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Cuba - More than old cars
Weather: sunny with some cloud, 27º C
Mileage: 210 Km; Total 2,340 kms
Off to Zaragoza but did not want to do it on a motorway. First stop was a short trip in the opposite direction to the very small village of Alzuza and the Oteiza Museum. Jorge Oteiza was not only an influential Basque sculptor but also a main influencer of Basque modern art. The museum had over 1,500 sculptures and many experimental pieces, drawings and collages. The museum consisted of part of his house and an extension designed by architect Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza.
We both liked the busts and Anne also liked the geometrical steel shapes. In fact we wonder if he ever met Richard Serra, the American who was responsible for the steel plate sculptures at the Guggenheim in Bilbao. While the building added on to the house did not look that impressive from the outside it was quite interesting from the inside. It was concrete and steel but also had windows at different heights which added a different dimension.
Now back on to the back roads and heading for Sos del rey Catolico, a village perched on a hill – again reminding us of the towns in Provence, France. Not recommended by anyone, we had to give Billy a name to get us off the motorways and this worked. What a nice little find – a medieval village with the usual churches, wall and gates. We wandered up and down the narrow little streets worried about getting lost but the place wasn’t really big enough for that.
When we finally escaped from its depths we went to a local bar/café for coffee and something to eat. Getting service was the usual waiting while the barman spoke with all the locals as they came in. The result was that we had our coffee and a muffin (like we came to Spain for chocolate muffin) just to speed things up. There was no English as usual but despite the lack of service they were pleasant enough.
Next stop was Zaragoza. On the trip down we could not get over how many fields of solar panels we saw (as well as the usual hundreds of wind turbines). We had heard that the EU was about to impose duties on Chinese solar panels as they thought they had been “dumping” them in the EU. Well, if that is true, I think we know where they all are!
The direction that we came into Zaragoza from meant that somehow we had to turn around after passing the hotel which was on the other side of the road. It took about 1.5 kms before we could do this and then had to negotiate one of those multi lane roundabouts with lights in them and at least 5 exits. Bruce is sure he will never get used to these and is always checking to see how the locals negotiate them. Not sure he is willing to try it their way yet.
After parking the car and checking in, off for a short walk to get oriented and a bite to eat. We went in search of a restaurant that had a recommendation but we were the only patrons – too early as usual. The place had a number of stuffed bulls heads and a lot of information about bull fighting and fighters on the walls. A drink and a couple of ranciones and we left for the plaza outside the Basilica of Our Lady of El Pilar. More about that tomorrow but for now something more to eat and back to the hotel.
Mileage: 210 Km; Total 2,340 kms
Off to Zaragoza but did not want to do it on a motorway. First stop was a short trip in the opposite direction to the very small village of Alzuza and the Oteiza Museum. Jorge Oteiza was not only an influential Basque sculptor but also a main influencer of Basque modern art. The museum had over 1,500 sculptures and many experimental pieces, drawings and collages. The museum consisted of part of his house and an extension designed by architect Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza.
We both liked the busts and Anne also liked the geometrical steel shapes. In fact we wonder if he ever met Richard Serra, the American who was responsible for the steel plate sculptures at the Guggenheim in Bilbao. While the building added on to the house did not look that impressive from the outside it was quite interesting from the inside. It was concrete and steel but also had windows at different heights which added a different dimension.
Now back on to the back roads and heading for Sos del rey Catolico, a village perched on a hill – again reminding us of the towns in Provence, France. Not recommended by anyone, we had to give Billy a name to get us off the motorways and this worked. What a nice little find – a medieval village with the usual churches, wall and gates. We wandered up and down the narrow little streets worried about getting lost but the place wasn’t really big enough for that.
When we finally escaped from its depths we went to a local bar/café for coffee and something to eat. Getting service was the usual waiting while the barman spoke with all the locals as they came in. The result was that we had our coffee and a muffin (like we came to Spain for chocolate muffin) just to speed things up. There was no English as usual but despite the lack of service they were pleasant enough.
Next stop was Zaragoza. On the trip down we could not get over how many fields of solar panels we saw (as well as the usual hundreds of wind turbines). We had heard that the EU was about to impose duties on Chinese solar panels as they thought they had been “dumping” them in the EU. Well, if that is true, I think we know where they all are!
The direction that we came into Zaragoza from meant that somehow we had to turn around after passing the hotel which was on the other side of the road. It took about 1.5 kms before we could do this and then had to negotiate one of those multi lane roundabouts with lights in them and at least 5 exits. Bruce is sure he will never get used to these and is always checking to see how the locals negotiate them. Not sure he is willing to try it their way yet.
After parking the car and checking in, off for a short walk to get oriented and a bite to eat. We went in search of a restaurant that had a recommendation but we were the only patrons – too early as usual. The place had a number of stuffed bulls heads and a lot of information about bull fighting and fighters on the walls. A drink and a couple of ranciones and we left for the plaza outside the Basilica of Our Lady of El Pilar. More about that tomorrow but for now something more to eat and back to the hotel.
- comments
Ros All sounds great..even eating like a local...well nearly !!!!!