Basques around the world

Good afternoon.

First up, ‘Basque’ member David Larrabee has sent us this interesting link: http://sacred-texts.com/neu/basque/index.htm, which throws up some interesting items on Basque legends.

Jon Warren has written an interesting entry into his diary which he’s posted on our ‘Discover the Basque Country‘ blog. Get an insight into Jon’s gastronomic adventures.

Jon’s partner on the new ‘Discover the Basque Country’ tour, Basque expert Paddy Woodworth wrote to tell us that the new venture has received coverage in two important US sites, as well as the good news that they have already received their first bookings.

Further news on our Dos Paredes pelota blog: This weekend, Group A will compete in the Manomanista, with Martinez de Irujo still the hot favourite. Find out the line-up here.

And on our Basque Country Live blog: read about adopted Basque Angela Linskey who left her home in Yorkshire almost 40 years ago and now runs an organic farm on renewable energies producing fruit jams and jellies. Also see some spectacular photos of Angela’s farmhouse Naera Haundi.

The debate rumbles on following Restaurant magazine’s publication of this year’s top 50 eateries: find out why Basque chef Juan Mari Arzak was indignant at the decision to rate ‘El Bulli’ in second place.

Ondo ibili!

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Good day Basques,

Welcome once again to our blog, we love to have you!

Well our other blog writers have been busy bees lately; Pelota fans now have a total of 3 more posts to read about the latest on the Manomanista competition.

Meanwhile, our Basque Tourism blog contributor Mugalari has kindly made a list of not 10 but 11 “Must Sees” in the Basque Country.

We’ve got a really special item about a new short film entitled Artzainak: Shepherds and Sheep, by US Basque Javi Zubizarreta and his colleague Jacob Griswold, about the bygone age of the Basque shepherds who emigrated to Idaho and other areas of the west. Zubizarreta and Griswold look into the hardships suffered by men who left their country in pursuit of a better life.

We’ve got some updated news about the Basques chefs – Aduriz and Arzak – who made it into Restaurant magazine’s Top 10 best eateries in the world, and remember we told you yesterday about the San Prudencio celebrations in Vitoria-Gasteiz? Today you can see a video of yesterday’s opening ceremony.

Enjoy!

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Hi there –

Loads of Blog news today Basques.

Firstly, we’ve got a brand new blog written by English San Sebastian based chef Jon Warren. Jon runs a company called San Sebastián Food, a world-class bespoke food and wine travel company. You might remember we told you about him teaming up with Paddy Woodworth, to offer small group visits around the whole Basque area. Jon’s blog – entitled Discover the Basque Country – will take you behind the scenes on a series of these tours.

Our other (Basque) food lover Tamar Marino’s latest post on our Basque Fed blog takes her into the heart of the Basque Country and its food as she tells us about her trip inland.

Our Pelota-loving Londoner Tiffany has written two important posts about the latest happenings in the Manomanista. After favourite Aimar Olaizola’s serious injury at the weekend, it looks as though Arretxe will be stepping into his shoes.

Tomorrow is an important day for Alava – San Prudencio is their saint’s day and they celebrate it with style and gusto. Find out why mushrooms and cooked snails will be so important to the province tomorrow.

As we’re talking about food, you might know that El Bulli is no longer officially the world’s best restaurant – it’s been taken over by a Dane. Two Basque restaurants – Mugaritz and Arzak – are still in the top ten.

That’s all for now.

Agur.

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Dear Basques,

Today, Monday April 26, marks the 73th anniversary of the bombing of the Basque town of Gernika .Thus, the town commemorates bombing victims today.  Peace Research Center ‘Gernika gogoratuz’ has awarded Basque Premier Jose Antonio Agirre with the Peace and reconciliation Award and world organization of Mayors for Peace.

In addition, the Euskal Herria Museum of Gernika is exhibiting from today, 26th of April to 25th of July 25th works created by Basque sculptor Jorge Oteiza between 1942 and 1987, inspired by the 1937 bombing of the Basque town of Gernika and by the famous painting by Pablo Picasso.

The S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2010 will be announced on Monday 26th April at the historic Guildhall in the City of London, in the company of the world’s finest chefs, international media and the world’s most influential restaurateurs.

Also today, Bilbao celebrates ‘Txakoli Eguna 2010′ while the Guipuzcoan capital of Donostia-San Sebasitan will be a meeting point for a number of wine cellars and oil mills: The Enolia Wine Fair of San Sebastian will play host to 63 exhibiting wines and oils, all aimed at professionals in the trade.

As part of the ACB Basketball League, Caja Laboral got over Splitter’s injury to defeat Manresa 78-69. Also on Sunday, Bizkaia Bilbao Basket defeated DKV Joventut to give one step closer to the playoffs, whereas Lagun Aro GBC fell at Blancos de Rueda Valladolid.

Have a nice day and we will see you tomorrow again!

Agur

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Hello Basques!

We hope you are enjoying the weekend!

Tiffany has posted a new item on our Basque Pelota blog ‘Dos Paredes’. This time she tells us that Aimar Olaizola, one of the leading lights of the 2010 Manomanista Championship, last night suffered a serious knee injury in his opening match against Patxi Ruiz.

