I arrived at my hotel at midday. With only about 3 hours sleep in 36 hours, a nap was a necessity, then it was out to explore, even though I remained a bit groggy. As it turns out, my hotel is in the central shopping area and close to the tourist office. That was my […]
Bilbao, Spain – Day 2, Part 1 – The Guggenheim Museum Today needs to be split into a couple of entries, because there is just too much for a single entry. I spent many hours at the Guggenheim Museum, it was the major reason I wanted to visit the city. Both outside and in, Frank […]
Today is a big day for soccer in Bilbao — the 2024 UEFA Women’s Champions League final is being held at San Mamés Stadium. The tram into town was jammed with fans wearing team gear, singing chants and ready for a good time. When I walked back to the hotel from the Guggenheim, the streets […]
Well, not really Spain, I spent a large part of the day in France. Whenever I think of Basque culture, I’d only ever heard of it in conjunction with Spain. The tour I took today taught me otherwise—parts of France are considered Basque as well. The Basque region is mostly located in northern Spain, on […]
Some of you may have noticed that I didn’t post anything for a couple of days, which is unusual for me. The first omission was because the conference I was attending so occupied me, there simply wasn’t time. Yesterday I took an early morning flight to Amsterdam. When I arrived, I was coughing, sneezing, and […]
I seem to have shaken the worst of my cold, so today was a packed day. After an early breakfast, I went out for a walk, heading vaguely in the direction of the Central Station. Within minutes I found myself at the flower market, a long line of stalls alongside a canal. It calls itself […]
Yesterday was my final morning in Amsterdam before flying home. The friendly desk clerk at my hotel (the @NesHotel) helped me come up with a plan. He suggested that I walk over to the Oude Kerk. But, he cautioned, “go now. You have to walk through the Red-Light district to get there. It will be […]
While traveling in Spain and the Netherlands I couldn’t help but notice the two countries differing architectural styles. In both San Sebastian and Amsterdam older, traditional buildings showcased their approach to ornamentation and, in some cases, over-the-top ostentation. Today I’ve got photos of rooflines, tomorrow decorations. The thing is, I don’t have a preference. In […]
Yesterday I showed rooflines; today I’m focusing on architectural embellishment. While I didn’t have a preference for the rooflines in San Sebastian or Amsterdam, Amsterdam wins hands down for embellishment. Dutch merchants wanted to show off their wealth. On many of their buildings there are gold adornments, sculptures, elaborate coats-of-arm or fancy trimmings. They liked […]
The first time I visited Athens, in 1996, the Parthenon thrilled me, as did the Plaka, the statuary, and the overall vibe. The next time I visited, my enthusiasm had waned. Athens looked dirty, was hotter than hell on a bad day, the sky had a brownish tinge from pollution, and there were too many […]
