These last few weeks in our overseas experience have simply flown by. I had hoped to document them along the way but life is what happens after you make other plans. My back went out for a little over a week and I was completely non-functional. Meanwhile the kids had a few days of sports camp before heading off to away camp. Today, the morning of our departure, I woke up at 5:30am and haven't been able to fall back asleep so here's the last few weeks in short.
Away Camps
Morgan went away to camp in Barria for a week. Here away camps are by lottery rather than first come first serve. The camp Morgan attended is run by the government and she signed up with a good friend. We arrived at the bus in Bilbao and all seemed fine for her. She climbed aboard the bus and then a few minutes later when all the kids were on, she came running off. Morgan had never been away from home for that long and wasn't so sure she could do it. In the end, she had a really good time, went swimming, did lots of crafts and sports , made new friends and loved all the counselors. The food was horrible but that's to be expected. Apparently they had a nightly dance that ended around 11:30, long after Morgan can usually keep her eyes open. All in all, I think she might even go away to camp again...
Maia also went away but she went to Pedernales which is a camp run by the bank, also a lottery. In her case she was not able to sign up with a friend but since she has been away before that was less of a concern. Her camp is near the ocean and in walking distance to our friend Marina's house, for those of you who knew Marina, the high school student that lived in Madison last year. Pedernales was a boarding school and it is very organized. Each child's bed has a number that matches the wardrobe and the towel hook in the bathroom. There are 2 swimming pools, lots of animals, ocean, biking, hiking, sailing, horseback riding, gymnastics, and a variety of other activity options. Needless to say, Maia had a great time and liked it better than horse camp in the states.
What I learned is kids are a bit more catered to at camp here. I have been told children are sacred and I'd have to say I agree with that in how they are treated. That isn't to say that they are all princes and princesses. The community is really built around children and making sure they have the parks, activities and the experiences available to them that the society deems important. That means all children regardless of socio-economic class or disability have access. The lottery is one example and the price of the camps is another. A week of day camp in the states is far more expensive than even overnight camp in Spain. Camps are for the kids to enjoy and learn both activities and values. The kids are responsible for their own things, but they are served. They don't have regular jobs of hopper and scraper at meals, they don't have to clean the bathrooms, and if they don't feel like making their beds, they don't have to do that either. Sheets and bath towels were provided for Maia while at Morgan's camp the kids slept in sleeping bags but bath towels were provided.
Our trip to pick Maia up included a visit to Mundaka to see Marina and her family one last time. We spent a bit of time at the beach with Morgan and then enjoyed lunch and the company of Marina's family before heading to the camp.
Despedidas, Until We Meet Again
For as beautiful and sunny as our day in Mundaka had been on Saturday, the following day when I had planned a "See you later" get together including beach and BBQ picnic, we ended up with rain, wind and cold. We had a last minute change of location, still outside but under a roof at Cevecera El Molino near where we live. Everyone survived the cold and we all agreed that this is what happens when you try to plan something. Hard to believe it was the 17th of July and we were in long pants and jackets. Regardless the company was great and that was what we were there for. Our friends from Vitoria came as well as Marina who traveled 2 hours alone to join us. Of course my exchange sisters, their families and many of our friends were also there.
In the short two days remaining the kids went to sports camp while Dean and I worked, packed the house and did as many of those last minute things as we could. I decided to bike my run and take pictures. Here's what I have been looking at for the past 7 months, although there weren't always leaves on all the trees...
Our last two nights were late ones as we got together with friends in the evenings which turned into night.
Dean and I spent late nights/early mornings packing and cleaning the apartment. Today is the morning of the end of our seven month adventure that flew by. We would all like to stay longer and we know we will be back, hopefully sooner rather than later...
Monday, July 25, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Switzerland, A City View: Zurich, Schaffhausen & Old Friends
Saturday
We decided to sleep in a little. Eventually we headed out beginning at the train station. From there we started a walking tour along the river towards the lake, Zürichsee.
I continue to be amazed by the beauty of Switzerland with its old buildings, many of which are painted with typical Swiss style, and the beauty of the rivers and lakes that run through so many of its cities. Add to that an incredibly efficient public transit system used by thousands daily and there isn't much to complain about, except perhaps the prices. We did well in buying a Swiss Pass which covered all of our transportation needs to and within all cities as well as many of the museums and other places we visited throughout the week.
