Spain - Mary Anne and Steve’s Travels

Pigs and Fishes

The main reason that we came on this trip, the founding principle if you like, was to visit the Basque Country. We’ve been in and around it for a few days now, but today we headed into the heart. Before I show you what we found there, let’s

by Steve

France Spain

Among the Basque

We cruised through Euskal Herria (Basque Country) today. The Basque are an ethnic group that lives in an area that spans France and Spain on the Bay of Biscay at the western end of the Pyrenees. We stopped in three places: the small fishing village of Getaria, the large and

by Steve

Spain

Bilbao - This and That

Excusez-moi, Président Bush, mais vous envahissez le mauvais pays! France Tomorrow we return to France. Mary Anne and I love France, but many ‘mericans don’t. Maybe it’s because the French refuse to go along with some of our less-than-well-thought-out plans. But we showed them! Freedom fries! How’d

by Steve

Spain

Guggenheim - Bilbao

Everybody talks about the Guggenheim art museum in Bilbao. Designed by Frank Gehry, the same guy who gave us the Experience Music Project (now MoPop) in Seattle, the Guggenheim has garnered accolades for its design. In its short lifetime, the museum has joined a rarified list of places that folks

by Steve

Spain

Pamplona

Bullfighting. Meh. Look, I get it. Bulls are big, have pointy things on their heads, and can be dangerous if provoked. If you want to show your skill at dancing with death, I suppose annoying a bull makes as much sense as free climbing or Formula 1 racing or whatever.

by Steve

Spain

Zaragoza

Zaragoza dates back to 14 BC when it was established by the Romans. There’s little left from that period, but there is a spectacular basilica, a Moorish palace, a Goya museum, and enough general interest material to make a stop worthwhile. But let’s begin with a quick look

by Steve

Spain

Barcelona Cathedral

There is a claim that this cathedral dates to the fourth century, but I think that’s kind of playing with numbers. The current structure was likely built on the ruins of something earlier, or greatly expanded it. The real action started in the fourteenth century. Practically yesterday. Rick Steve’

by Steve

Spain

OK, OK, OK

We decided that we couldn’t leave town without taking another look at this amazing place. 125 years or so since construction began, it’s still going strong. Two new towers are rising (look for their flat tops in the photos). There are eight towers now and a whopping eighteen

by Steve

Spain

Where Ya Going?

Thanks to road construction, police blockades, and loss of GPS signal, it took forever to escape Andorra. It was worth it to return to lovely Barcelona.

by Steve