The eighth edition of the Collection Plant Fair has taken place in Gipuzkoa. Plants from the five continents colored the extraordinary Iturraran Botanic Gardens, in Pagoeta Natural Park (Aia), during the eighth Collection Plant Fair that took place on 24^th and 25^th of April.

And lastly, the best break dancers of Europe met in the pavilion of La Casilla in Bilbao on April 24th. For the ninth consecutive year, the capital of Biscay was the home of the Break on Stage encounter, a must for hip-hop lovers.

See you tomorrow with more!

Agur

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Kaixo Basques all around the world,

How are you today? It’s sunny and warm in the Basque Country today and it seems weather will be like this the rest of the weekend.

Rabia, a film directed by the Ecuadorean Sebastian Cordero and co-produced by EITB was awarded with the Golden Biznaga in the 13th edition of the Spanish Film Festival 2010 in Malaga.

The Spanish dance company Gelabert Azzopardi will perform ‘Sense fi’ and ‘Conquassabit’ at Arriaga Theatre in Bilbao (Biscay, Basque Country) on Thursday, April 29th.

Lastly, the Jury has selected 8 finalist posters for the Fiesta of San Fermin 2010.

Enjoy Saturday!

Agur

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Good day to you from an overcast Basque Country, that promises sun, sun, sun tomorrow.

Many of you will not realize that this is an important date for the Basque Country. Today – April 23^rd – marks 30 years since the autonomous parliament was set up. Activities have been organized for the rest of the year.

We’ve got a weekend packed full of culture starting today in San Sebastian. Firstly, the Rompeolas festival has already started.This is an initiative organised to drive the city’s candidacy to be European Cultural Capital in 2016 and its 2 main ingredients are culture and citizen participation. The bells of the city were rung earlier to day, calling the people to come along and join in the fun!

Meanwhile, the 8^th Human Rights Film Festival also kicked off today, with a week of feature lengths and shorts about current social issues from all around the world.

Don’t forget to read our Dos Paredes blog as Olaizola II, twice a former winner of the Manomanista Championship is the red hot favourite as he goes up on Saturday against Patxi Ruiz.

And if you like baseball, do you remember Mark Kurlansky, who famously wrote about Basques in his book “Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World”?  In his latest book, Kurlansky traces the origins of the sport to the Dominican Republic.

And as spring is fully upon us, the Basque Country once again promises to be a great destination for a long weekend this May and into the summer – and also one of the safest!

Have a good weekend.

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Good afternoon to you Basques.

Well, summer is definitely on its way. Skies here are blue and sunny and the atmosphere is gearing up to a season of festival and frolics.

Talking of frolics, don’t forget AC/DC are playing Bilbao again soon. If you’re nearby and are thinking of going, tickets are on sale from tomorrow.

One of the next musical events in the calender is Donostia-San Sebastian’s Musicial Fortnight, taking place this year between August 7^th and September 3^rd.  Find out what it got in store this year and get a glimpse at the official programme.

In Pelota, Olaizola I beat Bengoetxea VI in the first match of the Pairs Championship, while it looks like our home-grown mountaineer Edurne Pasaban may actually be the first female to scale all fourteen 8000ers.

Not such good news for Osasuna, unfortunately, who now find themselves in the relegation zone.

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Hi everyone!

How are you?

As you all know, a volcano eruption in Iceland spread volcanic ash in the atmosphere and for this reason all Basque airports closed on Sunday. Nevertheless, they opened again on Sunday evening.

On Saturday, Alba Berlin spoilt Bizkaia Bilbao Baskets Eurocup dreams. The Basques were defeated 77-70 on the semi-final game of the Eurocup final four, held in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Despite all predictions, Lagun Aro CBC defeated ACB Readers Regal Barcelona 71-60 and Splitter led Caja Laboral to 80-86 win over Fuenlabrada.

On Sunday, Athletic Club Bilbao held to a scrappy 0-0 draw at home to Zaragoza.

Thanks to a deal between Mushroom Pillow and True Panther/Matador, the band from Zarautz Delorean have released their latest work ‘Subiza’ worldwide.

Takashi Murakami presents ‘Superflat new pop culture’ exhibition until June 19th at Okendo Culture Center in Donostia-San Sebastian (Gipuzkoa).

Enjoy your day

Agur!

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Kaixo Basques!

Here is your summary of goings on for today, Saturday, April 17th:

The Basque climber Edurne Pasaban reached the summit of Annapurna in the Himalayas. This is her 13th 8,000 peak, which was 8,091-meters high. Congratulations Edurne!

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo will be performing at Arriaga Theatre in Bilbao, Biscay (Basque Country) until Sunday, April 18th. Since their beginnings, the Trocks have established themselves as a major dance phenomenon throughout the world.

Lastly, Tiffany has posted a new item on our Basque Pelota blog ‘Dos Paredes’. This time she tells us that Pairs Champion Aitor Zubieta will not be able to start the Second Tier Manomanista Championship  as the 26 year old finished the Pairs final with severe pain in his right hand.

This is all for today.

Enjoy Saturday!

Agur

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