Once we reached Zürichsee the girls were asking for a boat ride. We soon discovered that our Swiss Pass covered that as well. We hopped aboard a 90 minute boat trip on Zürichsee. The excursion took us to several ports of interest including Küsnacht, a fashionable suburb where I believe Tina Turner has a home, Thalwil, an important railway hub, Rüschlikon, a former farm village, now home to 3M and IBM, and Kilchberg Bendlikon, once home to a few famous writers and now home of Lindt & Sprüngli chocolate. It was a beautiful sunny day and quite relaxing. We discovered a few fine spots for a swim as well if we return on a warmer day. We arrived at the pier quite hungry and found a nice pasta place set back into the old town. From there we started back toward the train station and on to the hotel.
After dropping our things and regrouping it was time to meet up with Sofia and family. I met Sofia 24 years ago in Spain and we have remained in contact through letters, then email, holiday cards and on occasional visits in between. This was the first time that our kids would meet. Despite how many years had passed, we still connected like old friends. It was really great to see her and her husband again. The kids took a few minutes to warm up to each other but in no time they were playing quite well together. Spanish was the common language for them.
Dinner was amazing and I was so glad to be feeling well enough to eat again. The homemade pizza-like appetizer was followed by several kinds of grilled meats, salads, and corn. The weather was perfect for grilling out and they have a lovely home in the countryside making for just the right setting. During our time at their house we were visited by the neighboring cows and some horses that were out for a stroll. Dinner was followed by a lovely pastry assortment.
We headed back to the hotel full, happy and with a meeting plan for Sunday.
Sunday
We met up with Sofia and family at the Zurich train station. The kids were happy to see each other again. We found our train to Wintertur where we then changed to Schauffhausen, 3 minutes between trains and a change of platforms but still made it with 4 kids and a stroller in tow. The Swiss rail system is an incredibly well greased wheel. Even the girls have come to appreciate train travel and public transportation done right.
Dean and I had visited Schaffhausen many years ago during the spring. It was quite different to see the falls in the summer with so much of the mountain snow having melted. The water was mesmerizing and extraordinarily loud.
We took the boat ride to approach the falls for some pictures and a quick shower. The kids seemed to enjoy the shower part. There were also some paths that went down along the cliffs to the side of the falls where we were able to get some nice photos.
By 1:30 we were all ready for lunch. Sofia had reserved a lovely table for us on the terrace of the castle. Just below the terrace was an old park which worked out well for the kids.
After enjoying our leisurely meal we decided on a visit to the castle. The view of the falls from the inside was quite nice and the tour was a bit curious. It was like a Walt Disney animated ride only the animations began as you entered each room rather than you sitting in a boat being driven by each scene. The animations told the history of the castle and the area during various periods of its use. Entertaining, informative but perhaps a bit cheesy.
From there we headed back to Zurich. As always we parted with an until next time rather than a goodbye as I'm sure we will meet again, hopefully at some point within the next decade. Monday morning, the 4th of July we headed back to Bilbao with only 16 days left in our 7 month adventure. Time is really flying by and there is never enough of it.
We decided to sleep in a little. Eventually we headed out beginning at the train station. From there we started a walking tour along the river towards the lake, Zürichsee.
I continue to be amazed by the beauty of Switzerland with its old buildings, many of which are painted with typical Swiss style, and the beauty of the rivers and lakes that run through so many of its cities. Add to that an incredibly efficient public transit system used by thousands daily and there isn't much to complain about, except perhaps the prices. We did well in buying a Swiss Pass which covered all of our transportation needs to and within all cities as well as many of the museums and other places we visited throughout the week.
Once we reached Zürichsee the girls were asking for a boat ride. We soon discovered that our Swiss Pass covered that as well. We hopped aboard a 90 minute boat trip on Zürichsee. The excursion took us to several ports of interest including Küsnacht, a fashionable suburb where I believe Tina Turner has a home, Thalwil, an important railway hub, Rüschlikon, a former farm village, now home to 3M and IBM, and Kilchberg Bendlikon, once home to a few famous writers and now home of Lindt & Sprüngli chocolate. It was a beautiful sunny day and quite relaxing. We discovered a few fine spots for a swim as well if we return on a warmer day. We arrived at the pier quite hungry and found a nice pasta place set back into the old town. From there we started back toward the train station and on to the hotel.
After dropping our things and regrouping it was time to meet up with Sofia and family. I met Sofia 24 years ago in Spain and we have remained in contact through letters, then email, holiday cards and on occasional visits in between. This was the first time that our kids would meet. Despite how many years had passed, we still connected like old friends. It was really great to see her and her husband again. The kids took a few minutes to warm up to each other but in no time they were playing quite well together. Spanish was the common language for them.
Dinner was amazing and I was so glad to be feeling well enough to eat again. The homemade pizza-like appetizer was followed by several kinds of grilled meats, salads, and corn. The weather was perfect for grilling out and they have a lovely home in the countryside making for just the right setting. During our time at their house we were visited by the neighboring cows and some horses that were out for a stroll. Dinner was followed by a lovely pastry assortment.
