Today, we visited Gorliz Hospital, a coastal hospital 45 minutes from Bilbao that started out as a child rehabilitation center. As time progressed it transformed into a hospital for adult care. The friendly, relaxed energy from its time as a children’s hospital is still evident with the layout of the hospital, which features several large windows and hospital beds that face the sea. 

Over a two hour period, the staff led us through an in-depth tour of the hospital, showing us the general hospital rooms, the pediatric wing, and a physical therapy center.  I really enjoyed touring the pediatric wing, and seeing how they adjusted the standard physical therapy tools to accommodate children. For instance, they had a brightly-colored walker that had additional padding for smaller children and a “game” that kept kids engaged while monitoring their movement.

The physical therapy “gym” was also very interesting to see, especially the Lokomat machine, which allowed paralyzed patients to “stand” upright. We witnessed a patient playing a game using the machine, where they needed to apply force in their toes in order to advance. The machine controlled their lower body, enabling them to walk. It was incredible seeing the impact of engineering in real time, especially after attending yesterday’s lecture about Dr. Herrero’s balance machine and how she designed it to rehabilitate patients.

After our tour of the hospital, we walked around the surrounding area of Plentzia, a windy beach town that had gorgeous views of the mountains and the sea. Did you know that a scene from Game of Thrones was filmed on one of its coasts? Dr. Herrero mentioned that it is a popular beach town for people in the Basque region, as other Spanish citizens tend to ignore it due to grey skies and cool climate. I definitely noticed this weather as I struggled to stay warm in my sweater and jeans. 

We ended the day back in Bilbao at the Arriaga Theatre, watching a concert that incorporated opera singing and jaunty music, based on the works of an Argentine author. Dr. Herrero was also a part of the choir, and it was fun to see her in a non academic environment. The design of the Arriga theatre was gorgeous,and I’m excited to tour the building tomorrow and know its history. During this program, I’ve noticed that the design of every building in Bilbao serves a specific purpose, and I’m curious to know the function of the theater’s ornate, complicated design.