Walking around Plaza de la Virgen Blanca, a stolid 17th century square Sue and I were taken by the lovely glazed balconies adorning some very old structures. People here speak avidly in a mix of Basque and Spanish. We had a Spaniard sitting next to us on the plane who told us, rather proudly, that it was this Basque capital that eventually threw Napoleon out of Spain in 1813. Sue and I stopped opposite the monument dedicated t the event.
The quality of life in Vitoria is unhurried and graceful. You will not get motor cars honking at you or driving you up the wall. If I am not mistaken, Vitoria was one of the first cities in the country to have gone pedestrian in a major way.
Sue, who is the reader between the two of us, had mentioned that this quiet Basque city was built on a hilly hamlet known as Gasteiz by the king of Navarre in 1181.
“You must visit the Archaeological Museum,” our Spanish companion had gushed. So off we went to explore it. It had a range of artifacts from prehistoric time right up to the Middle Ages.
Sue really loved the playing cards museum housed within the premises of a restored palace known as the Palacio de Bendana. The cards, contained in some 20,000 card decks, come from all eras and countries. We learnt about the culture, even eroticism of other countries.
Another favorite was the Plaza de Espana which houses the Parque de la Florida. Beautiful floral gardens with attractive layouts included copses and streams. I particularly enjoyed taking a stroll by myself on this tree-lined promenade next to the Basilica de Armentia. The surrounding mansions and parks make for a truly picturesque setting. I was met on the way by smiling couples, nannies wheeling their tiny wards on prams and so on.
There was so much more to explore but we had to catch the flight to Madrid the next morning. I plan to return soon someday.
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