Retrospective - More about Bilbao

Most people go to Bilbao for the Guggenheim and the tapas. This I must said is a damn good reason to go but there is more to this city, even if you feel 'museumed' out after a trip round Gehry's masterpiece the old and new town are perfect for wondering about, having a coffee and just watching the day go by.

I feel slightly ashamed that I didn't make it into any of the other galleries or museums in the city, information is scant but still available, instead I walked round, trying not to lose Tori (my patient companion) taking photographs of anything that took my eye. You do not want to know how many shots I took, let's just say a slide show would cure even the worst insomniac.

What did catch my eye? This sculpture by Eduardo ChIllida, he was a basque sculptor responsible for some fantastic structures, some of them are mounted into cliff faces to appear like they are literally sprouting out of the rock.

There is actually only one big loop, I shot this pic on panarama to create this montage type shot.

A little walk along into the Casco Viejo(old town) you come across a huge tribute to the days of concrete and the testing of new inventions a public lift. Tunnels and vehicular railways I can understand but public lifts? Bilbao has about 10 of them dotted around the place, on the sides of bridges and like here to get up the mountain. It seems logical when you think about it but quite alien to me who comes from a predominantly flat country.

Before you ask, no I didn't venture in. Rumours are that's it's not very well maintained and there was no way Tori was going to go in there in a month of Sundays!

I felt and still feel a little bit protective of Bilbao and defensive when I read reviews that talk about the Bilbao Effect and the idea that the city was dying before the Guggenheim arrived to save it. Bilbao is not an easy city to find and I think for a while the Baques liked it that way. There is evidence of a great past during the industrial ages and many of the old building are wonderful pieces of architecture.

One of my favourites is the skyscraper next to the river. It has a feel of Chicago about it and was the tallest building in Bilbao from 1946 to 1968.

Then of course looking down you see one of the most distinctive symbols of Bilbao the La Baldosa tile. There is some doubt about their origins but it's believed they were designed by Eduardo Saenz Venturni between the 1920s and 1930s. Appearing on the streets in the mid 1930s. They are designed to channel water off the pavements and it was clear to see why during our stay.

 

Back to it

Today was a City and Guilds day at Zigzags. I started the day finishing a French Knot piece that I'm doing on a background of nuno felt.

Opposite me Linda was stretching her hand embroidery samples onto card. It's a condition of the course that all pieces must be the same size and this has proved to be a real hassle, clever Linda's all look perfect so far, unlike mine that are a right motley crew of different shapes and sizes!

In the afternoon we had a bash at 'drawing' with bias binding. Looks lovely but very awkward to do. I really love needle turn appliqué, I'm not very good at it but that's not stopping me. The bondaweb backed bias binding was a help too!!!

So that was my day, we've had lots of April showers so here are some pretty spring flowers to welcome the change in seasons.

 

A Little Retrospective - first Bilbao

What a fantastic time we had in this wonderful city. I really didn't know what to expect from Bilbao, tourist information is limited and you can't even see the city from the airport.

We arrived in heavy rain and endured the usual terrifying taxi journey to the hotel, so again we saw very little of the city so in the evening it was a joy to get out and have a proper look around.

 

The mix of blue sky and stormy rain clouds gave an added sense of drama as we headed out across the impressive foot bridge, at this time we were only given tantalising glimpses of the edge of the Guggenheim, this structure was our reason for coming, would it live up to expectations?

Major renovation work barred the usual promenade to the museum and we had to negotiate our way along an old lichen covered wall that gave the impression of holding back the new town from the waters edge.

We later learnt that the best panoramic view of the Guggenheim was from the other, our side, of the Nerviòn river. Instead we approached slowly past the big red bridge struts, stopping to grimace or admire Mamman the spider.

 

After being frightened half to death by the gas jet blowers going off in the pool outside the museum, I was under the spider at the time, looking straight up taking a photograph, we circled round this amazing structure that is Paul Gehry's creation.

Not everyone loves the Guggenheim, at the beginning the prospect of having this museum in their city was not welcomed by the locals, they even went so far as to set up candle lit protests and criticism is still levelled at the purpose of the museum. There is a widely held view that the more should have been done to make the building a community space, to reflect more of the city and its tapas bar culture.

In the end that is all forgotten when you stand looking up at this stunning feat of engineering, it's originality, it's beauty stands alone. It needs nothing else and even though other newer buildings strive to out shine it by being sleeker, taller, quirkier they can't outshine it.

 

 

Spring is springing

Sat in a cafe missing city life. You'd think I would be happy back in the country now that the sun is back, but I miss the immediacy of the city, the busyness, the sensory overload. So I'm out looking for the nearest thing we have and find myself on the way to Shrewsbury. Give the dogs a walk, take some pics and buy the fabric for my cloth book.

That's if I can get up off this comfy chair - wish me luck!


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Location:Emstrey Bank,,United Kingdom