Helen Page introduces you to Bilbao and Jeff Koons’ “Puppy” from the forecourt of the Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum. Bilbao, in the north of Spain, is the capital of the province of Biscay and the largest city in the Basque Country. But for most visitors, it is the Guggenheim Museum that brings them here.

“Well, we left Santander this morning and here we are in Bilbao to see Frank Gehry’s famous Guggenheim Museum. This is what four million people come to see each year. This place is HUGE. A good thing to do is to walk around the Museum and see the different aspects of the building – as the light shines on it it does it does amazing things. It’s made of titanium and it’s interesting because it doesn’t discolour.

Obviously there’s great artwork in the Guggenheim if you’ve got time to see it, but we’re only here for a couple of hours so we only had time to walk around. The weather here is brilliant and it’s quite warm even though it started out quite cool this morning.

So, I’m going to walk that way to look at the different colours and check out this beautiful puppy that you see resplendent in beautiful floral arrangements. Yes this is Jeff Koon’s “Puppy”. We saw it in Sydney where it was green and gold, but here it is beautiful many coloured flowers. I love it, it’s so beautiful, so I’m off to pet my puppy now. Bye!”

Get more details about Bilbao and the Guggenheim in our next post: “Bilbao – Home of the Stunning Guggenheim Museum“

Did I leave anything out?]]> http://www.travelsignposts.com/Spain/destinations/bilbao-live-frank-gehrys-guggenheim-museum/feed 0 http://www.travelsignposts.com/Spain/destinations/santander-live-sardinero-beach http://www.travelsignposts.com/Spain/destinations/santander-live-sardinero-beach#comments Wed, 23 May 2012 13:34:59 +0000 Tony Page http://www.travelsignposts.com/Spain/?p=2493 Santander, The Capital of Cantabria, is Famous for Its Beaches:

Helen Page talks about Burgos and Santander from Sardinero Beach esplanade. Santander, on the north coast of Spain, is famous for its vast stretches of beaches. When a summer palace was built here for King Alfonso XIII in 1912, it sealed the town’s reputation as a popular summer retreat:

“Well, we left Madrid this morning and after a couple of hours drive we arrived at Burgos, which is famous for its cathedral – it’s an amazing cathedral. There’s lots of little chapels with beautiful artwork and sculptures and that’s where El Cid’s grave is. There’s a lot to see there. We had a couple of hours and we had to practically rush through the place. It’s a beautiful place – it’s an absolutely must-visit place. We had lunch in Burgos and then it was a couple of hours drive up to Santander. Oh, another thing, Burgos is on the pilgrimage route, so pilgrims on the Santiago de Compostella route stop in Burgos.

So now here we are in Santander on the north coast of Spain. This region is Cantabria, famous for its beaches. There’s lots of stretches of beach and this particular stretch is called Sardinero. Beautiful weather, lots of sunshine.

Actually, there’s not a lot of monuments to see here and the main attraction is the casino. It must be doing well as there’s a new hotel being built next to it. The beaches are quite crowded, lots of local people. But, it’s a bit windy and chilly up here on the Esplanade, so I’m going to walk down there now and see what’s happening on the beach. See you later!”

Get more details about Santander in our next post: “Santander – Capital of Cantabria“

The Convent - Gibraltar

Towards the southern end of the Main Street of Gibraltar is The Convent, the official residence of the Governor of Gibraltar since 1711. This humble name of the building is derived from the fact that the building was originally founded as a Franciscan Convent.

The Convent

The Franciscan Friary was founded around 1480, earlier than the Discovery of America. When the friars left Gibraltar in 1704, use of the building was transferred to Gibraltar’s Governor and it subsequently became the Governor’s residence. The Convent’s red brick facade and marble portico date from 1863.

As a result of protests from extreme protestant organizations in 1903, the building was renamed to “Government House”. However, during a war-time visit by King George VI in 1943, he authorized the resumption of the old name and up to today the building is called The Convent. The Governor must enjoy telling foreign dignitaries that he lives in a convent!

