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Redemption
OF A CITY
ANDREW MASIGAN finds hope and inspiration in Bilbao
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The waters were clean and of a greenish hue, with wide boardwalks on either side. From the elevated portion of the Avenida Universidades, we could see a dozen children on kayaks racing down the waterway, cheered on by locals standing by the riverbanks.
PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE CUNANAN
e arrived in Bilbao at about two in the afternoon, entering the city through Puente Pedro Arrupe, one of the many bridges that lead to the city center. It was a clear crisp day, which is quite rare in this often overcast city, and from our limousine we caught our first glimpse of the River Nervi贸n, the body of water that traverses the entire city all the way to its end at the Cantabrian Sea.
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Bilbao struck me as an affluent city that offers a good balance of work and play. The residents here enjoy an exceptional standard of living akin to any other industrialized city in Europe. It also has a unique beauty of its own. This is a city where perfectly preserved buildings built as far back as the 13th century stand alongside ultra-modern structures done by the most revered architects of our time. From the window of our hotel, I could see the Isozaki Atea, a modern five-building complex designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. The structure serves as the “gate” to the newer side of the city. Also along our visual line was the Zubizuri footbridge, a masterpiece of controversial Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The bridge was made to look like a ship’s sail with floors made of see-through glass. Walking on it makes you feel like you are walking on water. THE STORY OF BILBAO • Throughout the 13th to 19th centuries, Bilbao was as an economic heavyweight owing to its vibrant steel, shipbuilding and maritime industries, an offshoot of having a sheltered port at the mouth of the River Nervión.
HISTORY ON FOOT As soon as we checked in, Xavi Iparaguirre, our guide for the afternoon, took us on a walking tour of the city. He was a historian with a master’s degree in economics from the University of Deusto in Bilbao.
• At its peak, Bilbao was the industrial heartland of Spain, an aggressive export machine and a melting pot of the nation. It also became one the continent’s more important trading ports and main portal between Europe, Latin America and Asia.
• But its fortunes turned during the reign of Spain’s dictator, Francisco Franco, between 1936 and 1975. The Basque country was largely unfavored by Franco because of its left leaning political persuasions. So he choked public investments that might have modernized and diversified its economy. As a result, Bilbao lost its competitiveness to more efficient industrial centers from Japan, the United States and Germany, a situation that caused it to fall into unmanageable debt and consequently spiral into urban decay.
• By the 1970’s, Bilbao was a shadow of its former self. It was derelict, economically uncompetitive, and plagued with social ills like crime and unemployment. It had lost its importance as an industrial city and trading port.
• Recently, however, Bilbao reinvented itself to become one of the world’s most admired cities in Europe. Credit must be given to the spirit of the Basque people and the dynamic leadership of its Mayor, Iñaki Azkuna. Since assuming office in 1999, Azkuna has transformed this obsolete city into a beautiful global metropolis hailed by many as a model of urban transformation.
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MASTERPIECES OF BILBAO The Guggenheim Museum is full of great contemporary art. Don’t miss these, if you’ve only got several hours for a visit.
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THE MATTER OF TIME Richard Serra This is a large eight-spiral sculpture made in weatherproof steel by Richard Serra, typical of his trademark large dimension works that reflect an urban setting. Visitors are encouraged to experience this artwork by walking around it.
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TULIPS Jeff Koons An outdoor installation in stainless steel of flowers that resemble balloons, colored with transparent color coating and each over two meters tall.
We started our trek from the Paseo Uribitarte, and then we made our way down to Puerto de Arenal at a leisurely pace. As we strolled along, Xavi narrated his city’s periods of glory, tragedy and redemption.
A HISTORICAL CONNECTION It was at this point that I began to view Bilbao not as just another urban center in Europe but as a city connected to my home city, Manila, in many ways. Bilbao can be considered Manila’s “ancestral” city in many ways, as a great majority of the original Spanish immigrants to the Philippines were of Basque origins. This includes such clans as the Ayalas, Aguirres, Zubiris, and Villanuevas. The circumstances may be different between Manila and Bilbao, but the pattern of rise and fall are all too familiar to us. Seeing how Bilbao has reinvented itself in such a short span of time inspires me to believe that perhaps we can do the same.
