At this point, a quick note about the regions of Spain, which is how I have broken up my posts. In Spain, an autonomous community (region) is the first sub-national level of political and administrative division (not judicial), created in accordance with the post Franco Spanish Constitution of 1978, so kind of like a state. Most have unique cultures and food, and some language, as stated previously.

Pamplona is the capital of the Navarra Region. We felt the need for a visit, mostly inspired by Hemingway. But also because it is a major stop on the French Route of the Camino de Santiago, which we will follow for the next several days. It is a relatively big city. We went straight for the bullring and the Old Quarter, as we have in most cities.

We watched a video of images of the running of the bulls. The provided audio guide taught us everything we never wanted to know about bull-fighting from the life of the bull to the behind the scenes activities of all involved. My favorites included the costumes of the toreros (bull-fighters)

and the chapel where they all stop for a few moments to pray right before entering the ring.

After the bullring we walked down the road through which the bulls are herded during the July festival: San Fermin.

Of course we enjoyed some local beer (cerveza) and pintxos. Then we strolled around town including past the cathedral

Once it started to rain, we got in the car and headed to our next stop. We arrived in Santo Domingo de la Calzada in the late afternoon and were pleasantly surprised by every aspect. First, our Parador de Santo Domingo de la Calzada was, fittingly, a 12th century hospital dedicated to pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago. The exterior is not much to look at, but once through the doors, wow is all I can say!

And our room opened out onto the square facing the cathedral.

But most fun for us is that after all the very touristy places we had visited in Spain thus far, this finally felt authentic to us. Santo Domingo de la Calzada is a very small town whose main focus is on the many, many pilgrims that pass through daily year round. We were able to watch them start their treks every morning, passing through the square, and gathering in the evening after a long day of walking for a well deserved meal and rest.

That night we watched Emilio Estevez’s The Way starring his father Martin Sheen. It was fun to see towns just visited and some yet to come. It also gave us and appreciation for the pilgrims’ journeys.

The next morning we popped into the little church across the square from the cathedral.

And when we came out there were pilgrims chatting with an old local.

And the new day brought an entirely new experience for our journey. We were just south of wine country! So of course we had to spend the day visiting wineries and having tastings. First stop was Bodegas La Rioja Alta, a very upscale place indeed.

Next we visited Bodegas Gomez Cruzado, which we liked even more, had a wine tasting and stayed so long (they were busy), they brought out a charcuterie board to thank us for our patronage and patience!

Our third winery was Ramon Bilbao. Although we were impressed with the building, both inside and out:

We got the feeling of a very commercial business, the staff were not hospitable, and we had already drunk enough wine, so we left without even tasting. The next day we were to find out that our instincts were correct.

When we got back to town, we needed to walk off some of the wine, so figured it was time to visit the cathedral. The cathedral itself was not so impressive, but it’s story is fascinating. Santo Domingo himself aided the pilgrims on their journey on the Camino de Santiago. When he died in 1109, he was buried in the local church, which has been rebuilt many times through the centuries and raised to cathedral status in the 13th century.

Restorations have continued right through the 20th century, giving the interior an interesting mixture of art. Mosaics in the crypt were commissioned for the millenial of the saint’s death in 2019.

A miracle is attributed to Dominic according to which two beheaded cooked chickens resurrected to testify in favor of a pilgrim wrongly accused of theft, who himself was resurrected after being hanged. A pair of descendants of the chickens are kept at all times in the choir loft of the cathedral. Other descendants are kept in the local pilgrimage refuge. Unfortunately, I failed to get a good picture of the chickens, who are replaced every few days.

After resting up, we headed out to our first Michelin starred restaurant, which was literally steps away across the square. Stunning that such a small town can boast 2 Michelin star restaurants.

The next morning began with bicycle races starting in the square; I love this town!

We had booked a private tour of a family owned bodega, so we set out. At first we drove right past it.

But after parking, we found it.

Inside was a hidden gem.

Our host Jose has restored this 1891 winery (Bodega) lovingly and beautifully. First he gave us a video and slide presentations explaining many things about the region and its history. First of all, although we are in La Rioja region of Spain, it is not synonymous with Rioja (no La) wine. The region is divided into 3 sections: Rioja Alta, Alavesa, and Baja. Rioja wine growing extends into the Basque and Navarra regions of Spain as well.

