2nd day of touring with Best of Basque, 4th day in Bilbao - today we had Zach, the husband Irene, of the two person team who started this tour thing. Guernika aka Gernika aka Guernica, Mundaka (surfer city), Bermeo - fishing village, San Juan de Gaztelugetxe church on an overlook, scenic route along the Basque coast back to Bilbao. 8 hours of touring and walking up little hills, cobbled streets and dirt paths and we are good. Zach is 32 and I am 72 and Ross is 76 and he says we are doing "great"!!!
Gernika - a city that the dictators Franco (Spain), Mussolini (Italy) and Hitler agreed could be used as a test site for bombs before the start of WWII. 26 April 1937 was the date and they picked a busy Monday Market Day and bombed the city centre which had local citizens and it was said 1600 or more people died but it was exaggerated and possibly 300 - who knows but it sent a "message" to the area of the power. Most of the city was destroyed but a church and the Parliament building survived.
The Parliament building of the Basque Country of Spain and there is still a very strong independent spirit in this area as they have been through Civil wars, protests, bombings and a lot more.
An oak tree survived in 1937 but after 200+ years it died and has been replaced a couple times and this is the latest "Oak Tree of Gernika"
The stained glass ceiling in the main hall of the Parliament building and it was awesome and of course has the oak tree and the local society - fishermen, farmers and miners.
There are many historical books and even 1970s books about the Basque area of Spain.
The well preserved famous "Oak Tree of Gernika" which somehow survived the bombing and where town meetings are still held on the ground of the Parliament if Bizkaia
Pablo Picasso painted a famous Gernika and this is a tile replica on the grounds and after all these years they are still asking that the famous painting would visit this city - it's been in New York, Florence, London, Paris and other places but not to the site of the origin of the painting.
At high tide this would be covered in water and it was so peaceful and beautiful and there is one guy on the sand out in the middle.
This church is from the 10th century so very very old - from the 900s and still survived and is no longer used as a church but is a free visit spot for tourists and overlooks the Bay of Biscay.
Mundaka - maybe - we visited so many cities along the coast and it's so awesome with a two person tour with a guide and we can go down these tiny gravel roads to get to places where there are no tourists - life is good.
Soooooo - Zach says this are used for situps but I did not try it but after thinking maybe he means "pullups"????? That I could understand but not keen to try it.
People who surf come to Mundaka from all over the world as when the waves are the "highest in Europe". Zach surfs and I don't!
This is "street art" and is commissioned as they are starting in many countries to prevent the crappy griffiti with very bad language!
Zach is 32 and I'm 72 and he says we are doing "great".:):):)
Another monument in Bermeo to the sailors or fishermen lost at sea and this is a family looking out and waiting for a family member to arrive home and they never did. Times are much better now with the weather predictions and more safety.
Not sure what this says but it's a message!
Two Grandmas - me and the other monument Grandma who lost a son at sea and is in agony waiting without successful return.
No we did not hike down the rocky path or up the steep stairs even though it was free. Better for us to view from above! The church bell was ringing constantly and I wonder why they don't charge a fee for tourists as the citizens of Spain pay for the upkeep of all these magical places.
We took this path to Castilla Butron in the city of Gatika. It is not known to many tourist and is from the 11th century and had 300 years of family fighting over money and stuff. It was abandoned in the 16th century, rebuilt in the 1870s and again in the 2000s to host events and tourists without success. It is now for sale for 2.7 million euros or about 3.2 million USD$. Wow - lotta work to get it back in shape.
I looked in one of the little windows and each one seemed to have a cannon ready to fire at invaders.
Ross and Zach walking ahead of me and chatting about "guy stuff" I would guess. Zach is from Michigan and his wife Irene is from Bilbao.
All colors of mold on the super shady side of the castle.
Again a view on the coast of the tectonic plates colliding millions of years ago.
So an easy way to cross the river in Bilbao is to take this Gustav Eiffel prototype bridge and the thing hangs by chains and holds 6 cars plus people and goes across every few minutes. A very good way of commuting!
Another tour day tomorrow and I think a bit earlier and again with Irene, Zach's wife. Cheese, wine, crackers, olives and fresh cherries for dinner in our apartment is working good!!!
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