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PUPPY Jeff Koons Located at the museum entrance, Puppy is a large outdoor installation of stainless steel and flowers that is fashioned to resemble a puppy. Koons created this piece to attract optimism, and to symbolize “confidence and security” since it “guards” the museum.
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MAMAN Louise Bourgeois A large outdoor sculpture of a spider that is among the largest in the world. Partly undertaken in homage to her mother, it is 30 feet high and it contains 26 marble eggs.
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HUMANS Christian Boltanski Portraits of schools and families are combined with newspaper pictures and even police registries in an unusual large-scale exhibition that does not identify the photos of living from the dead or the criminals from the victims. Some people are reminded of the Holocaust when they see this artwork.
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The feeling of ancestry was particularly poignant as Xavi led us to the old part of town called Cosco Viejo. This was Bilbao’s main city center in the 15th century, a district where shop houses, pinxtos restaurants, plazas and churches are still located. The romantic in me imagined how our forefathers treaded the same path as they made their way to the port of Bilbao before setting sail for Las Islas Filipinas. It was a surreal feeling that only made me feel more connected to this city.
TRANSFORMATIONAL PHASES SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING
Xavi enthusiastically related how Bilbao’s transformation took place in three phases, according to the master plan of Mayor Iñaki Azkuna.
One of Azkuna’s major renewal projects is the district of Abandoibarra, along the banks of the Nervión River, a mere 15-minute walk from our hotel. This 350,000 square meter site was once a picture of urban decay with dilapidated shipyards, railway lines and a decrepit timber mill.
The first phase involved diversifying its economy from one dependent on steel and shipbuilding to one that includes such knowledge-based services as industrial design, information technology, and eco-engineering. These industries were made to thrive alongside Bilbao’s core expertise of manufacturing and tourism.
It has since been turned into a center of art, culture, recreation and tourism according to the vision of architect Cesar Pelli. The area has become the new face of Bilbao for its beautiful, pedestrian-friendly environment and iconic buildings, including the Euskalduna Concert Hall and the Guggenheim Museum.
With renewed affluence borne out of a more diversified economy, Azkuna then moved on to the second phase of his plan, focusing on investments in infrastructure. This phase involved the construction of new roads, bridges, railways and ports, and also called included a massive urban renewal program.
OTHER MODERN LANDMARKS • Alhondiga civic center by Philippe Starck • Zubizarte leisure center by Robert Stern • Bilbao Arena by Javier Perez Urivarri and Nicolas Barrientos • Bilbao airport terminal by Santiago Calatrava • Zubizuri footbridge by Santiago Calatrava
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The third phase of the Azkuna plan was to invest in culture – and this is where his genius lies. He made a deliberate effort to dot his city with public edifices that were works of art in themselves. Foremost among these is a 35-kilometer underground train system with aboveground entrance portals constructed to look like glass armadillos, done according to the vision of architect Norman Foster.
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But in its first year alone, the Guggenheim Museum surpassed its tourist target three times over. Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) in the city increased from a measly five events a month to well over a thousand two hundred a month. So this was a definitely an investment that paid for itself in spades.
ARTISTIC INVESTMENT
However, Bilbao’s crown jewel is the Guggenheim Museum designed by worldfamous Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry. We visited this iconic museum the following day and I couldn’t help but stand in awe of its audacious configurations. Its surfaces are made of titanium and glass, with each segment structurally unique from the others. It is just as imposing as it is regal. The building provides a seductive backdrop for the art exhibited within its walls. Its opening back in 1997 marked Bilbao’s arrival as a world capital. The edifice has become synonymous with the city itself, its people and culture.
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The local government paid a whopping 220 million euros for the Guggenheim Museum; as expected, Azkuna got his fair share of flack for spending so much for a building dedicated to the arts.
LUNCH STOPOVER We enjoyed a late lunch at the Atea Restaurant along Paseo Uribarte, where we ordered garlic bacalao pate, calamari ala plancha and hamburger steaks. The hamburger steaks were surprisingly good, especially after so many meals of tapas. But the Basque really show their mettle when preparing seafood. The bacalao was the star of the meal with its creamy texture and perfect balance of “earth and sea” (read: balance of delicate garlic amid fresh cod flavors).
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We spent half a day at the Guggenheim browsing through its impressive collection of contemporary art. But I must admit, the building was way more impressive than the art inside. We actually spent a good part of the morning outside the building admiring its form.
