It's all very nice, except that instead of picking up strawberry yoghurt I picked up strawberry and mint. Ewww! Not great.
We then head up to the Funicular. When I said we were going to climb a mountain that was perhaps not 100% accurate, more like ascend a mountain. We get the funicular to the top and wow. The views at the top of monte Igueldo are even more spectacular than yesterday. We are much higher too. From here you get a wider perspective of the whole of San Sebastián as well as far reaching coastal views. The bay of Biscay looks beautiful.
After taking more panoramas , sims an expert at them now, we wander the peculiar fairground that sits atop the mountain next to a lavish hotel. The rides here a mostly for kids and it's in the vein of Coney Island or Luna Park, but there is a really cool roller coaster that seems to have s section that ventures out over the cliff. Impressive and scary. (On closer inspection we realise that's not the case at all as there's a road below) but still, it looked impressive.
Ultimately though it's a bit of a non event the whole amusement park. The real star is the view. We head back down the funicular and past the beach one more time before heading back to our hotel to get our bags and head for the bus station.
The taxi drops us near the train station where we arrive and points to the bus stop telling us this is it. We're both not confident this is where we need to be. We ask for info nearby and sure enough, the bus station is below us, underground. It's all rather confusing how this works but eventually we get on our bus and make our way to Bilbao.
It's another stunning day of sunshine. If only we'd had this on Saturday. Nonetheless it's great to be in Bilbao. We head to our hotel and check in before heading out for an afternoon stroll through town. We head along the river along the shaded wide pathways.
The Zibuzuri pedestrian bridge by Calatrava is just in front of our hotel and we can see the Guggenheims shining forms just off in the distance. We walk to the old town looking to grab a late lunch. My first impression of Bilbao is that it has an urban character that is similar to that of Melbourne. The river area feels like the Yarra and the Southbank area and the Guggenheim acts a bit like federation square as a cultural hub and focus where people congregate in front of.
Walking through old town the buildings are quite interesting in character. Similar to San Sebastiáns old town in scale and character, perhaps slightly more recent.
We wander though the Plaza Neuva, a beautiful colonnade wrapped square that is filled with old pintxos bars and seating spilling out onto the square where kids are playing football on the stoney ground. Its approaching 5pm and were struggling to find places that are open and/or have fresh food. Lots of the pintxos places have the food from lunchtime on offer but in today's 30degree heat were not too confident. We also are really struggling with reading the menus in Spain. Often we order something thinking we know what it is only to be surprised when it comes. Other times I think the English translation is not exactly correct and something is misconstrued.
We eventually find a nice place to sit in plaza Santiago in front of the cathedral.
After a small bite to eat and a beer (seems every meal comes with a beer in Spain), we cross over the Ria del Nervion and into the city centre. We walk right up the centre street of town which is bustling with evening shoppers and people finishing work and heading out. It's another wide and generous boulevard with trees lining the street and forming a shaded canopy. Europe loves s boulevard. We cross into the giant landscaped roundabout at Moyua with its fountains and manicured gardens before crossing back over to the footpath and along the boulevard for more window shopping.
We then stop for gelato in the plaza in front of the Museo de Bellas de Artes. It's alive with people sitting on the street furniture and loose tables and chairs, kids playing football, young teens pashing on the grass and young boys having one awesome waterbomb fight, refilling it from the public fountain. Seems a neat way to cool off in the city today. It's pushing 30degrees and its 7:30pm. We wander down into the large public park, Parque de Doña Casilda de Iturrizar. It's kinda like our Hyde Park in size but lots more water fountains and filled with lots more activity. It's amazing how many people are out and about and using this space. It's possibility the most exuberant public space I've ever seen. Bilbao take a bow!
We wander through, past the families having evening picnics (it's Monday btw), past the large groups of young Uni kids balancing on tightropes between trees, past the old men sitting and chatting on the benches in the sun, and past all the kids playing football or running in and out of water fountains. How good are fountains. Water brings so much joy.
After a good half hour here we head over to the riverside and get our first look at the rejuvenated modern Bilbao and the Guggenheim. Once again the public parks and landscaping is amazing. There's a large kids park that looks like a kids heaven as well as more fountains. There's just nude toddlers running around everywhere getting wet in the fountains. Very funny! We stop for a drink at the bar kiosk in the park. It's a spectacular setting with the shining metallic Guggenheim as a backdrop and a funky 3 piece jazz band the soundtrack to an evening Aperol spritz by the riverside.
We wander back after our drinks over the bridge in front of the Gugg. The public artworks are quite interesting but the real feature of this building is its interaction with the river. For me, as much as it seemingly lacks context, it actually fits into its context brilliantly.
We head over the Calatrava bridge and back to our hotel for a rest. We're not overly hungry so decide to to eat in the hotel restaurant. We've timed our meals strangely today. It's difficult these long days broken up with travel at meal times.
Nonetheless dinner was nice, although again, wasn't what I expected when I ordered slow roast pork
Followed by a pannacotta?
Anyway, they tasted nice.
So it's off to bed for us.
mat + sim
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