A Day in Bilbao

We took the train from our little estuary haven to to Bilbao, where we saw spiders.

Oh yes, and also the Guggenheim....

....an enormous dog....

...and another one....

And went for a run. It was a good day.

24 Hours in Doha

While Margaret was enjoying the Polar Vortex in the US, I decided to go on a solo mission to Doha. Doha is not a top tourist destination (not until the World Cup arrives in 2022, at least); the trip was largely prompted by a desire to see the controversial Damien Hirst exhibit and the Islamic Art Museum.

I arrived on a Friday evening, and made my way to Souq Waqif for a bite and a taste of Qatari nightlife. Locals call Souq Waqif the "new souq" -- it was built about two years ago next to the "old souq" -- but it has a traditional feel.  Most of the shops have hand-made crafts, all the buildings are one or two stories, and like all places in the Middle East, it is impossible not to lose one's bearings.  

When I arrived, the souq was bustling and Qatari women were singing as they made their way through the alleys.

 There was a row of restaurants, a mix of fancy sit down places and shisha cafes.

I chose the most street food-y place I could find. It had a menu in Arabic, accompanied by the transliteration of the menu into Latin characters, which didn't help a whole lot.  But thankfully, one can order by going back into the kitchen, where there are big toughs of food, and pointing.  I ended up with chicken curry and a savory lamb bread pudding.  Tasty!  I ate with a British man who had moved to Doha a week ago to work on the new zoo.  He'd already had some interesting experiences...

The next day, after a rainy run along Doha's Al Corniche, I went to the Islamic Art Museum.  The museum is at least as famous for the building (designed by I.M. Pei) as for its collection.  Both are spectacular.  The museum's exterior is particularly beautiful when lit up at night.

The inside is spacious without being cavernous.

There was a room full of beautiful Korans.  The doors on the right are covered in Arabic.

And they love their falcons just as much in Qatar as they do in the UAE.

Final stop was the Damien Hirst exhibit, conveniently next door to the Islamic Art Museum.  As expected, most of the art was very, very weird, some of it was stomach turning, but some things were exquisite.  My favorite were "butterfly paintings" meant to look like stained glass that were actually made out of butterfly wings.

De Young

We found another lovely spot above San Francisco this weekend at the De Young Museum's observation tower, after a run in Golden Gate Park. The tower is free, and boasts a tremendous 360 view of the city.

It's an easier climb to the 9th floor (100% elevator ride) than to the top of Twin Peaks...

...which is lucky for tired feet.