We headed back to the hotel full, happy and with a meeting plan for Sunday.
Sunday
We met up with Sofia and family at the Zurich train station. The kids were happy to see each other again. We found our train to Wintertur where we then changed to Schauffhausen, 3 minutes between trains and a change of platforms but still made it with 4 kids and a stroller in tow. The Swiss rail system is an incredibly well greased wheel. Even the girls have come to appreciate train travel and public transportation done right.
Dean and I had visited Schaffhausen many years ago during the spring. It was quite different to see the falls in the summer with so much of the mountain snow having melted. The water was mesmerizing and extraordinarily loud.
We took the boat ride to approach the falls for some pictures and a quick shower. The kids seemed to enjoy the shower part. There were also some paths that went down along the cliffs to the side of the falls where we were able to get some nice photos.
By 1:30 we were all ready for lunch. Sofia had reserved a lovely table for us on the terrace of the castle. Just below the terrace was an old park which worked out well for the kids.
After enjoying our leisurely meal we decided on a visit to the castle. The view of the falls from the inside was quite nice and the tour was a bit curious. It was like a Walt Disney animated ride only the animations began as you entered each room rather than you sitting in a boat being driven by each scene. The animations told the history of the castle and the area during various periods of its use. Entertaining, informative but perhaps a bit cheesy.
From there we headed back to Zurich. As always we parted with an until next time rather than a goodbye as I'm sure we will meet again, hopefully at some point within the next decade. Monday morning, the 4th of July we headed back to Bilbao with only 16 days left in our 7 month adventure. Time is really flying by and there is never enough of it.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Switzerland, A City View: Cheese, Chocolate & the Olympics
Wednesday
Probably the most anticipated day of the trip. Can there be a bad day when it includes a cheese factory and a chocolate factory tour? For most people not, but of course I managed to get a stomach virus so it was definitely not my best day... This day took us to La Gruyere region of Switzerland, a day trip from Bern.
We went at a normal pace rather than a Lauren pace but it was also a bit rainy so that worked out. Our first stop was Gruyère for the cheese factory. We had planned a trip up into the town which is really beautiful but it was raining so hard we decided to skip it. We ate lunch in the factory restaurant instead.
From there we took the train to Broc Fabrique for the Callier chocolate factory tour. It has changed a ton since our last visit. We started out seeing some old films on chocolate to pass the time while we waited our turn on the tour. The tour itself was quite interesting and completely animated with lights and sounds to bring ambiance to the story. It started from the discovery of chocolate and led us through to the current factory. There was a bit about how chocolate is made, without giving away any of the secret recipes of course. Following the tour and buying a few souvenirs, the kids played in the Calliers playground while we waited for the next train.
Here's what the girls have to say about what they liked best:
Morgan: I liked learning the history of chocolate because it was interesting.
Maia: I liked the tasting of the chocolate and the movie theater part.
(They are still girls of few words when put on the spot.)
We returned to Bern exhausted but in time to prepare dinner and to play a couple games of foosball before calling it a night.
Thursday
We checked out of our hotel and took a few final pictures of Bern before heading to Lausanne. It was a an hour or so which was a nice rest for me as I was still a bit under the weather. Our main point of attraction was the Olympic Museum.
We took the metro down to the lakeshore where we had some food by the lake. From there we walked along the water spotting some really fun paddle boats. I'd love to have something like that on one of the Madison lakes for weekend enjoyment. We continued our walk until we came upon the Olympic Museum. We weren't allowed to take any pictures inside the museum but we did get some fun ones on the outside.
Here's what the girls have to say about what they liked best about the day:
Morgan: The torches were the most interesting part.
Maia: Everything!!!
When we finished at the museum it was time to head to Luzern for the night. I have always loved the beauty of that city and in past visits have wanted to stay there. We arrived to find that we were upgraded from the Rosli Guest House to the Baslertor Hotel about which I certainly wasn't going to complain.
Probably the most anticipated day of the trip. Can there be a bad day when it includes a cheese factory and a chocolate factory tour? For most people not, but of course I managed to get a stomach virus so it was definitely not my best day... This day took us to La Gruyere region of Switzerland, a day trip from Bern.
We went at a normal pace rather than a Lauren pace but it was also a bit rainy so that worked out. Our first stop was Gruyère for the cheese factory. We had planned a trip up into the town which is really beautiful but it was raining so hard we decided to skip it. We ate lunch in the factory restaurant instead.
