20.8.10

Bilbao

I’m back. Sorry for a long absence, but it was nice! Before resuming my normal Paris posts, I will, as I often do, tell you something about the places I visited. Here is the map.













Leaving Paris by train for Biarritz close to the Spanish border, the trip continued by a rented car and the first stop was Bilbao. The real goal was a place called Sesimbra, just south of Lisbon, where we, kids and grandkids, had rented a house.









Bilbao is situated in the Basque country and is the capital of Biscay. We made only an overnight stop, so the visit was very summary. I show you some pictures of the older part of the city. You may recognize the Teatro Arriaga, the City Hall and the Estación de la Concordia.
From the old centre, a short walk along the Nervion River, will bring you to what has become the major interest for short time visitors, the Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry. The permanent collection concerns 20th (and 21st) century art, the most striking maybe (at least the one occupying the most of the space) the enormous steel structure, “The Matter of Time”, by Richard Serra (in the “Arcelor Gallery”, which has its name from the steel manufacturer, now ArcelorMittal). Outside the fantastic building you may find one of the famous spider, “Maman”, sculptures by Louise Bourgeois and some “Tulips” and a “Puppy” by Jeff Koons.


I wish you a nice weekend!

26 comments:

Ruth said...

I was just wondering about you, and here you are. I'm very pleased all is so very well, and that now I know where you were!

Beautiful buildings, especially that Guggenheim. The texture.

Paris Paul said...

As Paris Karin and I were limited to a "staycation" this year (my first August in Paris in about a decade!), I loved the opportunity to travel a little with this post. Thanks Peter!

Thérèse said...

Welcome back Peter!
Louise Bourgeois se promène elle aussi à travers le monde avec ses mamans araignées...
Bilbao is certainly a gold mine for photographers and a city for art lovers.

Dianne said...

Welcome back Peter! I've never been to that part of the world - so enjoyed seeing your pics!
~Dianne~

Bagman and Butler said...

Welcome back! Although I've been mostly missing...not for such a good reason, however. But I knew you'd have to spread out to other countries soon. I think you have already photographed every square inch of Paris.

Polly said...

Bienvenue, Peter, it is good to see you back online! Hope you had a great family vacation. Did you see the Serra sculptures in the Tuileries and in the Grand Palais when they were there over the last year or so?

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Welcome back Peter! Glad to know that you had a wonderful time! I do recognize Bilbao from one of Gil's posts!

Waiting for what surely is an archive of some wonderful pictures!

Cheers!

alice said...

Je ne savais pas que tous les animaux étaient géants en Espagne!
Contente de te retrouver, cher Peter.

Starman said...

Yyay! You're back.

ANNA-LYS said...

Welcome back, Peter.
Interesting architecture I must go there, have only seen it books and HERE :-D

Thanks for sharing and
have a lovely weekend

claude said...

Bon retour, Peter !
Merci pour cette balade dans Bilbao. Telle que tu dois me connaître, même si peu, je préfère la première série de photos sur le centre ville de Bilabo.
J'au franchement du mal à me faire au fututrisme, à par l'Opéra de Sydney que je trouve très beau et en Inde un bâtiment en forme de Lotus.

Parisbreakfasts said...

Never apoligise for a vacation!
Heavens!!
I've been to Biaritz and Anglet and Bayonne but not over the border encore..
BRAVO!

Jilly said...

Welcome back, Peter. Looks like you had a great time in a beautiful place. Hope you ate some great grilled sardines! THE best in Portugal.

Virginia said...

Glad to have you back in Blogworld Peter. Looks like you had a grand vacation. Hope you got to see JM while you were there! And about that spider.....YIKES!
V

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

Peter, it is nice to see you have returned. I am getting the hang of blogging (thanks to Virginia) and have good photos and memories from the afternoon we all walked around the Marais. Merci.

hpy said...

Ryggskott - kommer tillbaka nar jag kan sitta pa en stol igen.

Cezar and Léia said...

wow great news, you are back!!!!Welcome back!
So many beautiful pictures, details, a fabulous vacation for sure.Hmmm that spider is very impressive, but I can not face it, stare it...I have big fear of spiders! :)
Now, I will enjoy your pictures!
Have a nice weekend,
and thanks for sharing,
Léia

Adam said...

Welcome back Peter - looks like you had quite an adventure this summer!

nathalie in avignon said...

Welcome home Peter. I'm really looking forward to reading about the places you visited. Bilbao's museum is a must see, isn't it? I love it.

Catherine said...

thanks for all those great guggenheim shots - love that gallery - and I too saw a lovely tribute to Louise Bourgeois complete with spider at the wonderful gallery DIA Beacon (upstate New York ) good to see you back!!

maria said...

So good to have you back!! Looks like you had a ton of fun! Lovely pics, as usual.... :)

Karin B (Looking for Ballast) said...

Welcome back, Peter, and wow! What a great trip! It was a well-deserved rest from your usual blog business, I think, and it looks like you had a great time. Thank you for sharing about places other than Paris, and for all the fantastic photos.

Be well!
Karin

Simony said...

Peter, what a great trip you had! I know you will be sharing great pictures with us, so that makes up for the time you were gone. I missed you and your posts, I was used to come here almost everyday. Welcome back!

Kate said...

Peter, with all the rest...welcome back. Your photo of Gehry's building is a real treat. One of my fantasies is to visit all the public buildings designed my Gehry. We have one in Minneapolis, but not as grand as some of the others he has designed; still, I love it, too. And, how are the grandkids?!

Trotter said...

Welcome back!! Great to see Bilbao again!!

Richard said...

Hi Peter, you old adventurer! Looks like a very interesting trip. It seems that many people I meet these days are recommending Spanish locations. Sadly I have only made one short trip to Malaga, many years ago, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Time to broaden my horizons southwards maybe.

The Louise Bourgeois sculpture, Maman, in the Tuileries was my first encounter with the artists work. I noticed that she passed away earlier this year, but at a ripe 98 years old. Almost as long-lived as the Olsons. Is the Serra sculpture the same one that defaced the Tuileries?