the old, everything is very tasteful. The paintwork is colourful and ornamentation is in abundance. Glass is used in many of the new buildings, reflecting the ever-changing sky and sparkle from the river.

Nothing can prepare one for the magnificent entrance to Bilbao by bus from the airport. As the vehicle trundles along, the surrounding hills are luscious shades of green. All of a sudden, the bus plunges into a tunnel and upon re-entering the outside world, the entire city unfolds like a charming pop-up book before your very eyes, with the Guggenheim Museum smack to the right.

Designed by Frank O. Gehry, the Guggenheim is one of a kind in the world and no matter how many photos you may have seen beforehand, nothing is quite like seeing it for the first time in person. This was my favourite part of the trip and I’m not ashamed to say that it was such an emotional moment that the tears that welled up were more than welcome.

Covered with titanium plaques, the building seems to be alive, breathing and changing imperceptibly as the light plays upon the surface. Every instance it seems to be different. A cloud passing over the sun, the ripples reflected from the shallow pools that sit around the building. The best option is to take time and walk around the entire perimeter of the Museum.

It would not surprise me if the Guggenheim Museum sits shivering in anticipation and at night, when no one is looking, it slowly changes shape, silently laughing in the morning. Although this is a metallic construction, the form, light and reflections make it seem wholly organic.

I could go on for centuries, the sheer beauty of the Gehry building is stunning, breath-taking, emotional and… and… I love first experiences. The first time one sees or feels something. That certain something that can never be relived or captured again. I felt that in Bilbao and it was lovely.

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architecture, bilbao, frank gehry, guggenheim museum, lekeitio, pinchos, txapela, weekend destination

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