From there we took the train to Broc Fabrique for the Callier chocolate factory tour. It has changed a ton since our last visit. We started out seeing some old films on chocolate to pass the time while we waited our turn on the tour. The tour itself was quite interesting and completely animated with lights and sounds to bring ambiance to the story. It started from the discovery of chocolate and led us through to the current factory. There was a bit about how chocolate is made, without giving away any of the secret recipes of course. Following the tour and buying a few souvenirs, the kids played in the Calliers playground while we waited for the next train.
Here's what the girls have to say about what they liked best:
Morgan: I liked learning the history of chocolate because it was interesting.
Maia: I liked the tasting of the chocolate and the movie theater part.
(They are still girls of few words when put on the spot.)
We returned to Bern exhausted but in time to prepare dinner and to play a couple games of foosball before calling it a night.
Thursday
We checked out of our hotel and took a few final pictures of Bern before heading to Lausanne. It was a an hour or so which was a nice rest for me as I was still a bit under the weather. Our main point of attraction was the Olympic Museum.
We took the metro down to the lakeshore where we had some food by the lake. From there we walked along the water spotting some really fun paddle boats. I'd love to have something like that on one of the Madison lakes for weekend enjoyment. We continued our walk until we came upon the Olympic Museum. We weren't allowed to take any pictures inside the museum but we did get some fun ones on the outside.
Here's what the girls have to say about what they liked best about the day:
Morgan: The torches were the most interesting part.
Maia: Everything!!!
When we finished at the museum it was time to head to Luzern for the night. I have always loved the beauty of that city and in past visits have wanted to stay there. We arrived to find that we were upgraded from the Rosli Guest House to the Baslertor Hotel about which I certainly wasn't going to complain.
Switzerland, A City View: Bern
Monday
We arrived at our hotel in Zurich around 8:30pm on Monday. Easy to find and great location. Typical Swiss hotel, no AC. It was around 25ºC/90ºF with our room on the 5th floor of the hotel. HOT! But the beds were comfortable as well as the sofa sleeper so that was the most important. We took military style showers or sponge baths as the water was ice cold. Apparently the water heater must have been out and they couldn't divert the sun to heat the shower water. Once we were out it felt good in the room.
Tuesday
First thing Tuesday morning we found breakfast at the pastry shop on the corner. Then we gathered our belongings to head to Bern. We'll be back in Zurich for the weekend so we didn't take the time to see any of it at the moment.
We hit Bern around 11:30 and quickly caught a tram to the Backpackers Hostel. They are closed between 12-3pm so we would have been stuck with our luggage if we hadn't arrived in time. Our room is phenomenal. Spacious with 2 single beds and 2 bunk beds along with lots of floor space, a very unusual find in Switzerland.
Another sweltering hot 90 degree day. We grabbed picnic lunch and headed to a park. Challah and salami with gruyere followed by some fruit hits the spot. By the way, the pre-made challah sandwiches were with ham. I never quite understood that combination but it always humors me.
We then headed down the main shopping street towards the bear pit or perhaps I should now say enclosure as it is a much improved space over the original dry barren pit. The pit now has a small gift shop and the enclosure is a large hillside with a water stream below.
We abandoned our original plan to head to the Rosengarten due to the heat. Instead we opted to head back to the hotel for our bathing suits and check out the free public pool beside the river, a perfect spot for a steamy hot day. The pool was definitely refreshing. After a bit of swimming, Maia and I decided on a short float down the river. The current is extremely fast and we didn't have good shoes to wear so we went barefoot. Staying close to the shoreline was a bit hard on our feet but we weren't going to venture too far, only from one stop to the next. A nice experience but a bit scary with a kid. Maia, my amusement park thrill rider, didn't want to do any more than what we had done. The float part was fine but the getting out was challenging. Maybe when she is older we'll be a bit more adventurous about the experience.
After a brat, another dip in the pool, and some ice cream, we were ready to head back to the hostel. We walked by the Parliament and the splash park after riding the tram up the hill.
On our way back we realized that the stores close at 7pm and we still needed to buy dinner and breakfast. One of the nice things about our hostel is the ability to buy, store and cook food in the kitchen. So after a bit of grocery shopping we were in for the night. Fed, showered and exhausted, we headed for bed.
Scenes of Bern
We arrived at our hotel in Zurich around 8:30pm on Monday. Easy to find and great location. Typical Swiss hotel, no AC. It was around 25ºC/90ºF with our room on the 5th floor of the hotel. HOT! But the beds were comfortable as well as the sofa sleeper so that was the most important. We took military style showers or sponge baths as the water was ice cold. Apparently the water heater must have been out and they couldn't divert the sun to heat the shower water. Once we were out it felt good in the room.
