Spain So Far
Only 8 short days ago, my flight from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania touched down into the Bilbao airport. Yet the knowledge I have thus far gained from this study abroad trip could equate to if I had arrived months ago. What once was an expansive city that confused and scared me has easily become the place I’m grateful to call my home for almost a month. Thanks to the security of the city, the expansiveness of the bike lanes, and some new found confidence, I find myself completing tasks that once required dependency on other people. Almost every morning, I am able to bike alone to a gym in Gros, workout surrounded by foreign people speaking a foreign language, order breakfast, lunch, or dinner on my own, and rarely ever need clarifications in English. Immersing yourself in the San Sebastián culture and life is as easy as it is pleasurable.
Mount Igueldo
It was our first day at Lacunza when I discovered this ancient city has an equally ancient amusement park. From that point on I knew I wasn’t leaving this country without visiting it. An old, but trustworthy funicular takes you up all 181 meters of Mount Igueldo, and at the top you are greeted with the most amazing views of San Sebastián. The entire coast, from La Concha to Ondarreta, is clear as day. Also visible from the top are Reale Arena, Santa Clara Island, and all the beautiful architecture this city has to offer. Now, the main attraction to the mountain and what brings most people is, well, the attractions! The small amusement park inaugurated in 1911 is home to 20 attractions which cost up to 3€. I ended up going on three of these attractions: The Swiss Mountain, The Terror House, and the bumper cars. Now adrenaline junkies beware, the largest roller coaster (The Swiss Mountain) is a very small ride, only lasting 30 seconds, and is hand operated. Safe to say it is not comparable to your typical Six Flags, but it is the history and tradition that has turned it into such an important symbol of San Sebastián. Still, as a person very fond of the rush of a roller coaster, there was and attraction that satisfied myself as well as several other group members: the bumper cars! On this attraction our group of adults ages 18-23 were able to indulge in childhood shenanigans again, and it is safe to say we enjoyed ourselves plenty, trying as hard as we could to give each other whiplash. It is exactly this that attracts not only tourists but locals! If I have time then I hope to come back and indulge in the several restaurants atop the mountain.
Art in Basque Culture
Another thing that is so amazing about this city is that you can go to an art museum by simply walking outside. After descending Mount Igueldo, we walked away from Ondarreta Playa along the water and found some of the greatest and most influential works of Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida. His work is out in the open, integrated with nature, because to the Basque people, nature and art are one. The Combs of the Wind are truly spectacular to witness despite their simplicity. As seen in the photo below, this sculpture consists of steel embedded in rock, formed into prongs of varying shapes that are meant to comb the wind that approaches San Sebastián. Its appeal can come from the symbolism behind the three sculptures, maybe spiritual because of the number, or maybe representing the past, present, and future. The prongs ahead of the viewer would represent the future and the prongs behind the viewer, the past. Only the prongs representing the present are accessible and tangible, speaking on the importance of not dwelling on the past, not living in the future, but enjoying what is here now in the present. However, the appeal also stems from the creation of the sculpture and the feat of combining rock with tons and tons of metal. One cannot help but stare and think how difficult, expensive and risky this project was and how lucky we are to be able to witness it. Combs of the Wind can and should be put on the same level as the many other man-made wonders of this world. What Chillida accomplished structurally, culturally, and artistically is a rare sight to our blessed eyes and for this reason it must be cherished, visited, awed over. There is no better reminder of one’s fortune than traveling the world, and as someone currently living 5,969 kilometers away from home, all I can say is I’m extremely extremely grateful for such an amazing opportunity.
