Bilbao, Guggenheim Museum

Reflecting on the loss of my phone and wallet, I have come to accept that they are likely gone for good. The Bilbao Police informed me that the location shown by the “Find My” app was in an area known for drug trafficking and petty crime, making recovery unlikely. As a result, I spent part of today taking care of the practical matters: suspending my Verizon phone service and canceling my credit and debit cards. With that done, it is time to move on and focus on the journey ahead.

Fortunately, the rest of the day was much more interesting and pleasant.

We set out on a pleasant walk to the Guggenheim Museum, passing through several interesting neighborhoods with many small, family-owned shops serving Bilbao’s North African community.

Senior admission to the museum was €9.00, and it was money well spent. While the artwork itself was impressive, the building was the true highlight for me. The architecture is unlike anything I have experienced before. From every angle, both inside and outside, the structure seemed to change shape and character. The curves, lines, and flowing spaces created a sense of movement that is difficult to describe. Perhaps the photographs will do a better job than my words.

After enjoying a coffee and a light snack at the museum café, we continued our walk along the river and crossed the distinctive pedestrian bridge designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

Next, we took the funicular up to Mount Artxanda, where we were rewarded with panoramic views over Bilbao and the surrounding hills. It was an excellent spot for photographs and offered a different perspective of the city.

Back at the apartment, Kurt and I spent some time familiarizing ourselves with the navigation system in our Mercedes Vito Tourer passenger van. We wanted to be well prepared for our departure to San Sebastián on Friday morning.

The day concluded with a 7:00 PM dinner reservation at Victor Montes on Plaza Nueva. We enjoy treating ourselves from time to time, and tonight was one of those occasions. My prosciutto appetizer and seafood main course were both excellent. To accompany the meal, Kurt and Renata shared a wonderful 2016 Tempranillo from Spain’s renowned Rioja region.

Tomorrow’s plans are simple: a relaxed morning and a visit to the Mercado de la Ribera before continuing our exploration of Bilbao.Read more