On to Bilbao

30th May 2014

Checking out at 530am from Novotel Les Halles - we lugged our bags to the train station to go to the Charles de Gaulle airport. Although the train services were supposed to have started from 5am - the train station was still locked! Some youngsters, a few of whom were still drunk the night-long of clubbing were knocking at the station door trying to get the security guards to open the door to let them in. Such was  a 'first-world service'!

The door finally opened at 545 am and we caught the 6am RER Express to CDG Airport which took only about 30 minutes. Our flight to Bilbao at 835 am. So we had ample time to check-in and even had breakfast at the Terminal 2G of the CDG Airport. Terminal 2G is a small terminal catering to European domestic destination. Our 90 minutes flight to Bilbao was on HOP Air - a subsidiary of Air France. The aircraft was a 100-seater Bombardier plane.

Bilbao Airport is modern, stylish and from the distance looks light a stork taking flight. It is designed by Spanish architect Santiago Caltarava who came from Valencia. The airport was supposed to undergo expansion to be completed by 2014 but the financial crisis has stalled the project.

We took the airport bus to downtown Bilbao which was realtively cheap - Euro 1.4 each - in a comfortable bus. A taxi would have cost Euros 15 at least. We got down the bus at the first stop in the city centre near the Guggenheim Museum and asking around found our way to our hotel.

 a titanium bull welcomes you at the hotel lobby

 hotel lobby with a desk for an informal  small group meeting

 the bar on the left and the wine cellar upfront

 the hotel lobby with the reception counter at the far end

Our hotel, the Barcelo Nervion, located by the banks of the Nervion River, is modern, arty and stylish. The room was spacious and comfortable. It has a bar serving tapas and a restaurant serving full meals and room service. Free wifi was available in the room and throughout the hotel.

We both had a good first impression of Bilbao.