A walk along the Turia riverbed was a gentle saunter of an introduction to off-time Valencians. They walk, run, bike, play soccer, rugby, baseball, skateboard, electric scooter, much like everyone else, but never seen so many electric scooters. And on a Sunday, the “lifeblood” of the city is very busy.
A tour of the Modern Art Museum, aka IVAM, was headed by a cartoon around the walls from Paco Roca, whose work we’ve previously admired, not least at Tate Modern. He’s a local Valencian lad.
Unlike Saturday in hip Russafa, the area is not heaving on a Sunday, so our dinner at El Camarino was unpressured. At least, until about 10.30; these Spanish eat late, a 11pm start is not unusual!
Along came Monday, so rearwards journey begins with a drive to Zaragoza. The old town features a huge square adjacent the city’s huge Basilica/Cathedral. We checked: cathedral is the centre of worship of a diocese, basilica is just a favourite church. This city has a two in one, as per photo.
There’s a lift up one of the corner towers, so of course ….. us suffering men to be tested by testes. Is that why they’re so called? At the end of the square was a waterfall sculpture, apparently inspired by the Spanish speakers in North & South America’s. Excellent, once you’d been informed of its subject matter.
There’s also an exhibition about Goya, who came from just down the road. Not great fans, but the exhibition dealing with his Caprice series was a clever use of black, white, light and dark and digital. We’ll, so says I.
Tuesday was another drive to Bilbao, where we’re staying for two nights before the 24 hours ferry to Portsmouth. We love Bilbao. Even if it’s a bit of a nightmare to drive down into the old town to find the guest house; then the drive back up out then back down again to the car park, is a journey of 20 mins by car, 5 mins by foot. Worth it though. The guesthouse has a beautiful wooden staircase that could well be 400 years old. The old quarter dates from medieval times, though it was substantially rebuilt after flooding in 1983. You wouldn’t know it.
Going to check out the Vizcaya transporter bridge (world’s oldest) this time, complete with car carrying gondola, at the mouth of the river Nervion. It’s similar to the Newport (Gwent) one, which also still works.
Chris & Kath's Travel Time 