A PEEK INTO OLD BILBAO
After lunch, I revisited the Cosco Viejo before we left the city for San Sabastian. I walked east towards Avenida Navarra, past Plaza Nueva and somehow I ended up roaming the district of Solokoetxe.
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A city’s fate ultimately lies in the spirit of its people and what they make of their situation.
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A TOWN BY THE RIVER Bilbao was once a small village in Spain, founded in the 14th century by Don Diego Lopez De Haro V, Lord of Viscaya. Bilbao’s name reportedly came from the words “bi albo” which means “two river banks.” The 14th to 17th centuries were the developing years of Bilbao, when it was the commercial and financial center of Northern Spain and it traded with American colonies. In the 19th century, the Spanish Civil War took place. Bilbao sided with the Republicans and became the first Basque autonomous government. During Franco’s dictatorship in the 20th century, Bilbao was left economically dry and in debt. However, at the turn of the 21st century, Bilbao rose from its slumber under Mayor Inaki Azkuna’s visionary leadership and underwent an urban renovation that focused on tourism and services. Today it continues to attract tourists the world over.
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BILBAO’S REMARKABLE ICON The GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM was named after Solomon R. Guggenheim, an American businessman, art collector, philanthropist and founder of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. Architect Frank Gehry created the titanium, limestone and glass structure that was later hailed as the most valuable structure of its time. Inside the museum are masterpieces by well-known contemporary artists like Anselm Keifer, Willem de Kooning and Robert Motherwell.
Here, I saw shades of an era the city would rather forget. Old factories were interspersed with small, dingy apartments inhabited by the marginalized. Graffiti littered the walls with antigovernment messages while vacant patches of land grew wild with vines fed by rubbish. I had stumbled upon the old face of Bilbao, an area not meant for tourist eyes. It was unpleasant, but I was glad I saw it. As I made my way back to the hotel, I realized that, in just 24 hours, I had seen the old glory of this city, its dark past under the dictator and its snazzy new persona according to the vision of Mayor Azkuna. Bad things do happen even to the best cities of the world. They may suffer the ire of a dictator or the ravages of war, or simply fall into hard economic times. Regardless of the situation, a city’s fate ultimately lies in the spirit of its people and what they make of their situation.
As I saw the Guggenheim fading in the distance, I was overcome with awe over what Bilbao had become and optimism of what Manila can eventually be. Manila can be a world city like Bilbao one day. We just need to work on this with the same resolute spirit as Mayor Azkuna did – and this is not a far-fetched idea. After all, Basque blood still runs through our veins. n
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We left Bilbao several hours later.
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NEED TO KNOW Bilbao is known for its architectural design. Located in northern Spain, it is the capital of the province of Biscay. The city is surrounded by the Cantabrian mountain range and the Pyreenes. It is recognized as the 10th largest city in Spain with a population of over one million. TRAVELER’S CHECKLIST Philippine passport holders need a visa when entering Spain. You may inquire or apply for visa at Consulate General of Spain at 27th Floor Equitable Bank Tower, 8751 Paseo de Roxas, 1226 Makati City, Metro Manila; Tel. (+63)(2) 817 6676 and (+63)(2) 817 5131 HOW TO GET THERE Bilbao, Spain can be accessed by train or car from Madrid, or via regional flights from major cities in Europe. WHEN TO GO The best time to go is in the summer, during the nine-day festivities of the Semana Grande (or Aste Naguisa or Bilbao’s Big Week).
