The calm before the storm

I want to mention a few things before I start with the whole summary of my life these last two weeks:

1. It's been stormy for the last two days here in Bilbao - rain and wind all over the place. But since it's not cold, I don't really mind the tempest state of things.
1a. Braving the storm this afternoon was a lone swan floating down river. Not just a goose or an oversized seagull but an actual swan! His tranquility stood in stark contrast to the debris and mud building up on the surface of the water.

2. I'm going to the opera at Euskalduna tonight! It's an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi, so they'll be singing in Italian, but the captions will be in Spanish. I'm therefore looking forward to being enveloped in a world of unfamiliar sights and sounds with an accompaniment of (semi)-familiar text. Nevertheless, I'll be able to understand the story through context clues and fully enjoy the experience of high culture in Bilbao.
2a. I have to get going to the opera but a recap of transpired events is coming soon - prometo (I promise)!