Kevin's Blog

Joseba, Isabel and Beatriz took us to Lezama today to watch Athletic Club train. Fortunately for us, they held a controlled scrimmage with referees. Bielsa (the coach) stood in the middle of the pitch coaching the players.

When we decided to take in an exchange student last summer, we had no idea how much we’d learn about Spain and the Basque Country. And we never imagined we’d end up in Basque Country the next year! We met up with Beatriz and her mother Isabel in front of a statue of John Adams. Adams had come to study the Basque region as part of his education. I will have to read Adams’ “A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America” as noted by the council of Bizkaia.

Beatriz’ family absolutely spoiled us. We shopped, drank wine (Txakolatte, spelling is definitely wrong – a white wine kind of similar to Reisling), ate Pintxos, travelled to the beach by metro and car, drank wine at the beach and ended with a hearty traditional meal of salad, chicken, beef and fish (and cerveza). We also met Beatriz’s uncle Aitor and his girlfriend Virginia who helped drive us around in their really cool Fiat. Beatriz’ father Joseba met us for dinner and cooked the beef at the table – it reminded me of an Argentina BBQ. Many thanks (Eskerrik Asko) to Aitor, Isabel and Joseba for driving us all over the place and walking us back to our hotel! And eskerrik asko for the fantastic meal!!

Too many pictures to post… But here are a few.

Don’t even know where to start today… We had breakfast in the hotel and met up with the Oudejans. Walked through Bilbao and went to the Guggenheim museum.

The Guggenheim is full of modern artwork. There is a strong overarching emphasis on the response by the art community to the changing world of the early 1900s. The world became a very ugly place and the art reflected it. The museum helps give meaning to the art work of the 1930’s – 1950’s and explains why Picasso was the hero of the day.

We checked out of Logroño this morning and visited fellow Spacecoast Frozen Hurricane skater Tiffany and her husband Michael at their villa in Torrecilla en Cameros. This is a quiet little village in the mountains. It was VERY cold this morning with snow visible all around us on the mountain peaks. We walked around and even met the villa owner Joquin and his greyhound.

Today is the second (and last) day of the competition. Lots of nationalism in the stands. We’re sitting with a lot of Spanish fans!

Our last night walking around in a light rain. This is the side of the cathedral where I thought the lighting was pretty cool.