The Basque Country 2018

The Zubizuri, also called the Campo Volantin Bridge or Puente del Campo Volantin, is a tied arch footbridge across the Nervión River in Bilbao, Spain. Designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, the bridge links the Campo Volantin right bank and Uribitarte left bank of the river. The bridge has also been accused of impracticality: it is locally infamous for the glass bricks set into its floor, which can become slippery in the wet climate of the city. The original design connects the bridge on the left bank to the Uribitarte dock and not to the higher street Alameda Mazarredo. In 2006, the local authorities authorized Arata Isozaki to erect a new footway from the bridge to the construction site of the Isozaki Atea towers. This action resulted in a court case brought by the architect...

Arriluze lighthouse, built in 1904, guards the entrance to Getxo harbour. It's been inactive for a number of years and is now a maritime rescue base...

Puppy, by Jeff Koons, has been a permanent installation since 1997. Twice a year, in May and October, all of the plants that make up the sculpture’s exterior are replaced with fresh seasonal varieties, including pansies for the Autumn and Winter, and begonias, impatiens, and petunias for the Spring and Summer. The task requires 20 people, and 9 days to complete, to freshened up Puppy’s coat for the summer with approximately 38,000 new flowers in hues of red and pink. This exterior hides a clever feat of engineering. Anchored to a concrete base, a colossal stainless steel substructure is covered by a layer of turf, wire mesh, and geotextile fabric that secures the turf and stimulates plant growth. The structure also contains five levels of scaffolding and a network of pipes that water and feed the plants every 24 hours.

A view from Las Arenas across the river Nervión to Portugalete. The beautiful yellow building is the tourist office. It dates from 1888 and was once the train station for the first trains that connected Portugalete with Bilbao city centre, it was called “Estación de la Canilla.” In the background is the 15th century 'Basilica de Santa Maria'. The little green ferry runs between the two towns every 2 minutes and costs 20c per person...