Tuesday
First thing Tuesday morning we found breakfast at the pastry shop on the corner. Then we gathered our belongings to head to Bern. We'll be back in Zurich for the weekend so we didn't take the time to see any of it at the moment.
We hit Bern around 11:30 and quickly caught a tram to the Backpackers Hostel. They are closed between 12-3pm so we would have been stuck with our luggage if we hadn't arrived in time. Our room is phenomenal. Spacious with 2 single beds and 2 bunk beds along with lots of floor space, a very unusual find in Switzerland.
Another sweltering hot 90 degree day. We grabbed picnic lunch and headed to a park. Challah and salami with gruyere followed by some fruit hits the spot. By the way, the pre-made challah sandwiches were with ham. I never quite understood that combination but it always humors me.
We then headed down the main shopping street towards the bear pit or perhaps I should now say enclosure as it is a much improved space over the original dry barren pit. The pit now has a small gift shop and the enclosure is a large hillside with a water stream below.
We abandoned our original plan to head to the Rosengarten due to the heat. Instead we opted to head back to the hotel for our bathing suits and check out the free public pool beside the river, a perfect spot for a steamy hot day. The pool was definitely refreshing. After a bit of swimming, Maia and I decided on a short float down the river. The current is extremely fast and we didn't have good shoes to wear so we went barefoot. Staying close to the shoreline was a bit hard on our feet but we weren't going to venture too far, only from one stop to the next. A nice experience but a bit scary with a kid. Maia, my amusement park thrill rider, didn't want to do any more than what we had done. The float part was fine but the getting out was challenging. Maybe when she is older we'll be a bit more adventurous about the experience.
After a brat, another dip in the pool, and some ice cream, we were ready to head back to the hostel. We walked by the Parliament and the splash park after riding the tram up the hill.
On our way back we realized that the stores close at 7pm and we still needed to buy dinner and breakfast. One of the nice things about our hostel is the ability to buy, store and cook food in the kitchen. So after a bit of grocery shopping we were in for the night. Fed, showered and exhausted, we headed for bed.
Scenes of Bern
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Westward Expansion: Our View
At some point we do have to recognize that there is more to the north than just the Basque Region. We decided to take one more excursion but this time we went west through Cantabria. Once again we took Patricia, Eusebio, and their girls with us as it is always more fun to explore new places together.
Saturday, June 18
We started out in the morning towards Santillana del Mar. On the way we made a reservation to tour El Soplao, a cave in the mountains south of San Vicente de la Barquera. Due to time constraints we decided to skip Santillana del Mar and head straight to Comillas. Having done a little research ahead of time I knew that we would be able to get some pictures of El Capricho de Gaudi. It was like a candyland house. So cool. It was one of Gaudí's earlier works assigned to him by his master who was to design the palace found just up the hill from El Capricho. To get pictures from the outside we headed up that hill towards El Palacio de Sobrellano.
More interesting to us than the palace itself were some of the sculptures on the outside. As you can see, the girls enjoyed climbing in and around them.
Below the palace was a field where they were having a medieval festival. We would have liked to check it out but we were short on time to make it to our date with the cave. We headed down the hill and took a quick loop through the center of town. It's a really lovely place and next time we will have to plan to spend some more time there for sure.
Returning to our cars, we headed to El Soplao which was definitely worth it. It was the Florida mine up in the mountains that was being worked when in the beginning of the 20th Century the miners discovered the cave. It was only recently opened for tourism. Our tour began with a short ride on a miner's train car to enter the cave. Once inside we had an hour long tour. The cave consists of more than 30 kilometers of galleries. From the entrance there is a 35ft. drop into the gallery called "La Gorda", named for its immense size, with a maximum height over 60ft. There was another gallery called "Los Fantasmas" (The Ghosts) named for its huge white stalagmites. Unfortunately I can't remember the names of all the galleries but there was one with a low ceiling full of eccentric stalactites. They are considered eccentric because they are growing horizontally to the floor. There are a few theories for what causes them to form that way but no one is absolutely sure. I've visited a few caves but never have I seen one so big or with so many eccentric formations. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside but you can see a bit of it here.
The tour ended around 3pm and we were starving. We headed to San Vicente de la Barquera. There we found lunch, really huge ice cream and took a walk up the hill to the monument section of town. We visited the outside of the Santa María de los Ángeles church. The views were certainly nice from up there. On our way back down the hill we went into the Castillo del Rey. There were a few artifacts left inside but mostly it was for the views from the outside. When we finished there it was getting late and the kids were getting tired. We did make our way to the lighthouse, which wasn't as interesting as expected. Then we headed for the breakwater known as La Barra. The water was really rough in that area and fascinating to watch.
Next stop, home. It was a long day and everyone, not driving, fell asleep on the way home.
