The North of Spain

Here are some photos I promised of my travels. Many of the highlights were found inside museums or monuments where photography was prohibited, but I chose 2 photos from each of the four cities to highlight the time.

Pamplona--This was a 6 hour train ride from Barcelona. It butts up right against the Pyranees and it was cold and rainy. Pamplona is famous for the Run of the Bulls in June and is the backdrop to the book The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway. But aside from these two claims to fame, the city has little to offer to tourist.

Here I am in front of a statue honoring the bull run. The statue is pretty graphic and includes the artist himself getting gored by a bull in the back.






Pamplona has also many beautiful parks that we enjoyed wandering.














Bilbao--We hopped on a bus after learning that the bus system is faster, cheaper, and more extensive than the train system and in 2 hours were in Bilbao. This city had a lot of character and charm. We stayed right in the heart of the old town with twisting little lanes and cobble stones. Of course the attraction to Bilbao is the Guggenheim which even exceeded my expectations for a WONDERFUL art museum (again no photos inside). The modern art was spectacular


















Madrid--We headed south to the warm sunshine and big city bustle of Madrid. We failed in completely experiencing the 'city that never sleeps' because we packed so much touristic stuff into the day we couldn't cope with the Spainish practice of going to discos from 3am to 7am in the morning. But we did get to meditate infront Picasso's Guernica at another fabulous modern art museum. I also checked off more Art History paintings in the Prado (Goya 3rd of May, Velasquez Las Meninas, Bosch Garden of Earthly Delights). Madrid has lots of squares and street life as well as a massive Park to enjoy.


















Toledo--Just an hour south of Madrid lies the old capital of Spain, Toledo. Toledo felt medieval with everything in stone, narrow winding lanes, and shops of swords and armor. This city also is near where Don Quixote was born into imagination. We enjoyed the red tones of the sunset at 9pm (sun sets late here) and it gave you that romantic Spanish feel. The Moorish influence is becoming more prevalent as we venture south!