In the Medieval times, almost every family home made their own wine and kept it in caves under their homes along with their food. The caves are like cold storage. In the late 19th century with relative prosperity in the town, some of them opened as bodegas. In the mid 20th century when the American phylloxera devastated the French wine industry, the French turned to Spain for both grapes and wine. The Spanish wine industry grew. As it did, big corporations came in and bought up a lot of the small bodegas. Today over 90% of all Spanish wine is controlled by these big corporations, of which Roman Bilbao is one. Most of the family owned and run bodegas are literally collapsing into the ground.

The town is now shrunk to only about 500 residents; their son goes to school in nearby city of Logrono, so sad.

But despite its tiny size, it has the requisite church, built in the town’s better times.

Jose has preserved 3 Bodegas: 2 adjacent and one across the street, trying to preserve the history of the town. He took us across the street to the cave there and served us a sample of his wine straight from the barrel.

Jose also explained how the classic method of winemaking in Spain differed from that of France in that they used the whole grape including not only the skin, but also the stems, threw it all into a barrel, stomped it with their feet, used a technique called carbonic maceration, then pressed the grapes.

Jose’s wife was meanwhile preparing our lunch in her kitchen.

Our first course was served with a white wine out on the patio.

Then we were taken into the restored cave for lunch.

Second course was a delicious potato and sausage stew served with a red wine of 100% timpanelli, which is the most common grape in all the Rioja regions.

Next we were served tomatoes right from the home garden drizzled with balsamic reduction. And finally, baby lamb chops grilled on the fire below the barrel, accompanied, of course, with more red wine.

And finally, cheesecake and coffee, which we could not finish. We could barely walk out of there, we were so stuffed. We had a truly wonderful day.

The next morning it was with regret that we left Santo Domingo de la Calzada. As we drove along the Camino de Santiago, we were impressed with the number of pilgrims we passed, some older than we. It did not, however, entice us to make the trek ourselves; we were happy to be driving.

We stopped in the cute town of Burgos.

And, of course, the cathedral, of which construction began in the 13th century but was not completed until the 16th. It is a comprehensive example of the evolution of Gothic style.

A quick stop at the pharmacy revealed that in Spain, even those are cute.

Our next stop on the Camino de Santiago was León. We had booked an Airbnb (time to do laundry). Yet again we had the most fortunate location.

We had an early dinner in the square and called it a day. In the morning we set out to see the Convent of San Marcos, a part of which now is the Parador de León. It also houses the Museum of León, which unfortuanately was closed. It was originally built in the 12th century as a hospital and refuge for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. But it needed a complete overhaul in the 16th century when the convent and cloister were added as well as a palace. Construction and renovation continued through the 18th century. Today this parador is one of the most important monuments of the Spanish Renaissance.

We then doubled back to the Old Quarter for lunch followed by a visit to Casa Botines, an early work of Gaudi prior to his masterpieces in Barcelona. It was completely constructed in 10 months. It was first to incorporate his genius innovations such as steel columns holding up beams rather than just using supporting walls, thus allowing an open space. Other innovations include how he used interior open spaces (like tiny vertical courtyards) and windows to increase light and airflow throughout and gutters draining to holding tanks to capture water for the occupants’ use.

It was built for the main floor to be used to sell expensive imported textiles to the new bourgeoisie in town, the basement its warehouse, homes for his 2 benefactors’ families on the next 2 floors, and 12 more apartments above. It has been restored and a museum since 1996.

Let me digress just a moment for an aside at this point. Spanish people must be very conscious of their dental care. We have been amused how on the main streets of every city we have visited in Spain so far, no matter how large or small, there are dental offices that include orthodontics and veneers. Some have several. We are no longer concerned with what to do if a dental emergency should arise, lol.

After we left Casa Botines, it was time for the cathedral.

We were beginning to feel “cathedraled out.” But this one was truly special. Initiated in the 13th century, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it is one of the greatest works of the Gothic style with French influences. The church has nearly 1,800 square meters of stained glass windows. The great majority of them date from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century: a rarity among medieval gothic churches.

The site was originally Roman baths, then in the 10th century, after driving out the moors, a Romanesque monastery. Construction on the current Gothic style church began in the early 13th century. Like Burgos, it was designed on the French style. Because of the baths below, the foundation has had issues. The cathedral required a huge renovation of its foundation and pillars in the 19th century, but its Gothic simplicity was maintained.