Sunday, June 19
We definitely had a slow morning after our long day but there was still a bit more of Cantabria we wanted to see. We headed out to Laredo where we spent a few hours on the beach with a picnic lunch. The sand was very soft and the water really welcoming. It is a beach of about 4 km in length, known as the longest in the area. Once we were sufficiently lobster-like where we weren't careful enough with lotion, we decided to head out.
We went to a town called Castro Urdiales which is still Cantabria but just the other side of the border of the Basque Country. It was a nice town. From the point, we could see La Galea and the windmills that mark the area of Getxo near where we live. We did a typical walk around the monuments and old area of town. While we didn't make it to the natural pool, we were told they have one. Our next trip I'd like to spend a little time in the water as it seemed very inviting.
There's never enough time for all that we want to do so we are doing our best to enjoy the time that we have.
Saturday, June 18
We started out in the morning towards Santillana del Mar. On the way we made a reservation to tour El Soplao, a cave in the mountains south of San Vicente de la Barquera. Due to time constraints we decided to skip Santillana del Mar and head straight to Comillas. Having done a little research ahead of time I knew that we would be able to get some pictures of El Capricho de Gaudi. It was like a candyland house. So cool. It was one of Gaudí's earlier works assigned to him by his master who was to design the palace found just up the hill from El Capricho. To get pictures from the outside we headed up that hill towards El Palacio de Sobrellano.
More interesting to us than the palace itself were some of the sculptures on the outside. As you can see, the girls enjoyed climbing in and around them.
Below the palace was a field where they were having a medieval festival. We would have liked to check it out but we were short on time to make it to our date with the cave. We headed down the hill and took a quick loop through the center of town. It's a really lovely place and next time we will have to plan to spend some more time there for sure.
Returning to our cars, we headed to El Soplao which was definitely worth it. It was the Florida mine up in the mountains that was being worked when in the beginning of the 20th Century the miners discovered the cave. It was only recently opened for tourism. Our tour began with a short ride on a miner's train car to enter the cave. Once inside we had an hour long tour. The cave consists of more than 30 kilometers of galleries. From the entrance there is a 35ft. drop into the gallery called "La Gorda", named for its immense size, with a maximum height over 60ft. There was another gallery called "Los Fantasmas" (The Ghosts) named for its huge white stalagmites. Unfortunately I can't remember the names of all the galleries but there was one with a low ceiling full of eccentric stalactites. They are considered eccentric because they are growing horizontally to the floor. There are a few theories for what causes them to form that way but no one is absolutely sure. I've visited a few caves but never have I seen one so big or with so many eccentric formations. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside but you can see a bit of it here.
The tour ended around 3pm and we were starving. We headed to San Vicente de la Barquera. There we found lunch, really huge ice cream and took a walk up the hill to the monument section of town. We visited the outside of the Santa María de los Ángeles church. The views were certainly nice from up there. On our way back down the hill we went into the Castillo del Rey. There were a few artifacts left inside but mostly it was for the views from the outside. When we finished there it was getting late and the kids were getting tired. We did make our way to the lighthouse, which wasn't as interesting as expected. Then we headed for the breakwater known as La Barra. The water was really rough in that area and fascinating to watch.
Next stop, home. It was a long day and everyone, not driving, fell asleep on the way home.
Sunday, June 19
We went to a town called Castro Urdiales which is still Cantabria but just the other side of the border of the Basque Country. It was a nice town. From the point, we could see La Galea and the windmills that mark the area of Getxo near where we live. We did a typical walk around the monuments and old area of town. While we didn't make it to the natural pool, we were told they have one. Our next trip I'd like to spend a little time in the water as it seemed very inviting.
There's never enough time for all that we want to do so we are doing our best to enjoy the time that we have.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
School Goes Out Fighting...
One thing the Basque people are never short on is finding ways to enjoy themselves and the company of others. The end of the school year is no exception, and yes teachers in all countries are always up for a good party.
Friday the 17th was the last Friday of the school year and was the all school party. According to the girls, the party started about 9:30 with all school games on the patio. I missed that part so I don't have much in the way of details.
However, at 12:30 the parents were invited. The afternoon started with graduation which consisted of the fifth graders handing the sixth graders their framed class picture. After the hugs and pictures, the incredibly awesome music teacher who is retiring, was presented with a violin. She had been talking about learning to play during her retirement. Then the festivities began.
First there were a series of musical performances, a very entertaining play by 4th & 5th graders using idioms, followed by dances done by all the grades. Here are some pictures as my video shoot didn't work out so well. (Oh, and Morgan's wrist wrap, just 8 year old drama...)
