When I was planning my multi-nation trip across the globe I was looking for a place between Asia and South America, but couldn't find one that made a lot of sense from a logistical point of view. I've always wanted to go to Spain, so even though it's not exactly half way between India and Peru, I used Spain as the dogleg for my trip and it did become a turning point for me.
I only had about ten days so I limited my visit to the northern half of the country. Flying overnight from India I landed in Madrid at midday and over the course of the next week and a half traveled to Barcelona, San Sebastian, Bilbao and then back to Madrid for my flight to South America.
After spending more than two months in southeast Asia and India I needed a taste of something closer to my own world to recalibrate my senses. I didn't realize it at the time, but sandwiching Spain between the first and second half of my journey made all the sense in the world.
During my first day in Madrid I chuckled to myself when a man on a motor scooter almost hit me and a few others after he ran a red light. The other pedestrians began yelling at him in a typical western fit of road rage. In India no one would have said a word and they would have admired the man on the scooter for squeezing through the intersection.
Above: Scenes from Madrid at night.
Travelers to the northern part of Spain often make comparisons between Madrid and Barcelona. To me, Madrid seemed more like New York City, with lots of people on the streets and lots of shopping. Of course it was Christmas season and that seemed to add to the crowds.
Off the main street in the center of town - Calle Gran Via - there are blocks and blocks of narrow sometimes cobblestoned streets lined with small shops, offices and apartments. Locals seem to mix easily with tourists and out of towners, but those from outside Madrid seem to dominate the city during the day and on weekends.
Along with the shopping there are plenty of restaurants serving food from all over the world. The food scene in Madrid is not dedicated to Spanish cuisine, however it is in Madrid that I noticed it is never too early in Spain for a ham sandwich (prosciutto) served on a baguette. They are always on the menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner and in between snacks.
Barcelona is similar but seems more connected to culture than shopping. The work and influence of Antoni Gaudi can be seen everywhere in the architecture. Even in buildings and public spaces he had nothing to do with.
There is a museum showcasing the work of Picasso. The architecture is closer to human scale in most of the city. There are several avenues dedicated to shopping with wide pedestrian walkways down the center. The most famous is known as La Rambla - which seems like an appropriate name since it is perfect for strolling.
I am an early riser, but in Spain I found it did me little good except when it came to taking pictures. Business doesn't really begin, the streets don't come alive, until around nine or ten in the morning. Then there is a break between two and four in the afternoon when most businesses close for a long lunch break. Some restaurants don't open until six, seven, or even later.
I am also told that we should not envy the two hours off in the middle of the afternoon, because most people in Spain work until eight or nine at night. I have heard other travelers to Spain complain about the restaurant schedule, but I always managed to find something open when I wanted to eat. It helped that I was staying at a hotel with a bakery on the first floor.
By far the most visited destination in Barcelona is la Sagrada Familia, the cathedral designed by Antoni Gaudi more than 100 years ago. It is still under construction, but most of the work is being done outside high above the streets of the city. The inside is mostly complete.
The cathedral is due to be completed in 2026 - the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death. He was struck and killed by a trolley in Barcelona while overseeing the construction of his masterpiece. He knew he would not live to see the completion of the project, simply because of his age, so he made sure that the side of the cathedral depicting the birth of Christ was finished first so it could be used as a model for the rest.
Over the years other artists have been called on to contribute their work to some of the details of the project, but the building remains the highest and best example of Gaudi's design artistry.*
From Barcelona I traveled - again by train - to the northern seaside city of San Sebastian and fell in love almost immediately. What's not to like?
San Sebastian is in the Basque country of Spain and is also known as Donostia.
The waters of the Bay of Biscay pound the coast all day long and at one point push into a river in the center of the city. The streets are lined with charming buildings no more than six or seven stories tall. It is highly walkable. The food is out of this world.
The small restaurants of San Sebastian specialize in tapas style food known as pintxo. You can order the small dishes from a menu, but the best way to enjoy the offerings is to ask for a plate and walk down the bar picking out the best looking food by hand. At the end you show your plate to whoever is behind the bar and they give you a bill. It usually cost me between fifteen and twenty euro for a full meal. The food is fresh and immaculately prepared and presented.
Above: The food heaven of San Sebastian
Pintxo means "pierced" and most of the food - small sandwiches and other bite sized portions - are pierced with a long cocktail pick. I am not a foodie, but I can tell you that the flavors keep you coming back for more. I was in San Sebastian for three nights and on two of those nights I ate dinner at six and again at eight. One morning I was walking by a pintxo place, looked at my watch and saw it was 11:30a.m. I immediately said to myself, "It could be lunchtime," and walked in and ordered some more. I am mainly a vegetarian, but not in San Sebastian.
Along with the addiction, or reliance, on small ham sandwiches on baguettes, I noticed in San Sebastian (and elsewhere in Spain) that it's never too early to have a glass of wine or a half a pint of beer. This is one of those times I found it unfortunate that I don't drink. I imagine a short glass of beer would have been really good with some of the spicy and salty foods I enjoyed.
San Sebastian has a proud Basque history. It's second name (or maybe its first) - Donostia - is a Basque name. There is a small museum on the edge of town dedicated to telling the story of the people who have populated this part of the world and at times have tried to separate from Spain.
The city is also known for its dramatic coastline. It is cold, but it attracts surfers from around the world and people who just like to walk the beach no matter the weather. There are several high points around the city (which I didn't get to) that offer incredible views of the shoreline and the ocean. These points are very pretty at night.
When planning a trip to Spain it is hard to look at the map and not say - "Oh, I can go here and I can go there." There are a number of places in northern Spain where I would have liked to stop, but I didn't because I didn't have enough time. But being interested in architecture I had to make a day trip from San Sebastian to Bilbao to see the Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Gehry. It is credited with turning the city around after a long period of decline.
The Guggenheim sits next to a river and can be seen from the center of the city down many of the avenues of Bilbao. Its shiny metal surface and jumble of shapes would stand out anywhere. When I first studied it up close I wondered, "What was Gehry thinking?" Having just been in Barcelona I also wondered what Gaudi would think of this modern work.
I got to Bilbao before the museum opened so I could walk the full exterior and take photos in the morning light. I was disappointed I could not take photos inside (not of the art works but of the interior of the building itself), because the interior is designed to provide massive open volumes of space and the detailing is very interesting. The art work in the museum is over-shadowed by the building in my estimation, but that was OK with me.
As in many European countries the train service in Spain is fantastic. The trains are easy to use, clean, fast, efficient. You can book trips online using your cell phone. Anyone can do it. I easily completed the triangle between Madrid, Barcelona and San Sebastian (I took a bus to Bilbao) using the Omio app. It is a cliche to ask, but as an American I had to ask myself why we can't have this kind of train service between our major cities (all of them). I know it's a complicated answer, but it should be a national goal.
The Spanish countryside reminded me of a cross between Tuscany and the American southwest. The cities reminded me of the American view of European sophistication. My visit to Spain, following my time in Asia was just what I needed. And the immersion in a Spanish speaking culture helped prepare me for my trip to South America. I look forward to going back and seeing all those cities and regions I had to cut from the list this time.
* I plan another essay in the next few weeks comparing the work of Gaudi to the work of Frank Gehry the architect who gave new life to the city of Bilbao when he designed an iconic museum for the city. It will have more photos and information about la Sagrada Familia and the Guggenheim.
Credits:
© Dean Pagani 2019