Northeastern Spain – beaches, food, wine, and long lost friends
While it was great fun to sleep in a rather small rental car off and on for 2 weeks while driving all around the West and Southwest of France and Andorra, in the end we were pretty exhausted and really looking forward to a few relaxing days of going to the beach and stuffing ourselves with seafood tapas in San Sebastian, Spain. It did not let us down. I was shocked at how much more expensive everything is compared to when I was there just 6 years ago – a massage at a spa on the beach now costs twice as much as before – but San Sebastian still retains the same relaxed charm and lively tapas-driven evening routine. Our favorite pastime was strolling from bar to bar and stuffing ourselves with squid and shrimp tapas and washing it down with young red wines served cold.
With our mojo back, we next decided to make an unscheduled detour for one of the least expected and most enjoyable surprises I’ve enjoyed in my entire life – the town of Lodosa. If you’ve never heard of Lodosa, Spain you’re not alone. Most Spaniards probably haven’t heard of it either. A small town in the middle of nowhere close to the border between Navarra and La Rioja, the main (and only) attraction for us was visiting a group of friends I made when I went to the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona in 2001.
I went to the Running by myself intending to meet some American friends who were there but we missed each other the first night. As I was wandering around by myself, a group of locals my age took me under their wing and showed me a wild and fun time including some incredible parties that only locals get to experience. We’ve kept in touch ever since and knowing that we were traveling in Spain they invited us to come see them for a night.
It was incredible, the kind of reunion you see in movies. After only having spent 1 day together 6 years ago and having never met Shan, they welcomed us with a feast that would have made the prodigal son envious. They grilled fresh lamb and locally made spicy sausages over wood branches from nearby vineyards and they served them with local enormous, sweet, and juicy red peppers. And given that one of our hosts works at a winery in La Rioja our cups overflowed with delicious wine. I’ve heard people say that the Spanish can sometimes be hard to get to know but that once you make a Spanish friend he will treat you like family the rest of your life. I’m not so sure I agree with the first part but I wholeheartedly agree with the second.
Fully stuffed and happy, we took a bus a few hours back up north to Bilbao to visit the famous Guggenheim Museum. It was as breathtaking for me to visit as it was when I went shortly after it opened in 1998 and a helpful audio guide we rented allowed me to learn even more about it and enjoy it even more. As a student of urban planning, I’m fascinated by how the museum has become quite famous not only for its innovative/futuristic architecture but for being a major catalyst in the economic and cultural redevelopment of Bilbao overall. Everywhere you go Bilbao looks cleaner and brighter exuding a confidence about itself it didn’t have 9 years ago. Unfortunately, it’s ‘casco viejo’ (old center) has lost a good bit of it’s traditional charm as many of the old-school rowdy bars that I once staggered in and out of have been replaced by hip New York style lounges where you go to look cool instead of looking for fun. But Bilbao looks like it’s in better shape and there are more job opportunities for people there now so I’d like to think the change has been for the better.
-Anthony
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Shan