Clark and I took a trip to the north of Spain this weekend. Friday morning we left Madrid and headed to Logroño, a city in La Rioja. This region is famous for its wines, so obviously we had a few glasses while in the city. We arrived mid-afternoon and headed to our couchsurfers apartment. They were two Brazilian students that lived right in the city center! After we ate some lunch, we walked around the city and stopped in some churches. We tried to go to a wine tasting, but most of them were already finished. So instead we went to a "vinoteca" and bought two bottles of wine, a white and a red. Then we went to a couple of bars and drank some wine and ate some pinchos (the north's version of tapas). Everything was delicious and the wine was fantastic! The next morning we met up with our blablacar to head to Bilbao. For those of you who don't know what blablacar is, it's a essentially a ride-share system. You go to the website, put in your location and destination, and then a list of people going there pops up and you choose the best time and price for you! It's an amazing system, and I'm determined to make sure it becomes popular in the USA, a country with an awful cross-country transportation system if you don't have a car and/or can't afford a flight! Our blablacar was a Spanish boy and girl, Clark and I couldn't tell if they were dating or friends. They decided to take the more scenic route, and I'm glad they did. The winding roads were beautiful and nestled in the mountains. We passed through quaint towns and even stopped at a scenic overlook! Needless to say, the trip to Bilbao was incredibly beautiful and quite fun!
In Bilbao, we met up with a guy from couchsurfing who showed us around the city. I don't think there was a better way to see Bilbao! He took us from the bus station all the way to the old city center. Along the way, we walked by the newly renovated waterfront. They have really tried to incorporate the city's industrial port history into the revamped area, and I think they've done a fantastic job. Many of the art installations clearly show that Bilbao is proud of their port identity! One of our first major landmarks was the Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao! It's a very interesting building that is reminiscent of a ship, another way the city shows it's identity. Then we walked on some famous/old bridges to get to the area where we first stopped for pinchos. We went to three bars, eating one or two little appetizers and drinking grape juice. Then we went up the cable car to look out over the city. It offered an amazing view of the river and the city. After this, we hopped in his car and headed towards the coast! Our first stop was where the ocean becomes the estuary that cuts through Bilbao. It was a gorgeous day, so there were families and friends walking about and lounging next to the water. After that, we headed to a cliff that offered a great view of the estuary and ocean. We then headed to another cliff/overlook that had a restaurant and bar. We got the typical Bilbao drink, Kalimotxo, which is equal parts red wine and coca-cola. I was surprised how much I liked it since I hate coke and I prefer white wine over red. But it was a fantastic drink and it was a great addition to the beautiful sunset over the sea! When the sun set, we headed to another overlook, but on the opposite side of the city. At night, Bilbao looks incredible. The bridges and the river with all the lights, paint a beautiful image of the industrial city! After a fantastic day, we headed to our hostel to finally sleep. On Sunday, I went to the Guggenheim, which had an exhibit by Yoko Ono! Her art is very interesting, and the enter third floor is dedicated to it! The museum was rather interactive and had some fun exhibits! After the museum, I headed to the bus station to catch my blablacar back to Madrid. This time the driver was a woman and another guy going to Madrid joined us. It was a nice ride and I got to practice my Spanish! We stopped in a small city for a drink and a bite to eat. We had a scrambled egg dish and morcilla, aka blood sausage. I didn't know what it was so they told me I should try it and then they'll tell me what it was. I liked it, and thankfully it was just blood sausage. Sometimes in foreign countries you never know what you're putting in your mouth. After the nice little break, we headed back on the road to Madrid. While it was a short trip, it has been one of my favorites!