Adjacent to the Convent is the King’s Chapel which later became the garrison church.  King’s Chapel was renamed “Queen’s Chapel” during Queen Victoria’s reign, however Queen Elizabeth II  restored the name to its original King’s Chapel.The building was used as a store during the Great Siege of 1779-1783. Two British governors were buried here.

Changing of the Guard

The Convent is guarded by officers of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. Following in the tradition of British royal ceremonies, a Changing of the Guard takes place in front of the Convent. If you’re in the area, you’ll most likely witness this as it takes place  several times a day.  It is nowhere as grand as the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, but nevertheless, it does attract some attention.

My favourite building is the attractive building across the road from the Convent.  The white Convent Guard House has two shining brass cannons in front of it..

Rock of Gibraltar

From Torremolinos we travelled westward along the Costa del Sol to La Linea de la Conception to make a visit to Gibraltar before going on to Seville. Many first-time visitors to Gibraltar may find this place a little curious. Where it sits at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula, it seems very much like a part of Spain, but it is actually a British Overseas Territory and there is passport control between Spain and Gibraltar.

A Strategic British Overseas Territory

Gibraltar was once Spanish territory, but it was surrendered to Britain under the terms of the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht which ended the War of the Spanish Succession. In the dim distant past when many battles

for territory and supremacy were fought out at sea, Gibraltar was very important British outpost. Due to its strategic location, it became an important base for the British Royal Navy in the Battle of Trafalgar and the Crimean War. When the Suez Canal opened in 1869, Gibraltar became even more important. Situated at the narrow entrance which is the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea on one side of the well-known Straits of Gibraltar, it sits on the sea route between Britain and its empire east of the Suez.

Steadfastly British

The Rock of Gibraltar is the famous landmark in the area and during World War II the German’s tried to capture the Rock, but they failed. Having given Gibraltar to the British in 1713, Spain has been trying to claim it back, without success. The majority of Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain under British sovereignty. Even a proposal for joint Spanish/British sovereignty was rejected by 99% of Gibraltarians. In spite of this, Spain still insists that Gibraltar belongs to them and every now and then diplomatic flare-ups occur. Most recently, Queen Sofia was not allowed to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee luncheon hosted for the world’s sovereigns. She could go in her personal capacity, but not as Queen of Spain.

Things to See and Do in Gibraltar

Gibraltar Duty-free Alcohol

About 4 million visitors stream across the border from La Linea de la Conception in Spain into Gibraltar each year. Although the Spanish government is not happy with the Britain owning the territory, the Spanish citizens however flock here in droves because of the duty-free alcohol and cigarettes.

Shopping Gibraltar

Within a minute of stepping onto Main Street, Gibraltar’s main shopping thoroughfare, you will see shops and supermarkets stacked full with duty-free alcohol and cigarettes. Gibraltar is a duty-free port and visitors can buy cameras, electronic goods, perfumes and clothing free of VAT. Given the high rate of VAT in Spain and elsewhere in Europe, it’s understandable why shopping in Gibraltar is a big hit.

Further along on Main Street is one of the most popular attractions of Gibraltar – the Governor’s House, also known as The Convent. The grounds were previously used as a Franciscan convent from 1531-1704, hence the name.  The Convent has been the official residence of the Governor of Gibraltar since 1728. At first glance, things seem to have changed little since then. Next door is the King’s Chapel which was part of the Franciscan convent and later the garrison church.

As a British territory, Gibraltar maintains many of the traditions of the Empire. Nowhere is this more evident than in the changing of the guard ceremony.  The Governor’s House is guarded by soldiers of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and the changing of the guards takes place in front of The Convent.

The Rock of Gibraltar served as an important military lookout in the past, but these days it’s curiosity that brings visitors to see it. Take the Gibraltar cable car to the top for spectacular views of the Mediterranean as well as Spain, which is visible in the distance.