There are over 50 statues of the Virgin in the cathedral’s collection.

We left León the next morning heading west continuing to follow the Camino de Santiago stopping first in Astorga with its requisite cathedral.

But more fun was the Gaudi Palace built between 1889 and 1913. Along with the Botines in León, it is one of the few he built outside of Catalonia. It was built in the neo-Gothic style. The bishop who had commissioned Gaudi to build it died before it was finished, so Gaudi quit the job, and it was finished by another architect.

Astorga is also know for some edible specialties: mantecadas, which are very much like a very light pound cake, and which of course we had to try, and chocolates, which we bought to take with us on our travels.

Our next stop was the castle in Ponferrada, built by the Knights of Templar. It is a castle which covers approximately 16,000 square meters built between the 12th and 13th centuries.

We particularly liked the primitive nature of the battle equipment.

We then had a long leisurely delicious lunch at Restaurante Cuadras.

Ponferrada is the last major city on the French route of the Camino de Santiago. But we were not yet ready to enter Santiago, and we wanted to visited one more parador, so we headed north to Vilalba, which is a medieval city, the last city on the Northern route of the Camino de Santiago. It is in the Region of Galicia, which is the same as Santiago de Compostela.

Galicia has its own language, Galician, from which Portuguese is derived. But although it is widely spoken, it does not seem to be the primary language here as Catalan and Basque languages were in their respective regions.

The Parador de Vilalba was a 15th century fortress. It is also know for it 100+ year old tree standing nearby which has been named the Pravia and hosts the annual nativity celebration at Christmas.

We had a light dinner in a cute little cafe that has been in the family, now second generation, for nearly 80 years.

Finally the next morning, it was on to Santiago de Compostela!

The Plaza del Obradoiro is the main square in front of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, and is the final point of the journey for the pilgrims. Words cannot explain the feelings of euphoria and camaraderie in the square. As pilgrims enter and shout for joy at having “made it,” all who are present send up a cheer. This can happen several times an hour, especially in the late afternoon. It is a contagious ebullience even for those tourists of us who did not make the journey on foot or bicycle.

Because it was raining, we decided it was a good time to visit the museum and learn a bit of the history. First Saint James (Santiago): According to the story, Christ had instructed his apostles to spread his word “to the ends of the earth.” At the time, the atlantic ocean was considered the end of the earth. So Saint James proselytised throughout the Iberian peninsula, now Spain. When he returned to Jerusalem in AD 44, he was beheaded by Herod, becoming the first apostle to be martyred. Legend has it that his disciples carried his body back to Spain and buried it there on the mount, where it lay hidden for centuries.

The legend continues that in the 9th century, Pelayo, a hermit who lived in the region of Galicia, was praying when he saw a bright light shining down from the sky. Intrigued by the light, he followed its path until he arrived at a field. There, Pelayo discovered a hidden tomb, in which he found the remains of a beheaded man, whom he believed to be the apostle St. James. The field of stars gives the town the rest of its name: Compo (field) stella (stars).

Upon hearing of the finding of St. James’ tomb, King Alfonso II made a pilgrimage to the site, making him the first pilgrim, and setting in place both the importance of the site and the act of the pilgrimage.

Pilgrimages started almost immediately. But it was not until the late 11th century that the building of the Romanesque cathedral was begun. Building continued for over 130 years until finally Master Mateo, an artist and architect, was brought in to complete the project. He built the famous Portico of Glory over the main entrance of the cathedral. When in the 18th century the current Baroque facade was built, it was placed in front of the original Romanesque one, thus protecting it from the elements and preserving it.

A lot of the original pieces from the rose window, the outer statues, and original inner decorative statues are now displayed in the museum. The museum also houses a library, many liturgical artworks including bishop’s robes, chalices, and this beautiful monstrance.

The museum also gave us access to the cloister, which holds some of the original bells.

The museum also had several rooms with tapestries.

Ane entire room of tapestries were all designed by Goya, which was particularly fun for us because we had seen Goya’s original “cartoons,” from which these tapestries were designed, in the Prado Museum in Madrid. They were innovative in their day because they showed average Spaniards and did not have religious themes.

When we emerged from the museum, it was still raining. But the lines to the cathedral entrance on the “French” side had shortened, so we entered the cathedral to visit Santiago’s crypt.

