June 17 Santander, Spain
No rain today, but still overcast, with a cool wind. Temperature about 17 to 19. Not great, but ok. Went and bought train ticket to Madrid for tomorrow and then off to find the Prehistoric museum. Well I think it is (or was) the 2 holes in the ground! Stopped to have lunch at small little cafe. Ordered a 'tortilla', not really know what I was going to end up with! Well turns out that Spanish tortillas are really omelet like! Was good thought, except everything seems to come with fries!
So off to walk to the other restaurant areas. Could not find them either so kept walking!
Ended up at the Bull fight arena! And open, but with an Octoberfest going on! And I thought it was still June! German ompa music and German food everywhere! Walked back to hotel.
Not much done tonite except went out for something to eat, kabob, from an East Indian run restaurant, and he spoke English!
June 16 Santander, Spain
Well the morning started off with some monsoon type rain! And lots of wind! But by time I had breakfast, and I now have the Spanish coffee figured out, I think, the rain had reduced to just a drizzle!
I had decided I was going to the beaches today, and that I did! In the wind and the rain! They were very nice and it only took about an hour to walk there! Walked around the Palace of Magdelaina, a peninsula which is very rocky, and then to the neighbouring beaches. Quite a few of them. All very nice, I am sure, when the weather is good! Saw what looked like a search and rescue exercise out on the lighthouse island.
Also walked by replicas of what I think are the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, the boats that followed Columbus' crossing to NA.Caught the bus back to hotel. Thought I was doing great, and thought I would get off on the next stop, but the bus went underground! Not sure where it was going to end up! But it continued straight and the next stop was not that much beyond the hotel. Actually had a nap, the first is ages!
June 15 Santander, Spain
The museum is great, another must see! There is not a straight line in the place! Even the stair ways have a curve of some sort! Very impressive.
And that is both the inside and the outside! Not sure which I enjoyed more the building or some of the exhibits! Decided I had to see as the building was designed by Frank Gehry, a Canadian. With the metal and glass structure with titanium panels covering the building and the white walls. Outside other artists work, the big spider, the fire fountain (only on at night), the dancing fountain, with the fog. Lots to experience.
Interesting as well is that he tied the building into the river and a bridge that run very near. Near the bridge there is a stair case to no where!
Inside some impressive displays. The best were the one that played with the visual and mental comprehension. A LED display in several columns, the advertising type ones, but were at least 30 feet high. Red on one side and blue on the other. Visually looked like they were up against a wall but you could walk behind the display as well! Weird! Then the large, very large steel plates laid out in several maze type things. And the various mirrors which play with your perception of the reflection of the space around you! Really great stuff. Did not get much out of the machine made piles of cement! Looked more like dog do than anything! I know, I am so descriptive! hahahahha
Then caught the Bus to Santander, this one comfortable and only 2 hours. They do not announce the stops so asked the guy next to me. Not much English, but again he made sure I got off on the right stop. People are very helpful. I walked to hotel, and the map I drew should have been better. I wandered around the area of the hotel (I know that now!) but could not find it. I was still looking when a lady stopped and asked me if I needed directions, and of course I did, so she told me where I need to go. She was going to show me but it was so close did not think necessary! I was on the right block and it was just around the corner! Again, thanks to the Spanish for their friendliness.
Checked in and off wandering the streets. Many, many squares, with townhouses, bars, and restaurants everywhere. Few churches mixed in. A very nice city.
What I have noticed though, is that Spain seems to have more graffiti than France. Not sure if I just did not notice or was not it the areas where it would be. Maybe it is the fact that I have been on local trains, rather than intercity ones!
June 14 Bordeaux, France to Bilbao, Spain
Tough day!Spent 3 hours on comfortable train to Hendaye, France, which is on the border with Spain. The time passed very quickly just watching out the window. Everything is extremely green, which is not surprising considering all the monsoon like rains that seem to happen each day!
Arrived in Hendaye, walked out the door of train station, made a few steps into another train station, very small! I am now in Spain. Amazing! No passport checks, nothing. Just a young guy in the station selling train tickets!
This train is a local train, so for 30 minutes on it from Hendaye, the Spanish side, to San Sebastian, Spain.
I then wait maybe 30 minutes for the next train to Bilbao.
While waiting I meet a young Ethiopian guy that is living in Bilbao and training for the Olympics 2012 in London. He runs the 5000 and 10000 meter races! He has some English, enough that I figure out that he is off training for the moment as he has hurt is achilles heel.
I get pictures of family and he tells me of his dream to race in US and Canada.
He makes sure I know where to get off the train as he gets off earlier than me.
After about 2 1/2 hours on hard plastic seat, I made it to Bilbao train station. Lucky, well sort of, finding most people have some English, which is great as I have zero Spanish, shows me where the nearest hotel is. 60 euros, not good for budget, but for 1 night.......
Guy speaks very good English and shows me on the map where NOT to go! and also where to go. He also tells me that I should have taken the bus as it would have taken me only 1 1/2 hours! Oh well the trip only cost 4.80! Finding most things cheaper in Spain.
I am very close to the older part of the city so spend a couple of hours wandering around. Get dinner and wander some more! The city is very hilly and amazingly and thank goodness, they actually have escalators for sidewalks! I did climb a big hill the long way around and then took escalator down!
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