Rock of Gibraltar's Barbary Ape

Monkey Business

Among other things, the Rock is home to several tribes of Barbary Macaques, tailless monkeys who were carried here centuries earlier by traders. These are the only wild monkeys in Europe, but they roam freely amongst the humans and are a source of amusement for visitors. On a past visit, I’ve seen the Barbary apes stealing food off tourists, but on this visit they seemed more well-behaved. They are fed fresh food every day so perhaps there’s no need to steel from tourists. Still, it pays to be on guard. According to the local legend, if the Apes leave The Rock, Gibraltar will cease to be British. So perhaps a way for the Spanish to get Gibraltar back is to lure the apes away.

St Michael’s Cave is a vast system of spectacular natural caverns where giant stalactites and stalagmites can be seen. One of the huge caverns is used as an auditorium for concerts and live shows.

Nearby are the Siege Tunnels, built by the British during the Great Siege of the late 18th century. From 1779-1783 the French and Spanish laid siege to the British citizens of Gibraltar, but failed to drive them out. The tunnels were carved during those years in order to move and place artillery throughout the Rock of Gibraltar without being fired upon by the enemy.

Also not far away, and part of The Reserve, is the Moorish Castle. Built in the 11th century during the Moorish occupation of Spain, it is all that remains of the castle complex.

Visiting Gibraltar

As mentioned earlier, there is border control between Spain and Gibraltar and passports are required to be shown for entry to Gibraltar. Visas are required for certain nationals and unfortunately one of our fellow travellers, a guy from Saudi Arabia, was not able to enter as he didn’t have a visa. If you’re holidaying in the Costa del Sol and don’t have a car, it may be easier to take a sightseeing tour to Gibraltar.

Gibraltar Hotels

If you’re planning a holiday in Gibraltar, there are only a few hotels in Gibraltar itself, such as:

• The Rock which as the name implies is located on The Rock of Gibraltar,
• The Caleta Hotel and Apartments on the eastern side of the Rock with great views of the Mediterranean
• Queen’s Hotel near the Gibraltar cable car station, and
• O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel in the heart of Gibraltar town

However, for those with cars, La Linea de la Concepcion offers a bigger choice of hotels and at better rates.

See more Gibraltar photos in Travelsignposts’ Gibraltar gallery Here.

Map of Gibraltar

Flamenco at Palacio Andaluz

Seville, Jerez and Cadiz are the three points of the triangle that frame the area considered to be the birthplace of flamenco. On our recent visit to Seville, we had the opportunity to experience this Andalusian forklore’s purest and most genuine artistic expression at the El Palacio Andaluz, a tablao close to La Macarena where we were staying.

Flamenco in Seville

In Seville’s districts, streets and tucked away in hidden plazas you’ll find many tablaos, tabernas and other small venues that host flamenco shows. Like bullfighting, flamenco is very much a part of the culture and tradition of Seville and flamenco is a common feature in the many festivals and events that take place in Seville throughout the year.

Famous Flamenco Venue in Seville

For our Seville flamenco show we were taken to Palacio Andaluz which is conveniently located near our hotel in La Macarena.  Palacio Andaluz is a large venue with a huge stage and on first impression,

and looking around at the audience, it feels like a tourist trap. But we suspend judgement as our guide says that it is one of the two famous flamenco venues and that one of the ladies is one of the top flamenco dancers in Seville. Palacio Andaluz itself claims to be the most authentic tablao of Andalusia.

When the theatre lights dim and the show begins, we quickly forget about the venue itself and the people around us. The sound of the guitarists frantically plucking their guitars, the rythmic clapping and the sound of pounding heels on stage fully grab our attention as do the colourful swirling flamenco dresses and the beautiful dancers who wear them.

One of the Star Flamenco Dancers

Palacio Andaluz Flamenco Show

Palacio Andaluz has a large cast of flamenco dancers, musicians, singers and clappers and many of them are award-winning artists in the flamenco world. During the one and a half hour show, the dancers performed the different styles of flamenco, of which there are many.  From the bulerias to the soleares, fandangos, sevillanas and more, the energy level and performances were great. We needn’t have worried about this being a touristy show as the emotions were genuine and the expressions of happiness, sorrow, sweat and tears were clearly conveyed on the faces of the dancers, singers and musicians, even though we didn’t understand the lyrics or the music.

