Menu
The wise bosses of Van Dam Estates asked me to make a report about modern Spain. They suggested Bilbao. The Guggenheim Museum there is world-famous for its collection of modern art. At first, I grumbled about the long flight distance, but luckily I managed to negotiate a great expense deal: 100 grams of fresh shrimp per 100 kilometers flown. Delicious. So off to Bilbao.
This Basque city has undergone a drastic renewal in the past decades. The once gloomy industrial city with a decaying port area has been miraculously transformed. Modern architecture and a renovated waterfront have given Bilbao new allure. Without a doubt, the main injection of this renewal drive is thanks to the Guggenheim Museum, which has given the city a worldwide reputation since 1997. That was the starting signal for an eruption of art and culture, which can be felt almost everywhere in Bilbao — in the form of progressive architecture, countless museums, and an explosion of culinary highlights.
As mentioned, the construction of the Guggenheim Museum was the catalyst for all the progress that followed. Today, Bilbao is seen as one of Europe’s most creative cities. So what makes Guggenheim such a major attraction? There are several reasons. First, there is the special futuristic architecture of the building. The abstract form refers back to Bilbao’s maritime past. Architect Frank Gehry incorporated no fewer than 35,000 titanium plates in the daring building. Even before visitors can admire the modern art inside (abstract expressionism, pop art, and many other remarkable modern art forms), several art objects at the entrance (a mammoth puppy and a giant spider) scream for attention. Naturally, these works divide opinions, but there can be no doubt about the Guggenheim’s immense appeal.
Still, the historical charm of the old town continues to attract people. Especially the large neoclassical square Plaza Nueva, where much of the lively daily life takes place. In addition, Bilbao has become famous for its huge variety of pintxos: the Basque version of tapas in the rest of Spain. The only difference is that pintxos are usually served on small pieces of bread. Hungry after my wanderings through Bilbao, I ordered a pintxo with raw shrimp in a small restaurant. The waiter reacted somewhat irritated to my request and said: “We aim for human tourists, not flamingos.” Somewhat shaken by this rude remark, I fluttered to Plaza Nueva. There my mood improved again when I walked among an army of pigeons. What few people know is that these birds, together with grebes, have the most genetic similarity with us flamingos.
