Spain’s Basque Region

 

The moment you enter the Basque region you sense the change. We were here for less than a week so what we notice are surface things such as the dual languages on places and businesses of the practical things we experience. Lots more x’s and k’s, for example. But there’s also a sense that natives of the region have a feeling of otherness that runs much deeper. Our guide book gives a taste of the meaning of it, but the graffiti makes it palpable. 

Our photos here (i for information)

Bilbao

The closest available campground was in the town of Sopela, over an hour from Bilbao by walking and public transportation, because the closer one had been taken over for a weekend music event that was still being dismantled. After driving into Sopela and settling into the campsite, we did chores and noted that the campground restaurant opened for lunch at 1:30, then closed at 4 and reopened at 8:30 for dinner.  Sigh. We ate our grocery store finds for dinner, then walked steeply down to the beach. Even after 8 pm, there were lots of surfers catching good waves and families enjoying the beautiful ocean, sand and great weather. 

The trip into Bilboa took us over an hour but we were instantly greeted by a city pulsing with energy and presided over by impressive architecture. We had timed entry tickets for the Guggenheim Museum for 1 pm but I couldn’t help being stopped in my tracks by the gorgeous festooned facades of belle epoch buildings and equally arresting structures of various styles with elegant balconies. We got a light lunch at a vegetarian/coffee shop, but this being Spain, they had a ham option for Dermot. 

Museo Guggenheim Bilbao is an incredible building designed by Frank Gehry. The exterior soars and dips with twisting planes of gleaming silver scales. My photos and words, of course, don’t do it justice. A video in the museum shows how this site, that used to be an industrial wasteland, was transformed into a beautiful architectural showpiece. The exterior even has many sculptures, one is covered in blossoms and known as “Puppy.”

The whole museum is designed to provide expansive spaces required by modern installation art as well as more blocky traditional spaces. The permanent collection is filled with wonderful, thought-provoking art. There are pictures in the album and here’s the QR code for those who want more. 

I’ve also included a brief video of the immersive audiovisual installation called “Living Architecture: Gehry.” The installation had the biggest audience in the whole museum. People were sitting on couches and even lying on the floor watching. I’ve also including a photo of the explanation. I was mesmerized. Based on the viewers’ expressions of both wonderment and zen, I’d say it’s either mind control, or the favored place to go when you’re stoned or maybe it’s both.

We then strolled along the river which was thirsty work on this warm day so we headed for an Irish pub that Google maps said was open. Yet again, the Irish will not be dictated to by posted hours and it was closed. So we found another bar on a crowded street for our rest. While sipping on cider and beer we consulted our guide books and maps for the best places for pintxos (like tapas) - many of which are in a square in the historic part of town.

The plan was to go to several places ordering a small drink and two pintxos at each. Calamari was the speciality recommended by the guide at the first place we visited so we got that and one which was a quiche base. The calamari was perfect and such a large serving that we were too full for more! 

All roads in the historic area seem to lead to the cathedral. The buildings around it were in various styles but many were beautiful. Just check out the pictures!

Though we’d looked some time ago we missed out on booking a ferry straight from Spain to the U.K. which meant this last bit of the trip went from a smooth sail to a crush of planning.  Note that it’s the highest part of the high season, so our travel style of no reservations proved to be a detriment. We searched for a campsite in the recommended town of Donostia-San Sebastián (two names, one is Basque) and several alternatives without success until we found one outside the fishing village of Lekeito.

The drive there was through a winding road.  Instead of touring the pretty town we ended up spending the day doing more research and making reservations but we did get a picture of it as we drove through and from high above.

The rest of the pictures in the album were of small Basque towns taken drive-by style from the passenger seat. 

Spain’s North Coast

 

Gijón

When we reentered Spain, we found ourselves in a new time zone where it was still twilight at 10 pm. Spaniards are known for their late dining habits, and we’ve been struggling to adjust. Restaurants in these cities are more than happy to serve you a variety of alcoholic drinks pretty much anytime, but the kitchen doesn’t open until 8 pm. Well played, Spain.

Our photos here

Gijón (Pronounced “hee-HON,” like the old comedy show or a donkey bray)

With its miles of promenades stretching both west and east of the city and a vast bay surrounded by beaches, locals and tourists alike are out enjoying this lovely city. The coast near our campground was a rocky cliff right on the promenade, offering us a view of the water and beautiful sunsets. We saw people climbing on the rocks, snorkeling, and a few paddle boarders. Bathing suit tops seem to be optional, so if you don’t want to see nudity, don’t zoom in on the beach/cliff photos.

We toured the museum of the excavated Roman baths and had a nice relaxing lunch in a restaurant overlooking the water. The region is famous for its cider, and I got a bottle labeled “natural,” which was definitely on the dry side with a hint of vinegar.

