When going to a Spain - ask your friend if she plans on moving while you're visiting!

What better friends could Jackie ask for but ones that fly 7+ hours to help her move!

While we were in Spain, Jackie moved from her familiar family in Haro to the city of Bilbao.  We took a bus for a few hours then a subway, much like the L in Chicago to reach her new home.  She was quite familiar to this new home as she lived in the same apartment in the same room nearly 5 years ealier when she studied abroad!

Bilbao was a great experience.  I was able to see how Jackie lived 5 years ago and know how her life has changed over the last few years to bring her back to the same place she spoke so fondly of.

We wasted no time getting in and aquainted with the public transportation and city itself.  While Jackie unpacked, Shorty napped (she loved the siesta!), Aubs and I went into downtown to look around (which I will feature in another post).


That afternoon we met up with Jackie's boyfriend, Sergio who graciously drove us North to the Bay of Biscay where we could hike to San Juan Gaztelugatxe.   If you have the opportunity to visit and hike this - DO IT!  Jackie was so inspired the first time she went, she decided it is where she'd like her ashes spread - so yes, when we're all old and wrinkled she wants us to do this hike and spread her ashes... hmmm?

Describing the hike just doesn't compare to the photos we took.

Above is the hiking path.  We parked high upon the hill because they only open the road to the base of the walkway when there is a special event going on, like a wedding.  So we hiked down the dirt path (in red) first to arrive at the road (in green) to eventually arrive at the stone walkway only to ascend 200+ steps to the church!  We picked a great time to hike - right at sunset!

Our initial descent.

 Smiling because we haven't really figured out how much further we still have.

 Finally to the stone walkway!

 We have a bit still to go...

 

Finally the church, if you look to the left of the photo under the awning, there is a white square.  Below is a bigger version of what it looks like.

I have been in school since being back from Europe, one of my classes is Digital Illustration where I used the church as my inspiration.  Below is my illustration.

We captured some spectacular sunset photos on our hike back - oh and remember we still had the reverse hike to do, down then back up.  I feel like I am mimicking a parent telling their child, "I had to walk to school up hill both ways!"  Well we really did go up hill BOTH ways!

Sunsets are my favorite!

And then because the sun was setting we had to watch out for these squishy suckers!

 

I still have the rest of Bilbao, San Sebatian, and Paris to deliver so, stay tuned!