The delightful city of Bilbao is hemmed by hills and mountains into a tight valley which could explain why it is an absolute nightmare in which to drive. That said, I would have taken a thousand more U-turns to find my first destination...
Built in 1893, the Puente Colgante (The Hanging Bridge) is the World's oldest transporter bridge and was designed by Alberto Palacio, one of Gustave Eiffel's disciples. The bridge, situated at the mouth of the River Nervion, is designed to transport passengers and cargo whilst still allowing enormous ships to go through to the Port of Bilbao. To my delight, it still in use, so I load my motorbike onto the gondola and am whisked to the opposite bank. I then complete one final U-turn (as I am now on the wrong side of the river) and take the return trip - much to the bemusement of the guy selling the tickets. For me, this splendour of engineering rivals any piece of artwork in or outside the Guggenheim Museum, as it is a perfect blend of beauty and functionality.
Back on the right side of the river, I travel eastwards into the mountainous, forested Basque Country. There must be thousands of trees here, but today there are only a few of interest to me. Bosque de Oma (aka El Bosque Pitado) is an interactive, living, three-dimensional work of art created by Agustin Ibarrola. The forest is tucked away near Kortezubi (Bizkaia in Basque) and it is here that canvas has been swapped for the bark of Monterey pine trees. Attentive eyes, wavy lines, wildlife and silhouettes of little men are the most commonly repeated representations. The paintings of one tree and the next are related, and take on a different appearance depending on the perspective from which they are seen. All the images change and mutate as I wander through this enchantingly unique place.
I jump back onto my motorbike and head North to the coast. On my way to San Sebastián, I ride along the tightrope of Tarmac that is delicately poised between the Bay of Biscay and the rocky outcrops of the coastline through picturesque little towns like Lekeitio, Deba and Zarautz.
I have lucked out again on my motorbike tour of Spain and Portugal. Having left behind the curves of Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum and chaotic, drink-fuelled evening on Las Siete Calles, I arrive, almost by accident, at the start of a carnival that is unique to this corner of the country. I have a feeling San Sebastián will be a different experience during Semana Grande...
Built in 1893, the Puente Colgante (The Hanging Bridge) is the World's oldest transporter bridge and was designed by Alberto Palacio, one of Gustave Eiffel's disciples. The bridge, situated at the mouth of the River Nervion, is designed to transport passengers and cargo whilst still allowing enormous ships to go through to the Port of Bilbao. To my delight, it still in use, so I load my motorbike onto the gondola and am whisked to the opposite bank. I then complete one final U-turn (as I am now on the wrong side of the river) and take the return trip - much to the bemusement of the guy selling the tickets. For me, this splendour of engineering rivals any piece of artwork in or outside the Guggenheim Museum, as it is a perfect blend of beauty and functionality.
Back on the right side of the river, I travel eastwards into the mountainous, forested Basque Country. There must be thousands of trees here, but today there are only a few of interest to me. Bosque de Oma (aka El Bosque Pitado) is an interactive, living, three-dimensional work of art created by Agustin Ibarrola. The forest is tucked away near Kortezubi (Bizkaia in Basque) and it is here that canvas has been swapped for the bark of Monterey pine trees. Attentive eyes, wavy lines, wildlife and silhouettes of little men are the most commonly repeated representations. The paintings of one tree and the next are related, and take on a different appearance depending on the perspective from which they are seen. All the images change and mutate as I wander through this enchantingly unique place.
I jump back onto my motorbike and head North to the coast. On my way to San Sebastián, I ride along the tightrope of Tarmac that is delicately poised between the Bay of Biscay and the rocky outcrops of the coastline through picturesque little towns like Lekeitio, Deba and Zarautz.
I have lucked out again on my motorbike tour of Spain and Portugal. Having left behind the curves of Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum and chaotic, drink-fuelled evening on Las Siete Calles, I arrive, almost by accident, at the start of a carnival that is unique to this corner of the country. I have a feeling San Sebastián will be a different experience during Semana Grande...
No comments:
Post a Comment