The old town has lots of beautiful old buildings and the ruins of what were once Roman defense walls, with a few dragons thrown in for fun. With lots of green spaces, wonderful public art, and great weather, this looks like a fun city to live in.

San Vicente de la Barquera

Tower top with seagull

The water, beaches, boats, town, and mountains combine into a postcard-worthy setting. Unfortunately, the town is so tourist-oriented that the few truly historical sights we saw didn’t redeem it for us. We had a nice walk into town from the packed campsite and then killed some time in a bar until the fort reopened at 5:30. From the top of the fort tower, we watched seagulls use the air currents to rise quickly up the steep ascent from the water level along the town and fort walls to gain altitude for their next dive. This place is a better fit for those wanting to learn to surf or enjoy the beaches in the protected bay than for us.

Santander

Santander has seen its share of booms and busts, as we learned from the audio on our Hop-on-hop-off bus. It was ravaged by a massive fire in 1941. Lonely Planet states, “Tragic at the time, the disaster gave urban planners the rare opportunity of redesigning for a new era, ultimately raising the city to a level that provokes envy among the rest of the nation. Stroll more than 7km of oceanfront promenades, walk through the wealthy upper reach, or thread through bars of young entrepreneurs.”

Google Maps simply didn’t give us information on bus routes from our campsite, but the Hop on/off took us for spins around what it thought were the highlights with longish stops which made for slow progress. It was a different kind of exploring for us, but it worked okay. 

One of the most intriguing things about this city was the very graphic depiction of the city saints whose heads are shown alternately in a basket (carved in stone on the entrance) and encased in silver. 

In addition, there were carved stone heads looking down over the pews from the post capitals that are positively creepy. 

Why is this guy smirking and holding a knife?

Would having these guys staring down at you help you tap into your spirituality? Must have given the kids nightmares.

Here’s the Google translation of the information provided:

“The Arrival of the Martyrs’ Heads

Shortly after the Arab invasion in 711, people from the Riojan city of Calahorra came to Cantabria and brought, to the place that would later be called Santander, their most prized relics: the heads of Saints Emeterius and Celedonius, martyred there around the year 300. The movement responded to the widespread phenomenon of the population of the Meseta watered by the Duero and the lands of the Ebro being forced to retreat to the northern mountains, fleeing Muslim domination.

In 1533, as a reaction by the Catholic world to Protestantism, the martyrdom tomb in the church of Santander suffered a pious desecration, during which the remains of the saints were found under the altar located in the Gospel nave. The silver reliquaries in which the heads are preserved date from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Other relics preserved at the site correspond to the arm of Saint Germán, from the late 16th century, and a fragment of the Lignum Crucis.

Arrival of the Heads of the Holy Martyrs in Santander. Façade of the Upper Church. According to Casado Soto.”

You may have come to this blog looking for travel inspiration and instead I give you topless women and headless men.

North-West Spain: More than pilgrims.

Tower of Hercules

Santiago de Compostela 

I’ll admit, I didn’t expect much from Santiago de Compostela. It all starts with the story about how the apostle James’s remains were smuggled into Spain, hidden in a tomb, and then forgotten for nearly 800 years until a hermit found them right about the time when religious zeal was needed to defeat the Moors.  

Annunciation sculptures

Today, pilgrims come from all walks of life, each with their own reasons, but it was heartwarming to experience the applause and cheers as they entered the cathedral square. We could hear the festivities while exploring the cathedral museum—highly recommended, especially if you like a good historical mystery with a side of bagpipes.  The photo above features the angel telling Mary she is pregnant with the son of God. Is it just me or does the visibly pregnant Mary seem less than happy with the news and/or the timing of it? 

Our photos here (i for info)

Gaelic influence is strong. The main path to the cathedral leads through a tunnel that amplifies the sound of bagpipe buskers, making it feel like a mini-concert. Dermot even found an Irish connection: the Archbishop of Cashel Thomas Walsh is buried in the cathedral! 

The cathedral and its surroundings boast stunning stone facades that showcase various architectural styles, all harmoniously blended. We snapped some pics at the Cathedral Museum and visited the original 12th-century entrance, the “Portico of Glory,” which now resides inside to keep it safe from the elements. It’s a polychrome masterpiece that’s worth the timed entry ticket, even if you can’t take pictures.

Portico of Glory brochure photo

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed being a tourist here, despite the crowds of tourists and pilgrims. It’s like a pilgrimage of its own just to navigate the sea of people!

A Coruña

We checked out the Tower of Hercules, a Roman lighthouse from 2 AD that’s still standing tall. Inside, there’s a fascinating room about its history and construction, and the climb to the top is worth it for the views. The surrounding park is a sculpture lover’s dream, with extensive walkways to explore.

