Would I Go Back To Bilbao?
I don’t think so, as I found the city, one of the worst for tourists, of those I’d visited in recent years.
Except for the tourist offices and my hotel, it was a city with a total lack of information.
It just didn’t have the feel of a place that wanted tourists. In many places I’ve travelled over the last few years, the locals have been extremely helpful and offer help, even if you don’t ask for it. The only help I got in Bilbao, was from a lady of Far Eastern appearance, whilst I was struggling with the Barik ticketing machine.
If it hadn’t been for the excellent tram and Metro, the visit would have been a total nightmare. As it was I walked far more than I would have liked.
As it was, outside of my hotel, I only bought two coffees in the city. So I don’t think I did much for the local tourism industry!
The Guggenheim Museum was worth a look on the outside, but I’ve never seen an art gallery, that was filled with so much crap!
At least the weather was nice and I got a touch of winter sunshine.
And the transport links from and to the city, don’t seem to be the best.
As it is a city of around a million people, Bilbao probably deserves a lot better.
Steps Everywhere At The Guggenheim
The more I walked ariound and looked at trhe Guggenheim Museum, the more I realised that my choice of hotel had been wrong.
My hotel had been close to the hotel and it was on the same level as much of the city. But the Guggenheim Museum and the excellent tram sat below the hotel and steps like this were the only way to get between the two levels.
Steps Everywhere At The Guggenheim
I did find later that a lift was positioned at the next tram stop, but surely a more direct method is needed at the Guggenheim Museum.
As I said earlier, if you have a mobility problem, make sure you stay close to the tram and get one to the museum.
Inside The Guggenheim Museum
I finally went inside the Guggenheim Museum on Tuesday morning.
The building is impressive, even if as I said before the art didn’t move me at all.
The Guggenheim In The Evening Sun
I took these pictures as the sun was playing with the shapes and textures of the Guggenheim Museum.
In my view you can’t take too many.
but it is that sort of building, even if it is full of rubbish.
The Puppy seems to do a good jib as a guardian.
Attention To Detail At The Guggenheim Museum
This picture shows a handrail around a part of the building, where I suspect a few might have bumped their heads.
Attention To Detail At The Guggenheim Museum
The building might be good from an architectural point of view, but I suspect many visitors will complain about some of the walking around the building, with lots of long staircases.
A Fabulous Building! Shame About The Art!
These pictures show the quality of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
Unfortunately, it had a collection of the most indulgent and useless art I’ve ever seen.
Except of course for the marvellous Puppy. But you don’t need to go in to see that.
That was the only art with any colour, except grey and brown.
One whole floor was given over to enormous curved steel structures. They would have been so much better in a public space, rather than hidden in a museum.
But the worst piece, was a slide carousel showing continuous images on the wall. All of the slides were blank. If that’s art, I’m a Chinaman!
I would advise visiting the museum on a fine, sunny Monday, as I did.As then, the museum is closed and you can just enjoy the building, the Puppy and their setting.
Grooming The Puppy
Puppy is an artwork by Jeff Koons outside the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
As it was Monday and the museum was closed, the puppy was being spruced up a bit.
The Anonymous Widower 