bilbao 2011, part 3...

[txorakeriak]

Finally, here's the next batch of my Bilbao photos! This post covers Athletic's main office, the San Mamés stadium tour, Lezama, the match against Valencia, and some Athletic-related stuff I discovered in the city centre, as well as scans from newspapers, photos of my souvenirs, etc. Hope you'll enjoy!

Comments

[zimena]

Wow - so many photos! I admire you for being able to put together these posts. It must have taken you hours to prepare everything, but I'm glad you do it, because it's so lovely to read.

Also: random, fangirly outburst, but OMG! FERNANDO!!! ...is even prettier on your pics than on most others I've seen of him. As for Carlos... I must admit that I still connect him only with the assault on Kun at the beginning of the season, so it was nice to get a different image/idea of him as well.

Oh, and YOUR SHIRT!!!!!

[txorakeriak]

It does take ages to make these posts but it's worth it because that way I can go back in a couple of months and re-read what happened. Happy memories do need to be stored somewhere. :) And I'm glad you're enjoying the posts as well!

Fernando is so pretty in RL, it's almost impossible to resist staring at him. And SO TALL!

I understand that you weren't too fond of Carlos after that incident with Kun, but I'm sure he didn't do that on purpose, he really is a wonderful person. :)

I love my shirt. Must get it framed some day soon!

[blue_eyed_miss]

oohhhh na, na, what's your name !!

Koi in his castle and fixing his hair I forgot about that hahahah !!

I will comment more tomorrow, cause like right now I'm off to bed but I ust say I like how my hands make apperances in your posts randomly :p

Carlos is awesome :)

[txorakeriak]

LMAO, I'm sure I forgot a lot of hilarious things, so if you remember anything, please let me know! I do regret not having taken any notes in Bilbao - but it wasn't really as if I'd had any time to do that anyway!

Hahah, at least your hands aren't shaking... XDDD

Carlos rocks!!

[blue_eyed_miss]

I just remember Little Iker appearing at a window when we were at Lezama and waving, do you remember ??

Hey and we didn't speak three language we spoke four, I'm sure I said maybe on German word hahahah !!

[txorakeriak]

OMG, I completely forgot about that!!! XDD And we were making up stories to explain what he's doing up there and why he's not coming out. XD

Right! Multilingual conversations rock!! :D

[kiwirazzi]

Oh wow, awesome photos!!! It must have been an incredible experience, I am sure.

May I just ask you how you became a fan of Athletic Bilbao? *is curious*

[txorakeriak]

So glad you like the pics! The experience was fantastic, I don't think there are many things in this world that can top meeting the guys at the Lezama training grounds. :)

Oh, that's quite a funny story, actually. It all started with me being bored and wanting more football after the Bundesliga ended in 2008, so I watched the season finale of the Spanish league and realised that several players who impressed me during the 2006 World Cup were playing for Real Madrid, so I decided to watch their matches whenever I had the time and found a good stream. One year later, I watched Real play against Athletic at San Mamés, and that was the intense match that Athletic lost 2-5, when Gabriel Heinze scored a goal as well as an own goal, and Casillas got Fran Yeste sent off, and I was so impressed by the way the home team played, by their fighting spirit and the way they stick together and help each other that I went over to athletic_club to find out more about them. They reached the Spanish cup final that year (and lost but were received wonderfully in

[kiwirazzi]

That's a pretty awesome story how you fell for Athletic. And yes, it indeed answered the question, thanks so much for the detailed answer! I didn't even know that they only sign players that have a Basque heritage/were born there/played for a Basque youth team, that must be quite unique, I think. :)

[txorakeriak]

I once compiled a little article about the reason why they only have home-grown players and how they've fared with this rule so far, if you're interested, then go here. :)

[july_v]

I have just told my ex I must go to Bilbao and I'd almost rather go there than to Madrid because of all your pretty pictures. (Although I would still rather see Madrid play at the Bernabeu than Athletic at San Mames... hm... tough decisions...) No but really. I look at the pics you post and I want to go, for real *-*

Anyway. That sock is most amusing and there's a little movie in my head, of you standing next to the pitch, being a fanboy and yelling that XDDDD It is most entertaining!

