Sign on a Men's Room

How is this somebody's idea of a man who needs to use a restroom? Has a man wearing a suit and a tie, carrying an umbrella, ever used this particular restroom in this cathedral in Salamanca? 

I felt underdressed.

Gift Shop Clock

 

Salamanca

 This is how I like my Spanish cities: really old.

After the jump (i.e. the "Read more"), a few more photos and a bit of commentary.

One-Eyed Car

Nice little transportation museum, mostly about cars, in Salamanca.

I've never been a car guy, but I enjoy cars as feats of design. Three more photos within.

Caught My Eye

 

Underestimate This Lane Divider

 ...at your own peril.

Meet Michele and Tom

I promised no photos of people smiling at the camera, but...just this once.

Karen and I have been joined by our friends Michele and Tom, whose home base is in the south of France. Before this vacation began, I asked their permission to tell lies about them in my travel diary. (That's the ethical way to handle telling lies about people -- ask their permission first.)

Also at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum

 

Goya at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum

(I can't illustrate this post with my own photos because the prints in question were behind glass that gave off too many reflections. Instead I'm using public domain illustrations from Wikipedia.)

I Am Known in My Family

 ...for taking photos of tree bark. Here is another one.

Guggenheim Bilbao: "Infinity Room" by Yayoi Kusama

 

Always a delight to spend a few seconds in one of these before the person with the stopwatch tells you time's up.

Guggenheim Bilbao: Joan Miró

This temporary exhibit focuses on the years 1920-45, when the influence of Surrealism was more obvious in Miró's work than it became later on.

Guggenheim Bilbao: Richard Serra's "The Matter of Time"

Come see this traveling exhibit before it leaves the museum! 

Guggenheim Bilbao: The Building

I'm afraid I cannot sing the praises of this building. I do not care for it, nor for Frank Gehry's architecture in general.

Basque Tombstones

In the Museo San Telmo, dedicated to Basque history and culture, in San Sebastian. First time I've seen tombstones with round heads like these.

Anchovies Sizzling in Oil

I've always loved anchovies on pizza. As a main dish, though, this was a bit much even for me.

Caught My Eye

 

 

Weird-Looking Trees

Prominently featured in the old town section of San Sebastian.

Apparently some species of Tamarix; I haven't been able to figure out which.

Pinchos

 

Aka pintxos. The Basque version of tapas.

Yellow Sandstone

That's the substance of which much of San Sebastian -- the older parts at least -- is constructed. It's quite striking.

Above is my photo of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, which turns out to be neo-Gothic and thus only about 150 years old. Yellow sandstone, of course.

Pharmacia Signs

 

Written While Jet-Lagged @ 3:30 am

Phew. Karen made a great call by moving up our flight one day. The flight we would have tried to take on Wednesday was obliterated by the blizzard.

Welcome to the Land of the Rabbits

The etymology of "Spain" is uncertain, but the root may be I-Shpania, a Phoenician word meaning "land of the rabbits." Thus the name of this blog.