Tag Archives: northern Spain

Bilbao: Modern Cathedral Town

Posted on August 26, 2015 by johnkwhi

Bilbao’s old cathedral is in the heart of its medieval pedestrian centre (Siete Calles or Seven Streets), mostly forgotten today amidst the bonhomie of pintxo bars, but fortunately there’s a new cathedral in town, the Guggenheim, a shiny titanium-clad museum … Continue reading →

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Adventures in Northern Spain – Part I: The Northwest (Asturias, Galicia, Porto, Zamora)

Posted on July 30, 2015 by johnkwhi

If you’re looking for a summer trip to knock your socks off, look no further than northern Spain – all the down-home charms of yesterday with all the modern conveniences of today. I recommend two, both by car starting and … Continue reading →

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Made in Spain: ArcelorMittal Steel

Posted on February 11, 2015 by johnkwhi

ArcelorMittal is the world’s largest steel making company in the world with almost 240,000 employees in 20 countries, including at six locations in Spain: Etxebarri, Lesaka, and Sestao in the Basque Country, Avilés and Gijón in Asturias, and Sagunto in … Continue reading →

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The best place to live in Spain!

Posted on January 22, 2015 by johnkwhi

I’ve been here a while, so I should know a few things by now. Hands down the best place to live in Spain is Asturias. Well, according to my list as weighted by my spreadsheet. Maybe your list as weighted … Continue reading →

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Frank O. Gehry Architect – Royal or Rebel?

Posted on October 24, 2014 by johnkwhi

Today, Spain bestows its highest cultural honour, el Premio Príncipe de Asturias de las Artes, on Canadian-born, American architect Frank Gehry. The awards, which began in 1981 at the behest of the then Prince of Asturias (Spain’s title for royal … Continue reading →

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Celtic Connections: Ireland, Scotland, northern Spain, …

Posted on September 28, 2014 by johnkwhi

The Celts are said to have originated in central Europe 14,000 years ago in modern-day Austria (Hallstatt), migrating westward from the seventh century BC onwards. Today, most people of Celtic origin are found in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, France, and … Continue reading →

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El Camino de Santiago and The House of Words: Finding our pasts together

Posted on February 2, 2014 by johnkwhi

El Camino de Santiago or Way of St. James is a pilgrimage begun in the 9th century to bring European Christians to the last resting place of St. James, believed to be in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, northern Spain. St. … Continue reading →

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Madrid, Barcelona, and other short hops from Gijón

Posted on December 16, 2013 by johnkwhi

If Madrid is a city of art, then Barcelona is a city of architecture, even its modern buildings not designed by Antoni Gaudí. In Madrid, Goya, Velázquez, Picasso, Dalí, Miró, and El Greco are on display in three great museums; … Continue reading →

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Asturian Cider Stories and other Gijón Excursions

Posted on November 2, 2013 by johnkwhi

In Asturias, cider (or sidra) is a way of life. There are 22 officially designated apple varieties which can be pressed into almost 100 different brands made by small farmers and larger empresas alike. I can’t say I’ve had every … Continue reading →

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El Mar Cantábrico (Bay of Biscay)

Posted on September 7, 2013 by johnkwhi

There are 17 so-called autonomous communities* in Spain (what we would call states or provinces or counties), which were formally created in 1978 by the Constitution of Spain after Franco’s 40-year regime ended with his death and Spain returned soon … Continue reading →

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