The following morning we took a walking tour of the city. We learned much more of the history of both the city and the cathedral. We learned that the reason the seashell is the symbol of the Camino de Santiago is because the original pilgrims, most of whom had never seen the sea before, in order to prove that they had completed the pilgrimage, would walk the rest of the way to the beach and collect a shell as their certification. Today’s pilgrims obtain a passport which is stamped in each town they pass through and then verified in the cathedral.

We also learned that the order of Santiago was founded in the 12th century. The knights were to protect the pilgrims along their journey. The oder’s symbol is the red crossed sword, which is shown in a detail of the 18th century facade shown below.

But the sword is also stamped onto a cake made of almond flour, eggs, and sugar (so delicious) and is special to the town.

Our guide explained to us about the different entrances to the cathedral. There is one called the holy door, which is only open during a year in which July 25 (feast day of Santiago) falls on a Sunday. If one passes through the holy door when open, and confesses one’s sins, then one is granted plenary indulgence, which is the absolution of all their sins.

The main door into the cathedral is the Pilgrims’ door (which had too long a line for us the day prior). The line extending to the right in the picture below is about a third of those waiting to get in. But he told us what time to come back to avoid the crowds.

He walked us through the Old Quarter pointing out restaurants and shops. He showed us the church of Santa Maria Salome, Santiago’s mother, and the only church dedicated to her in all of Spain.

He also told us that in addition to its famous cathedral, the city of Santiago is known for its public university system, which is one of the oldest in the world. There are 3 colleges within the old city limits (including a medical school); the remaining are in the newer city. And finally, he led us into a park outside the Old City so we could get a great view of the cathedral from a distance.

Once the tour was complete and we had refreshed ourselves with lunch, we returned to the Pilgrims’ door at 3 pm, and just as he had promised, no line!

And just like that, we had seen the Cathedral of Santiago and finished our journey across Northern Spain.

Before leaving, I have been asked to comment on the Spaniards. Almost all we have interacted with have been warm, friendly, generous, and kind. But then most with whom we communicate have hospitality or service jobs, so really hard to judge. I have noticed that except for the very occasional group of (mostly) men in business suits, the dress is casual, even in nicer restaurants. The other day in León I noticed a very smartly dressed couple and realized that even in Madrid, it has been rare to see anyone who seems “fashionable.” We used to quip that Americans should not wear shorts or sneakers while in Europe so as not to stand out as tourists. But European men seem to have adopted shorts. And Nikes, Adidas, and even Sketchers are ubiquitous. We are most often addressed first in Spanish until our blank stares reveal us. One really cannot guess someone’s nationality, regardless of skin color, until words come out. And even then… the other day a very friendly waiter, who spoke little English, asked us, through Google translate (thank you Google translate; you have been essential) where we are from. When we responded New York, he lit up. “Oh,” he said, fellows from the “Americas;” he is Argentinian.

And now, on to Portugal.

Friends asked me a few nights ago if there was a standout place so far, and I had replied it was all so good. But this is it! Donostia-San Sebastian (Donostia is Basque for San Sebastian) has it all: mountains, seaside, history, mix of cultures, architecture, and oh the food! San Sebastian boasts that after Luxembourg and Kyoto, it has the most Michelin stars per capita than any other city in the world. Although we did not manage one during our stay, the restaurants we chose were superb.

In addition to all the above, what makes San Sebastian so special is the mix of cultures: Basque and Spanish, but French as well, being so close (20km) to the border. It seems everyone here from the shopkeepers to the hotel cleaning staff speak at least 4 languages: Basque, Spanish, French, and English. It is humbling. For anyone following along on a map, it may seem odd that we traveled west from Bilbao to Santander then doubled back past Bilbao to San Sebastian. Bilbao was most accessible by train from Madrid. We then wanted to see some of Spain’s northern coast – the northern route of the Camino de Santiago. But from San Sebastian we then head south to follow the French route of the Camino de Santiago. Apparently there are several “official” routes, the French being the most popular.

We checked into the Hotel Zenit Convento San Martin, not a Parador, but a hotel from the restored Convent of St. Martin built in 1887 from stones of a local quarry.

And it had a rooftop pool deck.

We were not in the old city, but just a few blocks from it and the beach.

After a most delicious lunch, we spent our first afternoon strolling around the Old Quarter.

And we visited the Basilica, an 18th century Baroque work of art right at the foot of Mount Urgull.

Like so many churches, cathedrals, and basilicas in Spain, it was chock full of works of art.

