BACK TO THE GUGGEN

BILBAO - NOVEMBER 2008

Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is an outstanding building and an excellent museum. So, there is always a good reason to get there again and again...


"PUPPY - Jeff Koons' West Highland White Terrier..."



"GUGGEN - From the green..."


"GUGGEN - From the Pedro Arrupe pedestrian bridge, with the Gran Domine Hotel at the far right"



"GUGGEN - From the other side of the River Nervion"




"MAMAN - The giant spider by Louise Bourgeois"



INSIDE"


"RICHARD SERRA"


"INSIDE RICHARD SERRA - Not like «Being John Malkovich»..."


"TULIPS by Jeff Koons"


"FULL MOON"


"REFLECTIONS"

A HOTEL WITH A VIEW

BILBAO - NOVEMBER 2008

In November 2008 I went back to Bilbao, this time with my companion for the last thirty nine years, who hadn't been there since 1976... We stayed at the Gran Domine, and the view was this, from East to West...



"DE LA SALVE BRIDGE - With the ship structure of the Guggenheim Museum heading towards East"


"LIKE A SHIP"


"ROOF"


"FROM THE BEDROOM"


"FROM THE LIVING ROOM"


"WORKS - After the construction of the Guggen, Bilbao experienced a tremendous activity, not only from the cultural point of view, but also economically speaking. Works are carried on all over town..."


"LIVING ROOM"


"BEDROOM"


"BATHROOM - Philippe Starck"


"MARISCAL - The Hotel was entirely designed by Javier Mariscal - the creator of Cobi, the mascot for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Mariscal designed everything, from the uniforms to the façade, including the graphic image and its website, as well paintings and sculptures we may find inside the Hotel"


"FROM THE TERRACE - There is a wonderful view of the Deusto University"


"FROM THE TERRACE -Towards the Guggen"


"FOSSIL CYPRESS - At the hotel's centre, there is Mariscal's "Fossil Cypress," a trunk of rolled stone that stretches the vertical length of its interior for 26 metres"


"HALL"


"BAR"

SEA SYMPHONY

KEKOVA - SEPTEMBER 2008

The name «Kekova» describes the region encompassing the island of Kekova, the villages of Kaleköy and Üçağiz and the three ancient towns of Simena, Teimussa and Tersane. The region was declared a Specially Protected Area in 1990 to protect the natural, cultural and geographic richness of Kekova Island and surrounding coast.




"BLUES - The colours of the sea on this tour are incredible!"


"CRUISING - The «Kekova Roads» are very popular with yachts cruising along Lycia's Turquoise Coast. They often anchor here to enjoy history, turquoise water, sun, islands, unspoilt nature, blue skies and wonderful swimming, as we'll see further down"


"BRIDGE"


"KEKOVA - The highlight of this tour is the ancient Lycian sunken city of Simena, often referred to as Kekova-Simena. Along the island are the half-submerged ruins of the residential part of the city, caused by the downward shift of land by the terrible earthquakes of the 2nd century AD. There is usually a long line of tourist boats to see the ruins"


"WATER TAXI - There are also some fishermen reconverted into water taxi drivers..."




"STAIRS - Half of the houses are submerged and staircases descend into the water. I can't stop admiring the amazing colours of the water!!"




"SUNKEN BUILDINGS - Foundations of buildings may also be seen below the sea"


"ENJOYING"


"DREAMS COME TRUE"




"SUNKEN PORT - The foundations of the ancient harbour may also be seen below the water, but the water colours are awesome!"



"SWIMMING - You're no longer allowed to swim at the ruins; so the alternatives are some quiet, wonderful bays near the site..."