Following the dance, hunger had definitely set in. It was a beautiful sunny day and banquet tables and chairs had been set up on the grass in the shade. We joined a group that had ordered delivery of cheeseburgers, roasted chicken, tortilla patata, and croquetas. Do potatoes count as vegetables? We served the kids first. As we were serving, the teachers, who had a few tables reserved that extended off of our section, were bringing out food that made for a banquet. It wasn't large pots of things to share but rather a typical Spanish-style celebratory lunch. The "first plate" was a series of beautifully designed appetizers, or pintxos as they are known here. This was followed by "larger food" and then dessert. The kids had finished eating before all the teachers' food made it to the table.
At this point I began thinking, "this could never happen at the kid's school in the states." First off following the meal was the water gun fight. A water fight could definitely happen on school grounds in the states but I'm not so sure that the "gun" version would be acceptable. While the kids enjoyed that, under the supervision of the extracurricular activities monitors, the parents and teachers ate, and drank. Drank, yes, that's the other part that could never happen in the states. Some people brought wine and beer. The teachers even had bottles of champagne. No one by any means got out of hand. It is quite typical during the large meal eaten between 2:30-4pm in Spain that wine is served. The school patio was no exception, apparently.
Eventually the teachers headed home but several families stayed on. We were there until around 7:30pm. Once the kids had enough water, there were games as well as face painting, molding clay, and other art options.
The rest of the events to end the year were kid-only activities such as cleaning their things out of the class room, a class party and an all school field trip to Salinas de Añana. As with all school trips here, the parents are not asked to chaperone. In addition to an educational experience, the students enjoyed a salt spa, picnic, and yet another water fight. According to the Morgan it was superrequetebien. They returned tired but happy.
Friday the 17th was the last Friday of the school year and was the all school party. According to the girls, the party started about 9:30 with all school games on the patio. I missed that part so I don't have much in the way of details.
However, at 12:30 the parents were invited. The afternoon started with graduation which consisted of the fifth graders handing the sixth graders their framed class picture. After the hugs and pictures, the incredibly awesome music teacher who is retiring, was presented with a violin. She had been talking about learning to play during her retirement. Then the festivities began.
First there were a series of musical performances, a very entertaining play by 4th & 5th graders using idioms, followed by dances done by all the grades. Here are some pictures as my video shoot didn't work out so well. (Oh, and Morgan's wrist wrap, just 8 year old drama...)
Following the dance, hunger had definitely set in. It was a beautiful sunny day and banquet tables and chairs had been set up on the grass in the shade. We joined a group that had ordered delivery of cheeseburgers, roasted chicken, tortilla patata, and croquetas. Do potatoes count as vegetables? We served the kids first. As we were serving, the teachers, who had a few tables reserved that extended off of our section, were bringing out food that made for a banquet. It wasn't large pots of things to share but rather a typical Spanish-style celebratory lunch. The "first plate" was a series of beautifully designed appetizers, or pintxos as they are known here. This was followed by "larger food" and then dessert. The kids had finished eating before all the teachers' food made it to the table.
At this point I began thinking, "this could never happen at the kid's school in the states." First off following the meal was the water gun fight. A water fight could definitely happen on school grounds in the states but I'm not so sure that the "gun" version would be acceptable. While the kids enjoyed that, under the supervision of the extracurricular activities monitors, the parents and teachers ate, and drank. Drank, yes, that's the other part that could never happen in the states. Some people brought wine and beer. The teachers even had bottles of champagne. No one by any means got out of hand. It is quite typical during the large meal eaten between 2:30-4pm in Spain that wine is served. The school patio was no exception, apparently.
Eventually the teachers headed home but several families stayed on. We were there until around 7:30pm. Once the kids had enough water, there were games as well as face painting, molding clay, and other art options.
The rest of the events to end the year were kid-only activities such as cleaning their things out of the class room, a class party and an all school field trip to Salinas de Añana. As with all school trips here, the parents are not asked to chaperone. In addition to an educational experience, the students enjoyed a salt spa, picnic, and yet another water fight. According to the Morgan it was superrequetebien. They returned tired but happy.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
A Tourist's View: Part III The Final Chapter
Monday
Hard to believe Kevin and Lynne's trip was already nearing an end. By Monday they were well adjusted to the time zone. So, it was the day of the grand tour from Algorta to Bilbao. We put on our walking shoes (no we didn't walk all the way to Bilbao...).
We started outside their Hotel High Tech Tamarises and walked along the coast toward Las Arenas. Its a very nice stroll along the water which included in numerous locations plaques describing the historic mansions we were passing along the way.