Leaving the Basilica one can see the Cathedral through the streets of the Old Quarter.

We headed that way before returning to our hotel. The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is Neo-Gothic style built in the late 19th century also from stones of local quarries; it achieved cathedral status in 1953.

The next morning we decided it was time to climb Mount Urgull, on the top of which is a 12th century fortress and castle presided over by The Sagrado Corazón (“Sacred Heart”) statue, which, measuring over 12 metres in height, has blessed the city since 1950 from the highest point of Monte Urgull. The statue itself rests upon a base which houses a chapel, making the entire monument more than 24 metres in height. Also known as the Cristo de la Mota, this monument is at one with the landscape of Donostia.

It was a long hike up, but we made it!

After hiking back down, we treated ourselves to pintxos and beer.

Walking back for a well deserved rest, we passed so many street artists. In addition to the usual guitarists, there were several sand artists, some making political statements.

and even a couple dancing Argentine Tango.

After a rest, it was time for a walk on the beach.

Dinner was at Astelena 1997, and it was a stand out meal.

The next morning our weather luck finally gave out; we awoke to rain. It rains an average of 160 days a year in San Sebastian, 199 last year, so it was bound to happen. We had a walking tour with Daniel (no tour available in English day prior). Donned with raincoats and an umbrella we headed out to learn more about this gorgeous city.

Although there is evidence of human habitation since the Romans, and settlement of the Monastery of San Sebastian in the 11th and 12th centuries, the current city’s architecture is French-style of the late 19th century. This is the result of the occupation of the city by Napoleon’s armies in the early 19th century. On August 31, 1813 the Anglo-Portuguese troops drove the French army out. The battle that ensued caused a fire that burned most of the city, with only a few stone churches and other buildings left standing.

Most of the remaining buildings are from the 19th century. The center plaza which housed the original “new” city hall, now a cultural office, was originally a bull ring. Not well seen in this photo, the numbers above the doors on the left referred to the ticket holders’ spot to stand for the fight. These apartments surround the square. The owner occupants were required to allow spectators to pass thought their apartments for the fight, and the money for the ticket went to the city. But the owner could sell food and drink for a profit.

The city shield, barely seen above the clock, is that of a ship pointing west. The original shield had the ship pointing east until the discovery of the Americas, and the ensuing wealth brought, when the ship on the shield was turned.

It was Queen Maria Cristina of Austria who helped put San Sebastian on the “modern” map. In the late 19th century, she had a palace built there and used the beach to sunbathe and swim, practices that were considered only for commoners and fisherman prior. San Sebastian was her summer residence.

It was Queen Maria Cristina who also help San Sebastian’s tourism growth as a gambling center with large casinos built prior to the development of Monte Carlo in France. There are a few casinos remaining.

Cold and wet after the tour, we went back to the hotel to change before heading back into town to try some of the new pintxos recommended by Daniel. Dinner was another amazing experience at Gandarias Restaurante. Have I mentioned how amazing the food is! We are sorry to be leaving the Basque Country, despite its rain.

We left Bilbao in the morning heading for the region of Cantabria. But on our guide Marvin’s advice, we decided to detour and see the Vizcaya Bridge, a UNESCO world heritage site. Here is it’s description from the UNESCO website:
“Vizcaya Bridge straddles the mouth of the Ibaizabal estuary…completed in 1893. The 45-m-high bridge with its span of 160 m, merges 19th-century ironworking traditions with the then new lightweight technology of twisted steel ropes. It was the first bridge in the world to carry people and traffic on a high suspended gondola and was used as a model for many similar bridges in Europe, Africa and the Americas only a few of which survive. With its innovative use of lightweight twisted steel cables, it is regarded as one of the outstanding architectural iron constructions of the Industrial Revolution.”

It is still functional and has been since its construction except for 4 years during the Spanish Civil War.

And here are some pics of it. In the picture below, the white object in the lower right corner is the gondola full of people and cars and is headed to the left (west) side of the estuary.

It is truly stunning to see. But what was the fun surprise of our day is, we arrived just as crews were racing on the river!

People crowded the streets donned with shirts of their teams’ colors. The mood was festive; food and drink were plentiful.

They even had a drone following the crews and had live feed on a big screen in the middle of the square. What fun!!

We joined in the festivities: ate and drank our fill. Then we headed to Limpias.