Our wander through the old town was a treasure trove of interesting architecture. The modest narrow home pictured is one of the last of its kind, built for fishermen. Many houses have glassed-in balconies, and the waterfront buildings are elegant, though they overlook a port with a cruise ship that’s as charming as a traffic jam.

We ventured into the town center to see City Hall and Maria Pita Square. Finally a city with a female heroine as its symbol! Having worked at City Hall in Orlando, I’m always in awe of the beauty of European city halls and envy those who work there. Then I tell myself their plumbing probably doesn’t work. That’s how I’m using my psychology degree in retirement.

All in all, this is a vibrant city with great weather, plenty of public art, fountains, excellent public transportation, bike paths, and large pedestrian areas. It’s like a utopia for city dwellers, minus the plumbing issues.

Portugal’s Northern Coast

With the heat wave still waving, we threaded together seaside retreats to stay cool. Much of the area North of Porto has several towns united by long stretches of rocky shoreline and is part of the Camino Portuguese Coastal Route. We saw many people with a wide range of nationalities, ages, and body shapes in dusty boots, sneakers and sandals with the signature shell swinging from their backpacks. Campgrounds placed signs informing hikers of their whereabouts and we often saw them resting or washing up in campgrounds. They were inspiring. While here, we walked on many trails they followed but always eventually made a u-turn since our possessions are carried in a campervan rather than on our backs.

Our photos (and videos) here

Mindelo

Strong Northern winds made a wind-barrier essential beach-going equipment on many Portuguese shores. Note how many of our beach photos feature sunbathers and even life guards huddled behind them. Often, life guards also wear hooded, head-to-toe windbreakers ensembles. 

We walked to a small mom and pop restaurant right on the beach in this small village of Arvore. A pre-teen boy pulled Dermot’s draft beers and also rang us out. The menu was limited in the veggies department but the seafood was fresh and tasty. 

The following day we took a long stroll south, mostly on boardwalks through the towns of Vila Cha, São Paio and Labruge. Vila Cha had a fisherman’s quarter and São Paio included the mostly undated but protected remains of circular stone houses which would have had thatched roofs. The wooden boardwalks protected endangered plover nesting territory. We stopped on our way back for a refreshing drink and just enjoyed the ocean views and sound of the wind and waves - very zen.

Fão

This town overdelivered on the wind - gusts were so strong we did little more than walking to the medieval cemetery and doing some grocery shopping. The campground wasn’t great so we moved on.

Viana do Castelo

Orbitur Viana do Castelo campground was more to our liking though we struggled to find a spot due to its popularity. The beach was filled with people taking full advantage of the water and wind including kitesurfing, wing-foiling, and twin-tipping (I had to look that up). Unfortunately we have no pictures of it all since we left our phones in the camper so we could enjoy the beach. Too bad the wind didn’t make it past the high dunes to cool the campsite - it was hot! We cooled off in the pool.

The following day we took an uber into Viana do Castelo to follow Lonely Planet’s “Viana Sampler” walking tour despite the heat. The Sé de Viana was built in the 15th century in Romanesque style. It was beautiful, as they usually are. The tomb with the raised sculpture which had its own window was the only one I’d ever seen like it. What a privileged place to spend eternity. 

We heard loud drumming and followed our ears to the Praça da República and witnessed some kind of celebration with an exciting musical routine with a bagpipe, accordion, many drums and people dressed in traditional clothing (photo above). The drummers pounded away enthusiastically drawing the crowd into their excitement. I added videos to the album. When the drumming finished, there was a procession which seemed quite tame in comparison. 

That left us to admire the square’s fountain, Antigos Paços do Concelho and the elaborate Igreja de Misericórdia. The Igreja is just beautiful with its blue and white tiles and altar.

 

We then checked out the free Casa dos Nichos - a 15th century house turned archeological museum. It was amazing to see the map detailing all the archeological sites ranging from Paleolithic to medieval in the area.

Model of fortified group of houses.

Praça da Liberdade is the huge square on the bank of the Rio Lima with a splash pad. It was fun watching adults trying to walk-race across to avoid being splashed by the unpredictable jets. 

Lunch at a recommended restaurant was a real deal with vegetable soup, puff pastry items filled with either chicken or seafood, sangria, bottled water and a regional dessert pastry I’ve forgotten the name of. It was filled with custard and had a light crunchy top with crushed almonds. These items were patiently explained to us by our kind server as we peered at the choices in the case. Total: 11€ and change. 

Gil Eannes, the hospital ship built here in 1955, spent over 20 years traveling the world often treating cod fishers around Iceland and Greenland. 

We then visited several churches on the way to Castelo de São Tiago da Barra. This fortress sits where the river meets the sea and was obviously built for defense. We enjoyed climbing the walls and checking out the views.

Next: Santiago de Compostela