One of the great joys of this trip is that the stars aligned and I was able to meet up with friends I wasn’t sure I would ever see in person again and spend a day with them.
In 2019 I did the Camino de Santiago with my sister. On that trip we met two American women (S & R). The four of us started in St Jean Pied de Port on the same day, lamenting about the never ending up hill climb of the Pyrenees, and arrived in Santiago de Compostela together thirty three days later. Over the years we’ve kept in touch – more or less. S had let us know they were thinking of doing the Camino del Norte this year, so when my mid-youth crises reached a crescendo and i decided to run away to Europe, I reached out to see if there was a chance our paths could cross.
We met in Bilbao, Spain. I had gotten an overnight bus from Porto and arrived in Bilbao as the sun was rising.
My first, bleary impression of Bilbao was that it was wet and has the best tactiles (the raised lines and bumps on the sidewalks) that I’ve ever come across. The tactiles are extensive and consistent. The traffic lights don’t make noise, but at least you always know when you’re at a curb if you’re using a white cane. Even the bus station had great tactile all the way through it, you can follow them from the entrance all the way to the platform.
Bilbao is a cute place. I was only there for one night but what I saw of it I really liked. The old town was lovely and I liked their bridge.
I think what Bilbao might be most known for (although I can’t say for certain because I haven’t looked it up and I refuse to do so) is the Guggenheim Museum. The three of us spent the morning confused by the modern art. All the art is impressive. Some of it made me think I, too, could be an artist. Some of it made me dizzy (literally, not metaphorically). And some of it I actually liked. All of it baffling. When it comes to art, I am not sophisticated. If the painting or sculpture isn’t of a thing I recognise, I have no clue how to tell if it’s good or not. And abstract art makes me feel nothing other than mild confusion. What can I say? I’m an uncultured swine.
As a cherry on top of a pretty great day, I got a free upgrade at my hostel. Instead of a six bed dorm, I got assigned a two bed dorm. The luxury! Ensuite bathroom and everything. It was such an appreciated bonus, especially considering how exhausted overnight buses leave me.
It was just a brief, damp interlude in Bilbao so i didn’t have time for a walking tour or to really absorb the atmosphere. My main take away are mostly that Spain’s fresh orange juice is as good as ever and the rest of Europe should take note of how Bilbao utilises tactiles. Including London, Bilbao has been the most accessible city I’ve been to on this trip.
