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Page 3 |
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CAVES,
CORKS, CUISINE, AND AN
ANNULAR ECLIPSE OF THE
SUN |
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Sept. 27:
Guggenheim and Gaudi. Bilbao
is a former industrial port that was literally dying of pollution until
the Guggenheim Foundation came calling. We arrive at the Guggenheim
Museum, are joined by the last three members of our group, and begin a
90-minute tour of this architectural |
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wonder. It was designed by Frank Gehry, took four years (and 133 million euros) to construct, and opened
in 1997. While the exhibits are interesting and unusual, the building
itself is the true work of art and the star attraction. Constructed of
limestone blocks, glass, and titanium panels (which cover most of the
exterior), the Museum literally flows around the site. A giant metal
spider strides down a walkway along the river, and a "dog" made of
flowers sits at the main entrance. The complex is an amazing spectacle
from any angle. |
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Press photo for
larger version - Photo by Aram
Kaprielian |
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After lunch in the
old city we’re off, heading west along the Costa Verde, the northern
coast of Spain. We make a brief stop for coffee on the outskirts of
Santander, and then continue to Comillas and the Gaudi House. Built
around 1885, its official name is El Capricho. It has a fanciful tower
over the front door and sunflower ceramic tiles as accents all around.
What an odd-looking place; it's now a restaurant but unfortunately we
can only wander the outside. |
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As darkness falls,
we take a shortcut along some narrow country roads to quickly reach our
hotel, the Parador of Santillana del Mar. It's a converted manor house
on the edge of the town's plaza, and is part of a state-owned chain of
historic buildings converted into hotels (paradors). Josu mentions that
Santillana del Mar is known as the village of three lies: there’s no
saint (Santo), it’s not flat (llana), nor is it near the sea (Mar).
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Press photo for
larger version - Photo by Aram
Kaprielian |
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Sept 28: Caves.
A short drive takes us to
the Museo de Altamira, where one of the first cave paintings in Europe
was discovered. In the cave’s central chamber the paintings (done in
ochre, red, and black) depict a variety of wild animals — bison, horses,
fawns and wild boar. The Altamira cave itself
is now closed to visitors, but a replica in the Museum is very well
done. The duplicate was created by first using lasers to scan the
original cave to get its exact dimensions. After the central chamber was
reconstructed, the paintings were applied to the fake ceiling employing
the same tools and techniques used by the prehistoric artists of 18,000
years ago.
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Hiking
to Cuevas de Covalanas
Photo by Aram Kaprielian |
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After exploring
the Museum we return to Santillana where we’re free to see the sights
for a couple of hours. It's a very picturesque little village with
cobblestone streets and houses that date back to the 14th century. But
soon we’re off again, driving into the rolling hills southeast of
Santillana.
We’ve received permission to visit Cuevas de Covalanas – a
cave containing about fourteen 20,000-year-old paintings. There are more
than 700 caves in the region, but only 11 are known to have paintings.
This particular limestone cave
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Press photo for
larger version - Photo by Aram
Kaprielian |
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was
found in 1903 but has only recently been opened to
visitors (but no more than 60 per day). Flashlights in hand we walk into
the darkness with our guide. The paintings are a short distance from the
entrance and are grouped together on opposite walls. There are several
deer; some faint, some obvious. There’s a bull whose back is actually
the curved edge of the rock; its legs and bottom are painted. The
animal’s heads face inward on one wall and outward on the other. When we
turn off our flashlights and our guide uses a softer light to illuminate
the paintings from the side, they almost come alive. It’s an amazing
sight that we feel privileged to experience. |
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PRESS HERE to go to
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| Back to Top |
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Copyright 2006 TravelQuest
International. All rights
reserved. 800-830-1998
Revised: April 18, 2006.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective companies or trademark holders. |
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