BILBAO WOW!
Friends who had traveled to Bilbao have been underwhelmed. "Its all about the outside of the building", they said. But I had it in mind to go and so I went. It's not easy to get to with limited flights in per day. I missed it the prior year but fortunately got stuck in Lisbon. So I was determined to make it the second time. Had a five hour delay in Schiphol; fresh fish and bubbly, and the clear skinned and blue eyed taut men made the long departure forgivable. Getting there on the second attempt I was so glad I did. The view of the building from the contemporary red arch on the bridge from the airport is other worldly, it's like a docked titanium space ship.
It is a gorgeous little city, quietly jazzy. A saxophone is always playing in the distance ala Miles Davis Songs of Spain. In the 80 degree sun, the people in the distance look like Picasso's Don Quixote. Basque, a unique blend of the young and the old, showcasing what truly is one of the most spectacular buildings in the world. One can see architecture at every angle, flowing by you under and over the bridge, walking all around it waiting for Nerua to open its doors.
JeffreyKoons’ Puppy covered in flowers greets visitors at the entrance to the Guggenheim but the restaurant is accessed from a minimal entrance off the promenade behind the building. Nerua doesn't open until 1pm and is only open for lunch. Basel and cucumber water is offered as a refreshment upon arrival and guests are invited to view the kitchen. Lunch consists of 6 products with wines pairings. The decor is bare; white, linens and glass, and reed chairs. "400 year old" olive cake and regional corn bread are brought along with carefully placed steel buckets and trays of freshly airing wine. A Bloody Mary infused tomato is followed by 5 smaller unique tomatoes each prepared differently. Then comes quail tempura, and pork with passion fruit. Only 6,000 bottles were made for the Bilbao Guggenheim of Ysios, which tastes like blood of the gods. It makes you want to be a vampire or perhaps it's all the sweet young things serving you that make you feel that way. They march together to serve everyone at the table at the same time using bone handled knives to carve salty beef and fish speaking any tongue required. The dessert wine is from Guernica, and is served with cherries and almond ice cream. Expresso is served in a silver cup and the meal is finished with Fig tree milk and a Raspberry macaroon that sticks to the fingers and makes you lick them.
Enter again Jeffrey Koons, I saw him at the Pompidou. But the expanded exhibit at the Guggenheim was much more satisfying as he is so intimately connected to the place. The ancient nudes, the maze, heavens way, Cocachinathe Hulk with organ pipes coming out of his back, gazing ball afterlife, divination in suburbia, antiquity girl straddling a Dolphin, and Marilyn Monroe as gold Greek goddess cry out like candy in a candy shop to be coveted.
Then comes Basquait: The witches brew, now is the time, social vs cognitive justice, standing in the sun looking at Polaroid’s, quoting MLK, boxing with Andy Warhol, associated with Maripol who photographed him with Madonna and Grace Jones and Debbie Harry and Keith Haring. He is in movies more human. Graffiti hip hop, misspelled words, skeletons, tribal masks, Martians, barking dogs; a learning disorder is suggested. Lost boy, prolific but primitive, predominately primary process like Kurt Cobain. Possibly manic depressive, glassy eyed, definitely drug involved, questionable sexual orientation, overly sensitive for sure. If he had only 24 hour to live he would spend it with his mother and his girlfriend. They would probably agree he died too soon at 28 (1960 to 1988).
Finally, Richard Sierra’s The Matter of Timeis underhand. I spaced my pace to hear the echo of my footstepstraversing his circular mazes. I felt so sad, it was 8pm and I have to leave. It is over, I thought and I may never return. I began crying, and so I told myself (perhaps a lie), I will revisit when I retire.
The Meila Bilbao, perfectly located a fifteen minute riverside stroll to the Guggenheim, down the promenade is part of the attraction of Bilbao. Warm orange contemporary Spanish internal and external design. Unpretentious, smart and sexy in an easy relaxed manner and reasonably priced. It's hard to imagine in the scheme of things a better choice.
Aizian (the fire), a Michelin starred restaurant is at the Meiia. The interior is pleasant and cool, overlooking a park. The Executive Chef Menu for 42 euro with a half a bottle of wine and coffee is a very good deal. Marinated salmon salad with Ibiza cream, roast scallop with artichokes of various textures (artichokes have never tasted better), Cod with chickpeas juice and cabbage, Oxtail with spring onion mousse, French toast and rice pudding ice cream; too much to eat but very tasty. 2 products would have been sufficient. Well deserving of its Michelin star but if I were on a limited budget I would go to Nerua for lunch. Thankfully I was not on a limited budget, so I enjoyed the pleasure of both, which contributed to a glorious day in Bilbao.
July 2015