Alrighty, picking up where we left off...
San Sebastian and Gernika (no, I didn't spell that wrong)--Friday
Because the drive back to Bilbao would have been pretty dry without stopping somewhere, we made TWO side trips--to the seaside town of San Sebastian and the village of World-War-II-and-Picasso fame, Gernika. (Guernica, as it is spelled in Spanish. Gernika is the Basque spelling for the name, and because it is in Basque Country, that is what I will call it.)
San Sebastian was a lovely and fun little town on the Atlantic coast, and we had lunch at this little restaurant. In case you were wondering how fresh our lunch was, as we were leaving the restaurant, the guys from the restaurant's fishing boats came in and started to clean the fish for the next meals. No frozen pieces here! ;)
Gernika was truly a learning experience. Of course, the history teacher mother of mine was tickled pink to be there, but it became so much more real for all of us when we found a guy who was so nationalist that he preferred to speak English as opposed to Spanish because Basque Country is not Spain. (The Wikipedia articles on Basque Country are so dry, and it would take too long to explain here, but imagine if the Navajo Nation wanted to be its own country, separate from the US) It was a really neat place, with really nice people, and the town square, on a Friday night, was PACKED with families and kids playing. That'll teach Franco to try and wipe them off the map!
After that, a leisurely drive back to Bilbao, ready for a day of exploration...
Bilbao, part II
Bilbao is a city that in many ways is like many cities that I have previously visited. The riverside area reminded me of Columbus. The little shops and the sidewalks reminded me of Chile. I even saw one of those black shirts with the neon splatter paint that said "Pais Vasco" that reminded me of Clearwater Beach. But when I look at it holistically, it is unlike any city I've ever before experienced. It is AMAZING.
Mom, Kathy, and I left Dad and Bill to their own devices, while the three of us set out to go shopping. Except we never actually made it shopping...we kept stumbling upon different and awesome pockets of the city. For instance, we found a park with 4 rose gardens! Who knew?! Then we went to this lovely little pizza place for lunch (it had chicken...another lovely little surprise in the land of ham and fish), and then we got the boys and went to the Guggenheim. The building itself, done by Frank Gehry, is the most spectacular part, though the inside is worth seeing as well. Then a pitcher of sangria, a 45-minute mass (these Spaniards really don't mess around), and then home to pack up...because the next day involved moving me into la Universidad Deusto!
For your viewing enjoyment...
First Toledo...
Playing with swords...
Zorilla was really into Toledo...
in Lourdes...I didn't try to bring him to the baths with me, I didn't want to push my luck!
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