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Located in the north of Spain, Bilbao is a port city most famous for the Frank Gehry design Guggenheim Museum. The cosmopolitan Basque city is a safe haven for young families and seniors alike. Unique architecture is everywhere with the highlight being the emblematic Guggenheim. We took a bus into the city center and started our walk toward the waterfront where the museum is located. It is one of the world’s finest modern art museums. Having limited time, we admired the striking, structural design and giant bear decorated in flowers in the main plaza. Needless to say, it was not as walkable a city as we had imagined. Even though the city center streets are laid out in a grid our dilemma was being ill prepared for our visit there. Normally our routine before we visit a city is the watch endless YouTubes and read guild journals so by the time, we arrive it is like we have been there before. Bilbao was a prime example of the pitfalls of winging it. We like to call it being out of focus. Not to say, although we did enjoy the beauty of the city our experience there was rather aimlessly moving around without a plan. Like most European cities there are lots of interesting stores, bakeries and eating establishments on almost every block. Everywhere we went, we walked a little and snack on local delights as a personal reward. As we do regularly on our travels, we walk a lot and it is impossible not to refuel with a little local food and drink.
Spain is all about Tapas and in most cities finding good taste treats and wine is easier than breathing. We located a small café on a side street and after looking the menu over decided that we could not go wrong. We sat down and ordered a few small dishes with a few glasses of local Rioja wine. As tradition dictates, you eat a little, drink a little, talk a little and the combination helps you to relax a lot. Iberian ham in Spain is like Prosciutto in Italy. Truly the Wagu of ham, this cured meat is sliced paper thin and literally melts in your mouth. Combine that with some local cheese and homemade bread and saying you are in for a treat is an understatement. A plate of mixed olives in olive oil and some assorted fish Tapas and you’re set. Add a few glasses or a bottle of local wine and you could not ask for more. European living at its best. Let’s face it, if we are fortunate, we will live to a ripe old age. The biggest part of the puzzle is quality of life. Fact of the matter is, with aging comes fear. Seniors worry about being less mobile, lonely, and having debilitating memory loss. Bilbao is taking these issues seriously and offers its senior population city wide programs for maintaining cognitive abilities in two public parks. Outdoor games help with attention span thereby improving mental fitness. The parks also provide stationary bikes to improve physical performance as well. Tie those things together and it also promotes connection with the end result of people being less lonely. A sobering thought by the World Health Organization estimates by the year 2050 there will be over 2 billion people over the age of 60. Holy moly, just thinking about that it might be time for more Tapas and wine.
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About UsTravel is living life to its fullest. Sharing our journey and adventures create memories that live on as we truly enjoy the passage of time Archives
October 2022
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