When traveling, we like to say that the room/hotel is of little importance; it is all about the sightseeing. But at this point in the trip, we had decided to treat ourselves, relax a bit and make it all about the resort for a couple of days. We were booked in Parador de Limpias. Paradores are a network of 97 state-run hotels. They are properties consisting of restored castles, monasteries, convents, palaces, etc. Parador de Limpias was built in the late 19th century as a palace of King Alfonso XIII.

When we managed to drag ourselves from the room the next morning, it was with no specific plans for the day. We drove around the small town of Limpias which has a Roman aqueduct, albeit small compared to that in Segovia.

And the town is known for the Church of St. Peter inside of which hangs a 6 foot crucifix called Christ of the Agony. According to legend, it is miraculous in that on Easter Sunday tears of blood have been seen coming from its eyes.

The church, however, was closed, and the weather overcast and threatening, so we decided to get in the car and drive to the city of Santander. It poured while we drove, but we arrived to a beautiful sunny seaside town. Again the weather luck was on our side.

We walked along the promenade along the shore and passed the Botin Art Center, a coveted architectural Pritzker Prize winner in 1998 for the way it is cantilevered out over the sea.

It was also closed. (not a lot open on a Monday in Spain.) But the views from its platforms were spectacular.

We passed several outdoor sculptures.

We took a quick stop in a really cute indoor restaurant market.

And we strolled by the cathedral, also closed.

We got back in the car and drove a little further up the coast, wanting to see the palace, which is on the tip of a peninsula. We had to park and walk in about 900m. What we did not realize is, the whole peninsula is a public park.

We passed an area with pens for aquatic animals.

What is hard to tell from the pictures is how well the pens melded into their surroundings. Each one had a pump system to exchange water directly into the ocean.

Next we passed a mini outdoor museum dedicated to sea exploration.

Finally we reached the end of the peninsula and the Magdalena Palace, which was built as a summer home for the royal family in 1911. It has been a museum since 1977.

The views from the palace were a beautiful as expected.

We hiked out of the park through the middle wooded section, and arrived back to our car exhausted. We were happy to return to our paradores for some rest.

After a 4.5 hour train ride from Madrid through the Spanish countryside, we arrived mid day in Bilbao. Again, the train station itself was worth a photo op.

Fortunately our Airbnb was ready for us early. Once again we were told we missed several days of ridiculously heavy rain; we have been so lucky with the weather thus far! And once again we managed to be incredibly well located in an apartment accessible by foot everywhere. We spent our first afternoon getting acquainted with the new neighborhood.

Even the libraries in Spain are gorgeous inside and out.

On Tuesday morning we took a walking tour of the city. Our guide Marvin was born here in Bilbao: capital of the Biscay province of the Basque country, and he is extremely enthusiastic about and proud of his city. He explained the city’s origin was in 1300 as a fishing village. Its ultimate rapid growth and development was due first to the well located port for trading goods throughout Europe. The economic boom subsequently included ship building. Due to the large quantity of iron ore in its banks, iron export as well as iron products contributed to further significant growth of the city during the 19th century industrial revolution.

The bridge next to the church of St. Anthony for over a hundred years was the only bridge over the Bilbao River, thus consolidating access into the city thereby controlling commerce and safety. St. Anthony, the patron saint of animals, looks from above the belfry toward the market, which for years was a livestock market, but now is one of Spain’s largest indoor markets.

As the city grew, in the 18th century they built the Plaza Nueva: the New Plaza. It is now the site for lots of great restaurants as well as the Euskaltatzaindia, the official Basque language regulatory institution, seen below.

As in Catalonia (Barcelona), where Catalan is always the first language listed, those here in the Basque country also take their language, food, and culture very seriously. Franco had actually outlawed Basque language during his nearly 40 years in power; it has made a significant resurgence since his death. It is a completely unique language with no origin from or similarity to any other known language. Those of the Basque region are intensely proud of their language and want to preserve it; over 80% of school children are taught it with side lessons for Spanish and English.

The Basque culinary experience also has its own distinctions. Whereas in Catalonia tapas: small plates are favored, here they serve pintxos: finger food often served on a small piece of bread.

Having been advised by Marvin, we tried several of the local specialties.

Salted cod has always been a major export as well as important to the local cuisine.

After a long afternoon of wining and dining, we rested up for our visit to the Guggenheim Museum Saturday morning. We strolled through the newer sections of Bilbao to arrive early.

