Drawings by Sharon Frost.
Since we retired from our day jobs we generally spend July and August on the road. We decided to try northern Spain this year. We're both summer averse and have been in the habit of heading to Buenos Aires for the hot months. A complex of obligations (medical and otherwise) dictated that we stay closer to home. We couldn't find an affordable apartment in Vigo so we went on to Asturias and Pais Vasco for trip planning. In fact this area worked out very well for us. Even when it got warm at night the temperatures cooled nicely after dark. And all the places in which we lingered: Gijón, Oviedo, Bilbao and Burgos suited us very well. Wonderful architectural contrasts: from La Catedral de Oviedo to the Guggenheim Bilbao. Fabulous museum experiences, from the glam Guggenheim to the love Asturian Museum in Oviedo. We plan to go back to Asturias next year. (We can't afford an apartment in Bilbao.)
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Rainy mroning in Oviedo. Marching umbrellas. I was fascinated by the umbrella culture in Oviedo. |
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Celebrating my husband's birthday in Oviedo, with a lunch at La Cuadra de Antón. Somehow we seem to find a parrilla everywhere we go. This one is particularly good, for not being in Argentina. |
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Our generous landlord gifted us with homemade Asturian arroz con leche. Delicious, with surprise pieces of orange and cinnamon inside. We're planning our last week in Oviedo. Sad to leave but looking forward to Bilbao. |
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In Bilbao, the beautiful leafy plaza of Jardines Albia. |
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At the Guggenheim Bilbao, completely engrossed in the Jean-Michel Basquiat retrospective from the Art Gallery of Ontario, "Now's the Time". Such a happy accident. I lived in the East Village for over 20 years, including all the Basquiat years and thought I had seen enough Basquiat. Turns out I had only scratched the surface. |
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Another happy art accident: wonderful installation of the work of sculptor William Tucker at the Museo de Bellas Artes. It's so interesting how an intelligent and sensitive installation can help you see things in a meaningful new way. (We had to lug the heavy catalog to this one in our travel bags -- didn't look like we'd be able to buy it in the states.) |
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