Basque Country & Huesca trip Day 2

Sunday August 16th

In the morning, we attended sacrament meeting at the ward in San Sebastian.  After church, we drove down the coast towards Bilbao to visit the one of the many Geoparks along the Altlantic ocean.  We stopped in the town of Zumaia and checked out the beaches there.  It was fantastic!  Amazing rock formations and caves caused by erosion from the ocean and wind. Here's where we got some of our best pictures from our trip.  The waves were pretty high and we had to be careful because the tide came in quickly.

Near Santiago Beach

Overlooking Itzurun Beach

Itzurun Beach

almost getting trapped by the incoming tide, Itzurun beach

Rylan and Cole climbing up the rock face

Here's where Nathan got his shoes wet.

Next stop was Bilbao, where we walked around the Guggenheim Museum, but decided that we wouldn't go inside, instead we spent a couple of hours in the playground beside the museum.  It was a really good playground.  

Jeff Koons "Flower Dog" outside the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao

Cool playground beside the museum

Colourful concrete balls

9 metre tall spider! "Maman" by Louise Bourgeois

Before heading back to San Sebastian, we stopped off to visit the hermitage dedicated to Saint John the Baptist called San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. I still don't know how to pronounce the name.  It was built in the 10th century and is located in Bermeo, a short distance from Bilbao.  You must park at the top of the cliff and hike down a very steep path to get to the bridge which connects the islet to the mainland.  Then you climb 241 stairs to reach the hermitage, but it's well worth the effort.  

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

Ringing the bell of the church

headed back down the stairs