European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 3, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A statue in the Plaza of the sacred heart stands guard Over Bilbao s main thoroughfare. City of steel Mills id smokestack by Norm Zeigler travel outdoor writer if san Sebastian is the Beach playground of the Basque Region then Bilbao is its Industrial heartland. It would be difficult to find two cities so close geographically and so far apart in other ways. For though Bilbao is Only an hour s drive 50 Miles West of san Sebastian it is a world away in appearance and atmosphere. The differences Between the cities Are As Basic As landscape and architecture and As intangible As Weltanschauung. San Sebastian looking out Over its Bay to the sea beyond seems to Promise . In Bilbao squeezed in among factory stacks and scarified Hills the perspectives Are More mundane. This is clearly not a Carefree resort specializing in Selling itself but rather a working class City that produces things to sell. Things like steel plastic Lead and petrochemicals. If san Sebastian is suntan lotion and Sand Bilbao is sweat and Industrial grit. Located about eight Miles from the Bay of Biscay on the River Vervion Bilbao dates to the Early 14th Century. In the succeeding centuries it became an important mercantile Center but its most explosive growth came in the late 1800s with the exploitation of the Region s abundant Iron Ore deposits. Today Bilbao is an Industrial powerhouse of 430,000 and the capital of Vizcaya province. Not Only is it one of Spain s major steel producers but it is also its biggest port. Both facts Are distinctions enormously important to the National Economy but definitely not conducive to Scenic vistas. The City s Industrial sprawl reaches out like tentacles for Miles into the Hills and Down the valleys. It is a Region of refineries steel Mill complexes As big As Small towns and giant smokestacks belching sulphurous smoke. Some of the hillsides resemble a moonscape. The City itself is practical and Plain. Its building facades Are mainly Brick and Concrete and Overall its architecture projects an image of Prosperity with a focus on function rather than style. The downtown is moderately attractive with a number of Banks and Public buildings in Spanish victorian style. But whatever adornment there is seems More an afterthought than a Central theme. There is none of san Sebastian s casual elegance. Bilbao s big downtown Park the Parque de Dona Casilda Iturria is attractive but slightly run Down. On a recent visit the fountains were not turned on and the water in them was stagnant and Green with algae. Litter was strewn about and children played on uns wept walkways Gray with dust. Flowing through the City Center is the filthy Brown Vervion As sad and violated As the Arno River in Florence. Plastic bags and other refuse line its channelized Banks. The River divides the City into two parts the old town on the East right Bank and the new town on the West Bank. Like a flawed Beauty Bilbao is most appealing from a distance. The Best View is from the Heights of the Begona District in the old town. With the River stretched out below and a sea of red tile roofs receding into the distance it seems a different City from the one seen at Street level. Even the Industrial Haze Only seems to soften and enhance the scene. Bilbao has a number of interesting landmarks among them the 15th-Century Church of St. Nicholas the 14th-Century Santiago Cathedral and the archaeological museum All in the old town. Also Worth seeing is the City flail a former monastery near the River on the fringes of the old town. In the new town noteworthy attractions Are the provincial government Palace and the museum of Fine arts. The main Street in the new town the Gran via de Don Diego Lopez de hard is an upscale shopping District with Many expensive shops including bookstores Art galleries and clothing boutiques. Dedicated shoppers should be sure to visit the giant department store Al Conte Ingles. This store has everything. On a recent saturday afternoon the Al Conte Ingles was the Only place in town to obtain a City map. The tourist office was closed and the two Newsstands at the train station had none. Somehow it seemed a Tipoff about where tourism ranked in the City. Unless you Are a student of Urban geography and Industrial development there is Little to recommend Bilbao As a travel destination. Head Inland to Pamplona and the Plains of Navarre Down the coast or up into the wilds of the pyrenees. Stone carvings and balustrades make this Bank look More like a Palace than a place of business. A Large pedestrian Bridge Span the dirty Vervion River which Cut through the town 8 stripes Magazine october 3, 1991