Whether it is one of the best flamenco venues in Seville or not we are not competent to say, but the show was very enjoyable. This troop has been chosen by TVE (Spain TV) to represent the art of flamenco at National and International events, so they must be one of the best. Like many of the tablaos, Palacio Andaluz offers a show with a drink, show with tapas dinner or show with ala carte dinner.

For those who are keen to learn more about the origins of flamenco, how it has evolved, the personalities and events that make it a universally popular artform may be interested in visiting the Museo del Baile Flamenco (www.flamencomuseum.com) at Calle Manuel Rojas Marcos, 3. You can also enjoy flamenco shows here as well as enroll in flamenco classes and workshops here.

You can also combine a Seville Night tour with a Tablao Flamenco Show. See HERE for details.

See more photos of flamenco at Palacio Andaluz at Travelsignposts gallery HERE.

For more Seville Info, see HERE.

Address:
El Palacio Andaluz
Calle de María Auxiliadora, 18A
41008 Seville, Spain
Website: www.elpalacioandaluz.com
Tel: +34.954.53.47.20

Map of Seville:

Plaza de España - Seville

Seville’s Plaza de España is a semi-circle of buildings built in theatrical style on the edge of Parque de María Luisa. The complex looks grand and antique, but it was only built some 84 years ago as a centrepiece of the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929.

The Ibero-American Exposition

The Ibero-American Exposition was a world fair held in Seville in 1929 to improve Spain’s relations with the countries in attendance, many of which were former colonies of Spain. Although it was smaller than the International Exposition held in Barcelona in that same year, it was nevertheless stylish and built to show off Seville’s building and industrial talents to the countries attending.

Plaza de España

Plaza de España was designed by Aníbal González who adopted a combination of 1920s Art Deco and mock-Mudéjar, Neo-Mudéjar styles for this Seville plaza. Buildings frame the huge semi-circle and in front of the buildings, following the curve of the building façade, is a 500-metre canal  with four bridges crossing it. In the centre of it all is the Plaza itself with a fountain. A either end of the Plaza is a tower, tall enough to be visible around the city.  If one of these landmarks look a little familiar, it is a look-alike of La Giralda.

Plaza de España looks ostentatious and gives the impression that it was the folly of some past Spanish ruler. But love it or hate it, it is nevertheless impressive especially when you look at the exquisite tilework, especially those on the bridges and the 48 alcoves representing each of Spain’s

Plaza de España - Seville

Although it was thought that many of the foreign buildings would be used as consulates after the closing of the Expo, today the Plaza de España mainly houses various government offices.

The Plaza is known as “the Venice of Seville” and you can rent small boats to row in the canal. But more interestingly, Plaza de España has been used as film sets for a number of major movies, such as Star Wars II, Lawrence of Arabia, and Sasha Baron-Cohen’s latest film The Dictator.

See more photos of Plaza de España at Travelsignposts Plaza de España Gallery HERE.

For more Seville Info, see HERE.

Address:
Plaza de España
Parque Maria Luisa
41013 Seville, Spain

Map of Seville:

Seville Alcázar - Puerto del Léon

One of the most impressive sights in Seville, and certainly one of the more visited royal residences, is the famous Reales Alcázares de Sevilla (Royal Alcázars of Seville). The Seville Alcázar is a series of palaces, patios, apartments and halls with some of the finest examples of Mudéjar architecture and decoration in Spain.

Pedro I’s Seville Alcázar

The Seville Alcázar was built in 1364 on the orders of Pedro I, also known as Pedro the Cruel. It was built on the site that was previously the palace grounds of the city’s Moorish rulers. Pedro I brought in Moorish craftsmen from Granada and Toledo to build his royal residence in Mudéjar style. Later monarchs added their own influences to the Alcázar resulting in a structure with combined elements of Mudéjar, Gothic, Baroque and many other architectural styles. The upper levels of the Alcázar are still used by the Spanish royal family as their official Seville residence.