MELIA BILBAO A contemporary hotel with a great location, Melia Bilbao is only a short walking distance to the Guggenheim. Its facilities and services include a fully equipped wellness center making this hotel quite popular with tourists and locals. www.melia.com
WHERE TO STAY LUXURY CARLTON HOTEL Located at the center of Bilbao, Carlton Hotel is an ideal place for leisure and business as almost all the tourist spots are within walking distance. The hotel is also renowned for its spacious rooms, luxurious design, and great atmosphere. www.hotelcarlton.es
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SILKEN GRAN HOTEL DOMINE BILBAO This is the only five-star hotel opposite the Guggenheim Museum. Guests will love the 20th century art and design of its interiors and furniture, as well as the Bauhaus-style Café Metropol. silken-gran-hotel-domine.h-rez.com
HOTEL MIRO This boutique hotel boasts of a modern and chic architecture and ambience, as well as a quiet location and friendly staff. www.mirohotelbilbao.com
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VALUE HESPERIA BILBAO This new four-star hotel is very accessible to Guggenheim Museum, Zubizuri Bridge, and the main shopping and business areas. It also offers a variety of rooms with scenic views. www.hesperia.es SERCOTEL COLISEO HOTEL Only a five-minute walk to Abando metro station and Bilbao train station, this modern and avant-garde hotel has spacious rooms and friendly staff ready to assist guests. en.hotelcoliseobilbao.com NH VILLA DE BILBAO This hotel is just a short walk to the Guggenheim Museum and the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum. Bilbao’s old quarter is also just a 10-minute tram ride away. www.nh-hoteles.es
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BILBAO’S OTHER TOP ATTRACTIONS Check these out after you’ve seen the city’s top architectural landmarks.
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TEATRO ARRIAGA ANTZOKIA Watch theater plays, concerts, or operas in the most prestigious theater within an extravagant architecture in Bilbao.
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DONA CASILDA PARK The park features a duck pond with various waterfowl species, as well as a cybernetic fountain with a spectacular light show with music.
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ARTXANDA FUNICULAR Witness the breathtaking view of Bilbao and see the entire city at a glance. At the top, there are restaurants, cafes and a park for a nice stroll.
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BASILICA OF BEGONA This church was created in 1511 to honor the patron saint of Biscay, the Virgin of Bergona. It is one of the most beautiful churches in Spain.
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PLAZA NUEVA Feel like a local and savor a leisurely afternoon in Bilbao at this plaza surrounded by picturesque buildings and structures.
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ATEA
WHERE TO EAT LA VINA DEL ENSANCHE This historical restaurant has been operating since 1927, and it’s known especially for its wonderful tapas. This is also a great place to try some of the best jamon in Spain, as La Vina del Ensanche sources only the best quality of Joselito and Bellota ham. www.lavinadelensanche.com RESTAURANTE YANDIOLA This chic restaurant in the Philippe Starck-designed Edificio Alhondiga is worth visiting even just for a look at the quirky modern interiors. Fortunately, the food is good as well. Their menu offers a decent selection of contemporary Spanish dishes with an original touch, and a comprehensive wine list. www.yandiola.com ATEA Don’t let its location in a cavernous warehouse right by the river put you off. Also, the service may be casual and the interiors whimsical, but this is where we had the best burgers in Spain. Everything else was delicious as well, including a plate of fried squid and a pate made of bacalao. www.atearestaurante.com RESTAURANT LA MARY This is a great favorite of locals for its modern décor and reasonable prices, especially at lunch. Don’t miss their bacalao dishes and delicious cakes. www.lamaryrestaurant.com
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FROM A GRAY PAST
Colorful Future to a
Bilbao reinvents a new identity for itself
Bilbao, Spain’s 10th largest city, is a metropolis of contrasts, with an industrial past of gray buildings and a glorious present of beautiful parks, wide avenues, and stunning architecture. Yet throughout these times, the picturesque River Nervion has cut through the metropolis and served as the lifeblood of the city. A renewed sense of revival permeates throughout this charming city, with the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum leading the pack of attractions. The artistic, cultural, and gastronomic delights of Bilbao merges old and new, leaving us with a present that is eternally enriched and constantly evolving.
Photography by Christine Cunanan & Sandee Masigan. Special thanks to the Spain Tourism Board.
A FITTING DEDICATION The La Salve Bridge was originally designed by Juan Batanero in 1972. French artist Daniel Buren added the red arch sometime in 2007, on the 10th year anniversary of the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum. “The Red Arches� are not anchored to the bridge itself, as this was one of the conditions set by the Guggenheim Foundation when the new structure was added. La Salve Bridge connects southern Bilbao to the north.
EYEING THE SURROUNDINGS Frank Gehry’s Bilbao Guggenheim Museum has been labeled the most significant edifice of its time. Visited by over 10 million visitors annually, it has changed the perception of many on the relationship between art, architecture, and collection. Outside the museum is the 1999 sculpture “Maman” by Louise Bourgeois. It resembles a spider, which, for the sculptor, represents her protective and nurturing mother. The masterpiece is over 30 feet high and 33 feet wide, with a sack filled with 26 marble eggs.