We crossed the Nervión river on the Puente Vizcaya to Portugalete, where I had lived. From there it was an uphill walk through the Casco Histórico and then on to catch the metro to Bilbao. It was nice to share a little bit of Portugalete with friends. I was hoping to stop for coffee in La Giroa, the bar that once played "Born in the USA" every time I entered, but it was closed. We continued on to the metro.
We got out in the Casco Viejo, Bilbao which has that typical narrow street, old building, no cars feeling that characterizes many cities in Spain. It is the one area of Bilbao that really hasn't changed. The store names have changed but the overall look and feel is still the same. After a beverage and some outstanding and unusual pintxos in the Plaza Nueva we stopped in the cathedral. I had never been in it before. While there were clearly some people in there to pray, I was surprised by the number of tourists inside taking pictures on a Monday morning.
As we moved out of the Casco Viejo area we happened upon a rather curious garden. As it turns out Bilbao is in the middle of some sort of a garden competition event. I couldn't decide whether what we found was funny or creepy. What's your vote? Oh, and yes it did win an award.
From there we crossed back over the River Nervion (crossed from Las Arenas to Portugalete, crossed again in the metro to Bilbao, twice, and now again to head to the center of the city.) The River Nervion snakes around. As we crossed, the backside of the train station caught my eye. Architecture along the river is quite beautiful. Once across, we walked the pedestrian mall that parallels la Gran Via. We were in search of the best looking typical pastry we could find, including pastel vasco. It was our last night together with Kevin and Lynn as well as being their anniversary. We found what we were looking for on the corner of the Gran Vía near Moyua.
Following our purchase we continued on to La Alhondiga. As described in earlier posts, its a very unique and beautiful building both inside and out. Before we entered we came upon a mirror with a bronzed frame. Perfect for taking a picture of your reflection. The inside of the building however has low lighting which doesn't ever seem to work well for pictures. At that point hunger was setting in so we headed to Moyua and filled ourselves with more amazing pintxos from El Globo, my favorite pintxo spot, followed by ice cream from Heladería Alaska.
Our final destination, the Guggenheim. Unfortunately it is closed on Monday's. So, we settled for some good pictures from the outside. I had to leave the group behind as it was nearing 4pm and I needed to pick up the girls from school by 4:30.
Eventually we all met back in Algorta. Our evening ended with a nice home cooked meal and, of course, the pastries we picked up earlier in the day.
Tuesday
Tuesday was a short morning as we only had a bit of time to share breakfast with Kevin and Lynne, and take a walk back through the Puerto Viejo of Algorta and along the beach before the cab to the airport arrived.
It was a very quick five days together but I think we all enjoyed it. Every once in a while it's important to play tour guide in your own city. Too often we forget to look up and to see what we have until it is time to discover and share it through the eyes of a tourist.
Hard to believe Kevin and Lynne's trip was already nearing an end. By Monday they were well adjusted to the time zone. So, it was the day of the grand tour from Algorta to Bilbao. We put on our walking shoes (no we didn't walk all the way to Bilbao...).
We started outside their Hotel High Tech Tamarises and walked along the coast toward Las Arenas. Its a very nice stroll along the water which included in numerous locations plaques describing the historic mansions we were passing along the way.
We crossed the Nervión river on the Puente Vizcaya to Portugalete, where I had lived. From there it was an uphill walk through the Casco Histórico and then on to catch the metro to Bilbao. It was nice to share a little bit of Portugalete with friends. I was hoping to stop for coffee in La Giroa, the bar that once played "Born in the USA" every time I entered, but it was closed. We continued on to the metro.
We got out in the Casco Viejo, Bilbao which has that typical narrow street, old building, no cars feeling that characterizes many cities in Spain. It is the one area of Bilbao that really hasn't changed. The store names have changed but the overall look and feel is still the same. After a beverage and some outstanding and unusual pintxos in the Plaza Nueva we stopped in the cathedral. I had never been in it before. While there were clearly some people in there to pray, I was surprised by the number of tourists inside taking pictures on a Monday morning.
Our final destination, the Guggenheim. Unfortunately it is closed on Monday's. So, we settled for some good pictures from the outside. I had to leave the group behind as it was nearing 4pm and I needed to pick up the girls from school by 4:30.
Eventually we all met back in Algorta. Our evening ended with a nice home cooked meal and, of course, the pastries we picked up earlier in the day.
Tuesday
Tuesday was a short morning as we only had a bit of time to share breakfast with Kevin and Lynne, and take a walk back through the Puerto Viejo of Algorta and along the beach before the cab to the airport arrived.
It was a very quick five days together but I think we all enjoyed it. Every once in a while it's important to play tour guide in your own city. Too often we forget to look up and to see what we have until it is time to discover and share it through the eyes of a tourist.
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