Gorka... and Iker.... I think I actually qualify as an Athletic fangirl... sort of. XD I totally squee when I see Iker, Gorka, Javi and Fernando. And you're not helping. At all.

Oh and btw. I lied. I CAN actually remember Koikili's name. MUHA! Count of Athletic boys I know by name is steadily rising.

[txorakeriak]

Heheheh, you know me, always happy to advertise. :D Glad to see it worked too! And believe me, going there would be absolutely worth it! :D

LOL, what? You're having a movie in your head about me shouting "that sock is amusing" at the Athletic players on the pitch? XDDDD WTF!!

I completely approve of your fangirling. XD Especially since you're fangirling Gorka and Iker as well - the annoying fangirls at ONTD seem to think that Athletic consists of Llorente and Javi only. *facepalm*

LOL, I don't think anyone could ever forget Koikili's name, it's just too funny! :D

[july_v]

Silly boy!!
You're just going 'ATHLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-tic' all the time and then you throw yourself at Javi...

LOL Well to me, don't hit me now, Iker and Gorka are more adorable than Javi and Fer<3

Right... I forgot it! XD I need to constantly repeat my Athletic boys in order to remember them!

[txorakeriak]

Aaah, so THAT is what you meant! Well, I usually tend to make a fool of myself, but that would be a bit much even for me. XDDD (And I'm way too shy to throw myself at Javi, unfortunately. *hides*)

No worries, I won't hit you, I actually like it that you think that way. :D (Though obviously you're wrong, Javi and Fer are tons more adorable than Gorka and Iker. But i'm not going to argue! XD)

Come on, then. What have you learned so far? XDD

[just_jenni]

OMG...where to start

[txorakeriak]

I suppose you can imagine how I felt when I saw your posts in December! :D

Iker is so adorable!! And everyone at Athletic agrees, they seem to love him as much as we do! :D

He was driving himself this time, but I don't quite remember who was in the car with him... I really should have taken notes!!

Llorente has really really gorgeous eyes. Remember the photos from the summer collection? They picked a shirt for him that matches his eyes perfectly. I liked the blue sweater on him as well, though. I guess that guy couldn't make himself look bad even if he tried! ;)

I was really surprised by how thin he is. You never notice it, not on the pitch (not even when it rains and his shirt clings to him), not even when he's shirtless in pictures. You have to see him in person to actually see how thin he is

[just_jenni]

December must have been so hard for you. :( But thank god you managed to go to Bilbao a couple of months later. XD And I knew you would love Iratxe...I thought she was just wonderful to step in like she did and help me out. I really want to go back so bad!!! :)

I agree with ALL you say about the Athletic players! They are the BEST EVER!!! I feel privileged to have met such awesome players. I put one of the photos of me with Andoni Iraola on my desktop background. When my husband sees it, he goes: "So that's you with your Spanish boyfriend." And I always nod, "Uh huh." LOLLL. Of course, I bragged that he was called up to the NT, the WORLD CHAMPIONS, and I feel like I am busting with pride! LMAO. It's funny, isn't it? I feel such a CONNECTION with Athletic Club now! It would KILL ME not to see them again!!! And to be in Bilbao, because it truly is the most WONDERFUL place!!!♥

Somebody stop me. I could gush for hours!!! XDDD

Plus, I want to buy more stuff there too!♥♥♥

[txorakeriak]

December was horrible! Especially because you were all alone there at first and I was so worried you might hate it! Thank God it turned out well in the end - I would have been utterly devastated for two reasons otherwise!!

LMAO, your husband's comment about Andoni! XDDD You definitely have to go back and see them again, preferably at the same time I'm going back! :D (And I could gush for hours as well, so no hesitations! XDD)

Don't remind me of buying stuff. *sigh* Now that this gorgeous second kit is out, I want it SO MUCH. :D