The building itself is as interesting as any of the art installations.

The special exhibition was a retrospective of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

Another interesting installation was that of Richard Serra, which one could experience both by walking through as well as viewing from above.

But again, it was the building itself that most impressed.

We had a late leisurely lunch of local flavors, then strolled home along the river, passing city hall along the way.

Luckily I had chosen this afternoon to catch up on photo editing and blogging, because as I write, it is pouring outside. Apparently it rains >120 days a year here, so we have been very fortunate indeed during our stay. Tomorrow we pick up our rental car and will start to visit some more sites along the Camino de Santiago, albeit driving. Bilbao was our first stop.

We arrived Monday via train from Barcelona and checked into our Airbnb, which is incredibly well located near all the famous museums.

Day 1 we took a hop on/off bus to get an overall feel for the city and picked spots for further exploration. We were impressed with the architecture as well as the numerous statues, arches, and fountains throughout the city.

And we took a walk through the park.

After a long day of walking, we rewarded ourselves with a pitcher of sangria at the tapas bar El Sur, which is right next to our apartment building, what luck!

Day 2 was our 37th wedding anniversary. We started the day with a visit to the Prado Museum. We spent 4.5 hours there and loved every second of it.

After a rest we headed out in Spanish style for dinner at 8:30 at Bibo Madrid by Dani Garcia and had the most excellent meal that any foodie would enjoy.

The desert was an especially memorable combination of chocolate flavors and textures.

The 7th of Sept. we took a train to Toledo; what an adventure. Before entering the town we stopped for a panoramic pic from above the town.

Then we walked over the Alcantara Bridge, one of the many bridges over the Tagus River into town. It was originally built by the Romans.

Then, of course, we took a guided tour of the Toledo Cathedral, which honors the Virgin Mary and is the current seat of the Archdiocese of Toledo. It is one of only 3 gothic churches built in Spain in the 13th century. It was built above a mosque. Although started in 1226 by Ferdinand III, a lot of the art was added when Spain became wealthy in the 16th century from all the money (and gold) made from imports from the Americas (like chocolate!).

The Sacristy is full of art. We were particularly taken with the ceiling frescoes.

By this point in the day we were ready for some tapas. We had a lovely lunch at Lo Nuestros.

After lunch it was time to visit El Greco’s home in Toledo, which is now a museum with many of his works.

We then walked through the Puerte Del Sol, built in the 14th century originally as a gate to the city (which has since been expanded well past this gate).

On the other side of the gate was Mezquito del Cristo de la Luz, now a catholic church, but built in 999 as a mosque.

And finally, we trekked up the hill to the Acazar, now a military museum, to catch our bus back to the train station.

When we arrived in Toledo, we were so excited to get into the Old Town that we had failed to appreciate the train station itself.

After such a long day, we were too tired for anything more than bread, cheese, and, of course, Iberian ham.

On Friday we woke slowly. But once we got our energy back, we decided it was time to visit the Royal Palace. For the most part photos were not allowed. Here are the few that were.

On Saturday we rented a car and drove to the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo (El Escorial). It is a 16th century complex that has a monastery (still in use), a library, a basilica, a school, and 2 palaces, and now a World Heritage site. It was built in a very austere style by King Philip II and it is where he lived and died. Most of the kings of Spain and their families are buried under the basilica including Bourbons and Habsburg royals. When in the 18th century the Habsburgs ascended the throne, Charles IV did a lot of remodelling and brought in many works of art, including many tapestries by Goya. Both palaces have been restored to a lot of original furnishings. The library was incredibly impressive with its floor to ceiling shelves filled with volumes as well as frescoes adorning the ceilings. The basilica at first was closed due to a wedding (fun) but then it opened, and we were awed by its beauty and riches in artwork, frescoes, and statues. Unfortunately few photos were allowed. Here are the few that were.

We had planned to visit the Valley of the Fallen while in San Lorenzo, but unfortunately, it was closed for a wedding. So we headed back to Madrid.

On Sunday after a delicious brunch at Frida in the middle eastern section of town, we strolled over to Columbus Square. Christopher Columbus is a really big deal in Spain since he was responsible for their riches of the 16th century.

I had also wanted a picture of the Julia sculpture by Catalan artist Juame Plensa also there since 2018.

What we found behind her was an electric car fair. Eric was amazed at how many companies now make quality electric cars. But there was also something there for everyone, all electric!

