Bilbao to Barcelona

Bilbao to Barcelona, September 2005	by Barbara Sommer basommer@ucdavis.edu
	Arrived in Bilbao sans luggage mid-day Saturday. The luggage showed up at midnight Sunday. The city seemed deserted. Had the first of many delicious cafe con leches at a cafe along the Gran Via de Don Diego and sketched one of the many ornate lamp fixtures. By evening, the streets were packed -- with people going to their late-night (by our standards) dinner. Bilbao boasts a fascinating old town, Casco Viejo - narrow streets and buildings with ornate domes. A major reason for my visit was to see the Guggenheim Museum. It is spectacular -- in dazzling titanium and beautifully-situated beside the river.
	Ubiquitous olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
The second reason for the trip was hiking in the Pyrenees.	9//05 View of gorge from Liedena "Villa" Romanz	Sierra de Los Alanos (Grand Randonee 11)
Outcropping along the GR-11	The town of Hecho has an open-air sculpture garden featuring the work of international artists.	Torla, with its medieval architecture and facscinating chimneys is a jumping off place for hikes in the high Pyrenees.
There is frequent bus service from the town to the trailhead - and a cafe for refrescos after the hike. The trail winds along the river with fabulous cascades and falls, culminating in Horsetail Falls (Cola de Caballo).
The mountains are dotted with medieval villages and castles precariously perched on mountain peaks overlooking strategic passes used by the Romans, Visigoths, Bourbons, and other adventurers. Rocks	View across the plaza in Ainsa 9/10/05	A natural water fountain - through the log - at the Rufugi Ventosa in the Nat'l Park of Aiguestortes and Sant Maurici Lake. The latrine was over a waterfall.
I had Boletus Edulis (Cep/Porcini) ice cream for desert.		Bar at the Cal Teixedo hotel in Estamariu 9/13/05
Architecturally, Barcelona is one grand fin-de-siecle potlatch. Each building owner and architect tried to outdo the other.	Didn't do any more sketches - Barcelona air was very polluted from smokers and cars and motorbikes -- despite a wonderful transportation system. An hour after I walked out of the hotel, I was in the airport, via public transit. National Park of Aiguestortes and Sant Maurici Lake map

Bilbao to Barcelona, September 2005

Arrived in Bilbao sans luggage mid-day Saturday. The luggage showed up at midnight Sunday. The city seemed deserted. Had the first of many delicious cafe con leches at a cafe along the Gran Via de Don Diego and sketched one of the many ornate lamp fixtures. By evening, the streets were packed -- with people going to their late-night (by our standards) dinner.

Bilbao boasts a fascinating old town, Casco Viejo - narrow streets and buildings with ornate domes. A major reason for my visit was to see the Guggenheim Museum. It is spectacular -- in dazzling titanium and beautifully-situated beside the river.

Ubiquitous olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

The second reason for the trip was hiking in the Pyrenees.

9//05 View of gorge from Liedena "Villa" Romanz

Sierra de Los Alanos (Grand Randonee 11)

Outcropping along the GR-11

The town of Hecho has an open-air sculpture garden featuring the work of international artists.

Torla, with its medieval architecture and facscinating chimneys is a jumping off place for hikes in the high Pyrenees.

There is frequent bus service from the town to the trailhead - and a cafe for refrescos after the hike.

The trail winds along the river with fabulous cascades and falls, culminating in Horsetail Falls (Cola de Caballo).

The mountains are dotted with medieval villages and castles precariously perched on mountain peaks overlooking strategic passes used by the Romans, Visigoths, Bourbons, and other adventurers.

Rocks

View across the plaza in Ainsa 9/10/05

A natural water fountain - through the log - at the Rufugi Ventosa in the Nat'l Park of Aiguestortes and Sant Maurici Lake. The latrine was over a waterfall.

I had Boletus Edulis (Cep/Porcini) ice cream for desert.

Bar at the Cal Teixedo hotel in Estamariu 9/13/05

Architecturally, Barcelona is one grand fin-de-siecle potlatch. Each building owner and architect tried to outdo the other.

Didn't do any more sketches - Barcelona air was very polluted from smokers and cars and motorbikes -- despite a wonderful transportation system. An hour after I walked out of the hotel, I was in the airport, via public transit.

National Park of Aiguestortes and Sant Maurici Lake map