[ Spain Day 2 ] Wednesday, June 13, Bilbao

Origin: Bilbao City Rooms

Destination: Bilbao City Rooms, Bilbao, Pais Vasco

A perfect cloudy/sunny day for walking, camera fun, 2 Guggenheim Museum shifts (jet-lag naps between), Bilbao architecture, trolley, and rest-stops with cappuccinos.
The museum itself is a sculpture of titanium steel, glass, and circular walkways connecting galleries; it dominates its site along the river. 

We became dizzy and disoriented walking the labyrinth-like interior sculptures of Richard Serra. 

The outside sculpture, Tulips and Puppy (a flowered public favorite guarding the museum entrance) by Jeff Koons,

and Tall Tree And The Eye by Anish Kapoor.

After enjoying the gallery of the permanent contemporary collection, the Chagall retrospective,
and an intriguing exhibit of Chinese art after 1989, we walked along the river beneath the 30 ft high spider by Louise Bourgeois.  

The Zubizuri pedestrian bridge by Santiago Calatrava 

was an artful way to cross to the right bank to continue our river stroll to dense Casco Viejo with its narrow pedestrian streets,  colorful potted flowers high above the street on apartment balconies, small shops, and many restaurants.






An elegantly renovated 1929 Art Nouveau building 

just outside of old town is La Ribera market (disappointingly for us just closing at 2 as we entered), but we enjoyed the stained glass windows, colorful ceiling and other interior historic details. 

From outside the market,  a trolley back for siesta and later our second Guggenheim visit. Cantabria wine and a new choice of delicious pinxtos end our one full day in beautiful, friendly, relaxed Bilbao.