We had a bit of a laugh at dinner last night having chosen to eat at a bar/restaurant which had outside tables.
Being the first evening meal since arriving in Spain and being unable to recall anything from our visit to Barcelona some years previously we were like a couple of novices even though the menu was in English.
We made the call that whatever it said on the menu was all that would be on the plate, e.g. If the plate was described as "cod and mash" then you get a plate of cod and mash and no other veggies.
With that in mind we both chose "black pudding and roasted red peppers" and looked through the menu to try a find a side of veggies - there was a dish called vegetables under a section in Spanish so we ordered a large one if those only to find when it was served to the table that it was a baguette filled with tuna, lettuce, mayo and other bits and pieces (vegetables not really being included) and all we could do was scrape the filling onto the black pud dish and enjoy, which we did!
This morning after a late rise we headed for the Old town which was a section of narrow but very tidy streets with the usual retail shops and cafes. At the time we were there it was just starting to liven up and so was not too crowded.
We found a cafe on the Plaza Nueva and tried to order a couple of coffees. We got there but not without some difficulty (white coffee is cafe con leche) and it drove home the need to have a translation device with us so later in the day we brought a data pack ex Vodafone to allow us to have internet access at all times.
Plaza Nueva
Further into the Old Town we came to Mercado de la Ribera which is the largest covered market in Europe and mainly has stalls selling fish, meat and other produce - it was interesting to check out some prices in comparison to our prices at home and our take were that they were significantly cheaper here. In the market there was a section selling pintxos so we stopped for lunch?
Choosing lunch was not an easy task as there was so much to choose from some of which we had no idea what the pintxos contained but we made our selection from this stall
and ended up with this tasty plate
We then walked along the river bank to find the Funicular. The walk was very pleasant, the walkway being as wide as, and the style and cleanliness of the buildings enhancing the walk. The view from the top of the funicular was worth the trip. Bilbao sits in a valley and appears very compact - you could see the Guggenheim museum, the Bullring and the Stadium as well as the layout of the city.
The Guggenheim is the significant modern building in the city and was inaugurated in 1997 - it is titanium clad and is regarded as one of the most admired works of contemporary architecture.
It is not an easy building to describe - there are some aspects which makes one think of the Sydney Opera House, but it is a building with so many faces and shapes
The Spanish appear to enjoy a very social existence. From early evening on they, at least in Bilbao, come out into the city and the tapa bars overflow - families are in the street with kids kicking balls and mum & dad standing with friends enjoying a tipple, or two older ladies sitting in a bar having a drink, chat and a pintxos or groups of younger people chatting away on the street with a drink in hand - it is a scene which I wish we could replicate in NZ though I doubt it would get past the PC brigade as who could imagine people drinking on the streets!
We have certainly enjoyed our first couple of days in Spain and if the remainder are as enjoyable we will return home with a ton of great memories.
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