Bilbao—Guggenheim Museum

Our first full day was spent at the Guggenheim Museum where we saved $10 on the entrance fee, because I asked if we qualified as seniors. We appreciated Masterpieces from the Guggenheim Collection, an exhibit including modern artists such as Mark Rothko, Anselm Kiefer, sculptor Richard Serra (think Seattle's Olympic Sculpture Park), Andy Warhol, and Picasso along with Renoir, Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, and Cezanne, but our favorite was an exhibit by Portuguese sculptor and installation artist Joana Vasconcelos. Her work poignantly, and even playfully, comments on what it means to be female.

The famous topiary puppy at the

museum's upper entrance.

This bridge crossing the Nervion River is clearly part of

Gehry's overall design.

On our way to the museum. Jets of
mist occasionally fills the reflection
pond outside the lower entrance.

 

And the view of the same sculpture outside the lower entrance.

Maman (25 feet tall) by Louise Bourgeous. Spooky.

Click here for source.

 

    Pic of bridge taken from inside and outside the museum.

    I tried capturing the bridge supports from inside.

Joana Vasconcelos sculpture. Click and enlarge this pic; you
won't believe the material used.

Joana Vasconcelos calls this Marilyn. It's made
from pots and pan lids of various sizes. 

A gathering of classic motorcycles on the plaza near entrance.

We enjoyed a tapas lunch after walking 7.5 miles. I picked 3
and asked the waitress to select a fourth. Wowser!

Couldn't resist this hot ham and
cheese frittata when the waitress
brought it out. 

Bilbao—September 29, 2018

Today was our travel day to Bilbao. We caught the Flixbus three blocks from our apartment and had a comfortable five hour drive with a 40 minute lunch stop where we whipped out the leftovers from our market shopping and lunch experience the day before and had a lovely and relaxing picnic. The drive was long but comfortable. Our motor coach even had a toilet.

Let's hear it for leftovers.

This duck was sooooo delish!

Good hard sharp cheese.

A milder cheese we purchased on our excursion with Kim our
last full day in Bordeaux.

Pretty nice picnic area at this rest stop. 

Our first late afternoon and evening in Bilbao, after dropping
off our bags, was spent enjoying its 700 year old Old Quarter,
gawking at the narrow apartments above the medieval streets.
Many have been colorfully painted.

Friday must be laundry day; lots
of clothes hung on lines.

The enclosed balconies allow light
into what I presume could be an
otherwise dark apartment.

These connecting streets undulate
like waves I'm guessing to drain
rain water into the main streets.

Cheesy fries. Hadn't eaten in 6 hours so this works.

This artist had quite an audience
in the square at the heart of the Old
Quarter. He was amazing.

 

He reminds me of Animal from

"The Muppets".

The Puente del Ayuntamiento Bridge spans the Nervion River
to Bilbao's City Hall.

Bilbao's City Hall is relatively new, 1892.

Looking up river to the Old Quarter. As you can see it was
a lovely early fall evening. Today's high was 82F (27C), but
we spent the hottest part of the day on a bus in route here, so
by the time we were exploring the medieval Old Quarter and
strolling along the river, it was a pleasant 70ish (21).

A stop on the pilgrimage.

Bordeaux—September 28th, part 2

After our lunch at Kim's we spent a few hours in our apartment relaxing before taking our last walk. This time though we hopped on a tram to Esplanade des Quinconces, knocking off a couple miles. After all we purchased 24-hour tram tickets (the time begins the moment they're validated), and until today, hadn't used them.

These tram tickets came in handy after lunch at Kim's. This
morning's fog had burned off and it was nearing 82F (27C)
and we didn't relish a three mile hike back to our apartment.

Brought my good camera this time. Winged
Liberty breaking the chains of bondage at the
top of the Girondins Monument I described
in the previous post.

Just liked this building facing Place de la
Comedie, the Grand Theatre square.

Hey, this looks interesting. 

Yep, Notre Dame. Baroque church built 1684-1707.

 

Grand Hommes shopping arcade opened in 1990, but looks
like something built in the Victorian Age.

Everything you do and don't need under one roof.

And what a roof.

It's not all about cathedrals and monuments.

St. Andre's Cathedral again, but this time we
got inside. See previous post for description.

Screams Gothic doesn't it? Okay, Romanesque
too. Wait until you see the interior shots.
(1096, remember?)

Pey Berland Bell Tower, but this time I have
my good camera for tight shots. See previous
post for description.

I took these last two shots from our apartment balcony.

This is a boat used for river cruises. It was moored at Porte
Cailhau, the site of the original Roman Harbor, our first night.

And the next evening this monster arrived and dropped off
hordes of tourists smack dab in the middle of Bordeaux's
Ancient Quarter. They barely had to walk 500 yards to every-
thing I included in this posting.