Wednesday, 9 November 2016

An afternoon in Bilbao


Apart from San Juan de Gaztelugatxe with a bonus of Castillo de Butrón, there was one more thing that made us want to visit the area. Namely, Bilbao. Although that is not the whole truth. We were not lured by the Guggenheim Museum (we saw the building and... it stands out ;)) or by the Seven Streets (Siete Calles) or by the New Market (Plaza Nueva). We wanted to see the Vizcaya Bridge (Puente de Bizkaia).

 
But first things first. We drove into Bilbao and left the car at the only parking we could find (and that also took us a while) - an underground carpark by the river. The spot was perfect. A walking distance from the Seven Streets and the New Market. Plus, it was right by the beautiful promenade that led along the river. A great place for a walk. With benches every few metres, green corners and many playgrounds plus the view of the river running through the town, it makes a perfect place to spend the afternoon for the whole family.
We also went to the guidebook recommended Seven Streets and to the New Market, where we ate the most delicious ice cream ever. Or at least during that trip.

 
And that was basically it for Bilbao. It was time to hit the road and see the Vizcaya Bridge. And use it as well. We got there just in time to drive onto the bridge and get transported to the other bank. Cause you don't just drive through this bridge. You fly over the river ;) Though it might be nothing special to many, it was a great adventure for our constructor. He loved it. Though it probably looks much better from the distance than when you're actually on the bridge, but the experience is to remember. 


The next morning, we said goodbye to Bilbao. We woke up to see the clear and sunny grey and cloudy sky. We packed up quickly, to make it before it started raining. And we drove off. We wanted to stop in Oviedo or Gijon for the night. But it didn't want to stop raining all along the way. So we decided to change the plan a little. We decided to stop for lunch in Oviedo and then continue along the coast. But it was raining so heavily that we even dropped that thought. In the end, we bought some snacks and decided to keep driving. The fogs were so heavy that we could hardly see the road ahead of us. Not to mention the (what could have been) amazing views. There were times where we could see a little more. It wasn't an easy drive.


About 150 km before La Coruna, we finally saw bits and pieces of blue sky. So there was hope. Hope for no rain. Cause we had no hope for clear sky then. That's definitely not the kind of weather you want during your camping (or any, for that matter) holidays.



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