Bilbao, Spain
After leaving La Coruna last night the M/S Endeavour was in for a long haul to our next stop, the Basque country. The Basques are a minority population with their own language, customs, and blood lines. Their culture developed along the Pyrenesses, the mountain range that separates Spain from France. Known for a strong fishing and whaling culture, the Basques have recently begun to revitalize the city of Bilbao in northeastern Spain. They have built the titanium plated Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry, which has brought a vast amount of change to the riverfront that divides this hilly city.
Our day actually began with a relaxing pace and a lot of information. Art Cooley discussed the usage of binoculars for those who needed a refresher course. Jason Kelley gave a lecture on the geological formations of western Europe and their significance to the different cultures that would be encountered on our trip. Later in the morning Steve Zeff talked about an oil spill along the Iberian coast from the tanker Prestige in November of last year.
All this led up to our afternoon entrance into the industrialized port of Bilbao for our fast and furious taxi ride to the downtown center where the Guggenheim is located. After spending a few hours marveling at both the building, the art inside, and the sculptures that are outside of it, including the spider seen here, it was time to return to the ship for dinner and a relaxing evening at port before we ventured to the French Basques tomorrow.
After leaving La Coruna last night the M/S Endeavour was in for a long haul to our next stop, the Basque country. The Basques are a minority population with their own language, customs, and blood lines. Their culture developed along the Pyrenesses, the mountain range that separates Spain from France. Known for a strong fishing and whaling culture, the Basques have recently begun to revitalize the city of Bilbao in northeastern Spain. They have built the titanium plated Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry, which has brought a vast amount of change to the riverfront that divides this hilly city.
Our day actually began with a relaxing pace and a lot of information. Art Cooley discussed the usage of binoculars for those who needed a refresher course. Jason Kelley gave a lecture on the geological formations of western Europe and their significance to the different cultures that would be encountered on our trip. Later in the morning Steve Zeff talked about an oil spill along the Iberian coast from the tanker Prestige in November of last year.
All this led up to our afternoon entrance into the industrialized port of Bilbao for our fast and furious taxi ride to the downtown center where the Guggenheim is located. After spending a few hours marveling at both the building, the art inside, and the sculptures that are outside of it, including the spider seen here, it was time to return to the ship for dinner and a relaxing evening at port before we ventured to the French Basques tomorrow.