We strolled home through the park and took the rest of the afternoon off.

On Monday we strolled through the Royal Gardens. There wan not a lot in bloom, but beatutiful nevertheless.

That night we went to dinner at Casa Benigna, which not only had the most delicious and different paellas, but also had some of my favorite decor in a restaurant ever, right down to the hand made just for them dinnerware.

Tuesday we awoke early and took the train to Segovia, which is most famous for it Roman Aqueduct.

We strolled by the Church of St. Martin

And on to the cathedral of Segovia, which is one of the last Gothic cathedrals built in Spain in the 16th century as the Renaissance was starting, so it does have some Renaissance features.

There were so many beautiful and impressive chapels.

The cathedral is known for its Chapter Room with many tapestries called “The Planets”, made in Brussels during the  16th century.

We strolled through the Jewish Quarter, which had been quite prosperous until the late 15th century, when they were expelled from Spain by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.

We then visited the Episcopal Palace of Segovia, which has been home to successive bishops right through 1969.

And finally, to the Alcazar. Although the Alcazar of Segovia dates from the early 12th century, it is one of the most famous medieval castles in the world, and is one of the most visited monuments in Spain, it looks like a Disney castle to me.

It’s gardens are gorgeous.

Its layout reflects the splendor of the court during the Middle Ages, and its walls have witnessed battles, palace intrigues, and royal weddings. Since its ancient existence, the Alcazar has been a Roman fort, a medieval fortress, a royal palace, custodian of the royal treasure, a state prison, and now a military museum.

And like everywhere else in Spain, the ceilings are magnificent.

The military museum stresses the link between the military and science throughout history.

After a long day of sightseeing, we treated ourselves to an early dinner before heading back.

And a last stroll along the Aqueduct before catching a bus to the train station to head back.

For our last day in Madrid, we decided to visit the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum. (We skipped the Reina Sofia). Equipped with audio guides, we had a 5+ hours lesson in the history of art from the Byzantines (not my favorite) to Caravaggio

to Monet

and Picasso

and Roy Lichtenstein

Our last night in Madrid we spent imbibing a jug of Sangria in a local bar.

Upon arrival we put our luggage in a locker near the AirBnb, then Eric left us immediately to play in a poker tournament.  He made it through the first day, got into the top 25% before getting knocked out late into the second day of 7.

 Susan and I walked all around including the Bari Gotic, which is where we were to stay, Plaza Catalunya, down La Rambla into the market, and onto Columbus at the bottom.  

After checking into the AirBnb, which is a very large airy 2 ensuite king bedrooms with a very large, comfortable terrace, we went back to the market and picked up wine, Jamon, bread, cheese, etc and came back and crashed.  Eric did not get home the first night until almost 1 am.  Very long days!  We’ve been visiting the sites, museums, etc, eating tapas, loving the fact that we are lucky with lovely weather.  Apparently it was  >104⁰ for several days before we got here, then poured rain for 2.  We brought the sunshine and lower temps!  

Day 2 we walked all around El Born, visited the Chocolate Museum, the Cathedral, and ate lots of tapas.

Day 3 Eric joined and we visited La Pedra Casa Mila, Casa Batllo, both by Gaudi, and the Casa Amattler, a typical Catalan mansion, whose family made their fortune importing chocolate from the Americas! who knew?

Next day Eric was back to the poker room. Susan and I spent the morning in the Picasso Museum, amazing! Then we headed to the beach.

Friday Eric was back to the poker room. Susan and I headed to Park Guell for more Gaudi architecture. The whole park was gorgeous; pictures do not do it justice.

Friday night we went to the Palau de Musica Catalan and heard the most amazing guitar trio & drummer: fantastic Spanish music with a couple who danced flamenco. The man was a truly stunning dancer! Eric missed it because we was still playing, and made it to day 2 of his tournament.

Saturday morning Susan and I headed to the Miro museum, had lunch with her friends from Philly then headed up to the Montjuic Castle, which was the first activity that was a bit of a disappointment, but it at least had spectacular views, and a fun funicular ride down!

Saturday night we had the most amazing meal at Los Coracoles. Eric arrived late because he was still playing poker. He came in 7th of 663 players and won over $20,000!!! What a great way to start the vacay!

Sunday was a day of eating, rest, and revisiting favorite spots on our last day in town.