More Bilbao Art

So hanging out all over Spain, we noticed that the dogs are off leash and go everywhere with their owners, and here in Bilbao, even imitating the hands behind the back stroll. I can't figure out how they don't get hit by cars in all the heavy traffic. When we were in Seville, and a car would come up the tiny roads, we would have to slam our backs to the wall and hold our breath in order not to get sideswiped and the little dogs just sort of scooted to the side and managed not to get smooshed, but of course all dogs do seem to have the marking instinct world wide.

Some of the art INSIDE the Guggenheim is of the "what the *^*%$#@? is that supposed to be?" variety. But there was a very cool exhibit by Richard Serra, an American minimalist sculptor. It had 8 parts that were from 12' - 14' high and each weighed between 44 and 276 tons. They were huge shaped sheets of steel that reminded me of the canyons in
Southern Utah. You can walk around in these and get very disoriented. One is like a Nautilus shell, another like varying canyon walls. The steel is variegated and streaky which makes it look like windswept sandstone. They took years to shape and were made in a shipyard in Baltimore then shipped and installed in Bilbao. They are free standing, though I would not want to be wandering inside them during an earthquake.

I really wish Nora would learn to take pictures with my cell phone in under 6 minutes. She probably couldn't think straight because she had been traumatized by Momma minutes earlier. Momma even has a very realistic looking an egg sack ready to drop, but Nora would not even get underneath for the thousand euros I offered.
The workers that are all hanging around arranging things at the museum, even have to use plastic bags and duct tape to wrap their wheels so they don't mar the travertine sidewalks.

We had to go across the river to get far enough away from the main building to take pictures. The smoke puff on the left side by the water is a "fog sculpture that shoots off every hour and then floats away in an 'artistic manner' reflecting the natural environment and wind" (looked like a puff of smoke to me) There are all sorts of little surprises about, including some shooting fire that we did not get to see because we had to go home at dark to check on HoneyCrisp. She was fine, but had pushed Heimi into the profundo desfiladero between the beds and it took me 30 minutes to find and rescue him.

The Guggenheim serves as not only a museum with art exhibits, but a city icon with itself being a huge installation of art and makes for an impressive experience.