Gray's Academy

Here in Bilbao (bill-Bah-oh) very little English is spoken. There are two official languages here, Spanish first and Basque second. The basque language is the kind of language where you will see an lkz together in a row. And, as when I was in Italy, no one can understand what I am saying in my stumbling attempt at speaking the local language.

English is rarely an option, and the Spanish is not spoken the same way as it is in other parts of Spain. Basque is not a dialect, it’s an entirely different language, like Catalonian in Barcelona and Valencian in Valencia. But here in Bilbao, it permeates everything from the subway signs to the menus in restaurants.

Soon I will head to my Spanish school. My walk to school is across the Calatrava bridge. This brilliant Spanish architect has his work is all over this part of Europe. It is one part whimsy, one part supernatural while also being incredibly functional? Apparently the people of Spain don’t like his work. He is difficult to work with and his designs often need tweaking. Still, take a look at the museums in Valencia. They are magnificent.