frank gehry

A Few Hours in Bilbao, Spain

Though we stayed three days in the Bilbao area, we spent very little time in the actual city.В Friends who’d visited Bilbao before were neutral on it. The city hadn’t wowed anyone, but they all felt it’s worth exploring for a day or so.

And that’s about all the time we had for it—the afternoon following our visit to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. (And that impromptu dinner on our first night in Spain.)

Bilbao’s biggest claim to fame is the Guggenheim. My mom and E actually wanted to go into the museum. Mal, Peter and I were eager to check out the Frank Gehry architecture and outdoor sculptures, but not necessarily the galleries. (I’m not a huge museum fan. If I only have a short time in a city, I’d rather wander around outside, unless there’s an exhibit I’m dying to see.)

The Guggenheim, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain | nycexpeditionist.com

I have mixed feelings about Jeff Koons’ art—some of it feels a little too earnest or overdone. But I loved Puppy, which stands guard right outside the Guggenheim.

Puppy, by Jeff Koons; The Guggenheim, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain | nycexpeditionist.com

I couldn’t stop talking pictures of it.

Puppy, by Jeff Koons; The Guggenheim, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain | nycexpeditionist.com

Puppy, by Jeff Koons; The Guggenheim, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain | nycexpeditionist.com

It’s funny. Koons’ Split-Rocker В was outside Rockefeller Center (where I work!) all summer, and I barely looked at it. Yet, this freaking dog captivated me.

Puppy, by Jeff Koons; The Guggenheim, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain | nycexpeditionist.com

As did the Guggenheim’s metallic exterior.

The Guggenheim, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain | nycexpeditionist.com

The Guggenheim, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain | nycexpeditionist.com

While my parents went inside, Mal, Peter and I walked around town.

Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain | nycexpeditionist.com

The streets near the museum seemed to be a big shopping area, with lots of clothing and shoe stores. (Both international retailers like H&M and Hugo Boss, as well as local chains.) We ducked into a few, got coffee, then wandered back to the Guggenheim.

By that point, we were hungry and tired from a long day in the sun. (Hence, the lack of photos!)

Since it was around 6:30 and too early for dinner, we headed to Diputacion, a hopping street with bars, restaurants and lots of outdoor seating. We settled into El Globo, a cozy bar for pintxos and raciones. (Pintxos are small bites, just a tad larger than your standardВ canape or amuse bouche, eaten with drinks—usually the Basque wineВ txakoli—in bars. Raciones are larger plates.)

This was the first time I saw the cute little beer glasses that are served atВ pintxo bars, along with pintxos, themselves, looking all pretty, lined up on the bar. Those were some tasty bites!

Pintxos and beer at El Globo, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain | nycexpeditionist.com

…and just a preview of what was to come a week later, in San Sebastian, Spain’s pintxos capitol.