Visiting the Alcázar

To truly appreciate the exquisite architecture of the Alcázar, you would need to spend half a day here. The Alcázar is filled with awe-inspiring carved wooden ceilings – inlaid and featuring gold leaf, plasterwork, glazed tiles and equally stunning tapestries.  We visited on a tour which went a bit too quickly and we couldn’t turn our head left and right fast enough to take in all the features of the royal palace, let alone trying to remember everything that we saw.

Be sure not to miss:

• the eye-catching Puerta del León on Plaza Triunfo
• the Patio de la Montería where the court met before hunting expeditions


Alcázar - Patio de las Doncellas

• the Patio de las Munecas
• the Patio de las Doncellas (Courtyard of the Maidens) – a reference to the legend that the Moors demanded 100 virgins every year as a tribute from christian kingdoms in Iberia.
• the magnificent gold-gilded dome of the Salon de Embajadores

The exterior is equally impressive with serene gardens that provide an oasis in this hectic Spanish city. The new garden section houses a fascinating mixture of English and Moorish styles. The Pool of Mercury and the Doña María de Padilla baths are other highlights that must be included on your Alcázar visit.

The visit to the Seville Alcázar was a highlight of our trip to the Andalucian capital as it gave us the opportunity to see the finest of Mudéjar architecture. But it definitely needed a longer visit than the one that we had.

Opening Times:
Mon – Sun: 09:30 – 19:00 (Closed on Jan 1st and 6th, Good Friday and December 25th)

You can see an extensive coverage of the Alcázar at Travelsignposts Seville Alcázar gallery HERE.

For more Seville Info, see HERE.

Address:
Real Alcazar de Sevilla
Patio de Banderas s/n. 41004 – Sevilla

Map of Seville:

Tapas in Seville

We learned about the art of “tapeo” when we landed in Madrid so by the time we got to Seville, we were already quite well versed in the gastronomic art of tapas tasting – moving from bar to bar trying small portions of a range of dishes.

Tapas in Seville

Andalucia is the birthplace of tapas and in its capital Seville there are plenty of great places in the city to “ir de tapeo” (do the tapas crawl). Tapas bars can be found along the main streets of Seville, in the compact plazas of its historic quarter and tucked away in the side alleys.

As visitors, there is no way we can be as cool as the Sevillanos in the art of tapeo, as we are in too much of a hurry to see and taste as much as possible. However even if you’re only in Seville for a short stay, trying a few tapas bars and cafes will give a small taste of how tapas is part and parcel of the local culture.

Wander around the neighbourhoods of Alfalfa, Santa Cruz, the Plaza San Salvador end of Tetuán, or the districts of Triana and La Macarena and you’ll find tasty tapas bars everywhere. Typical tapas dishes include cured Iberian ham, Iberian cured pork sausages, olives, patatas, garlic prawns and a range of fried fish such as anchovies, marinated dogfish, puntillitas (small squid) and montaditos (small toasted sandwiches).

Atmospheric Tapas Bars

A few tapas bars/cafes worth looking up include:

Bar Giralda at No. 2 Calle Mateos Gago in Santa Cruz is popular for its wide variety of tapas. The bar is set in the remains of an old Moorish bathhouse. While in Calle Mateos Gago, also try some of the tapas bars in the street such as La Fresquita at Mateo Gago 29. This busy place has great tapas and plenty of local atmosphere.

Las Columnas on Plaza Alameda de Hercules, 19, is the most popular tapas bar in Barrio de Santa Cruz district. It has great tapas and great atmosphere.

El Rinconcillo at Calle Gerona 40 is Seville’s oldest bar and has been in business since 1670 – the bill is still written in chalk on the bar. As they’ve been in business for over 340 years, they know how to serve good tapas and the atmosphere is charming and authentic.

For more Seville Info, see HERE.