Basques around the world

Hey Basques,

There are only minimum services today due to industrial action, though the sun certainly isn’t on strike.

Remember we told you a few weeks ago that Bilbao had been awarded a ‘Nobel’ prize thanks to its ‘liveability’ and post-industrial rejuvenation? Well the City Mayor is currently in Singapore to pick up that award.

Mugalari has written about another good reason to visit the city. You may or may not know about the hanging bridge, actually classed as a World Heritage Monument by UNESCO. A fantastic piece of machinery, it’s been running since 1893.

Don’t forget of course that AC/DC played in the Basque capital last night. By all accounts the whole of the San Mames stadium rocked to the Australian band’s gig, possibly their last ever – and they played it in Bilbao! Why would that be, we wonder..?

Don’t forget the next big musical event is BBK Live, starting on July 8th. If you don’t know already, here’s a sneak peak at some of the acts playing on the first night.

That’s all for now!

Gero arte.

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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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Hi everyone!

Here is your summary of goings on for today, April 13th:

Find out today about fellow-Basque José Antonio Alcayaga III. José is an American photographer of Basque heritage who has created a group on facebook – Alcayagas del Mundo / Alcayagas of the World – in an attempt to bring together all those who share his surname. So far the group has 915 members, all called Alcayaga!  José’s currently exhibiting 9 of his photos (all taken during a trip to the Basque Country, like this one here) at Talbot’s in Greenwich, Connecticut.

We’ve also got some more news about Egunkaria today: The court also ruled that its closure was unconstitutional, while the five men acquitted have called for a celebration to say thanks for all the support they received over the past seven years. It’s scheduled to take place on April 25th at 11am in Bilbao.

Lastly, Mugalari has posted a new item on our Basque tourism blog ‘Off the Beaten Track’. This time he explains the interesting – or strange – eating schedules of the Basques: you might want to read just to be prepared!

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Good afternoon Basques,

Due to some technical problems yesterday we didn’t send you our usual update of news from our Basques All Around the World group, so here’s a summary of events from the past couple of days:

The biggest news today is about Basque president Patxi López’s meeting with Brazilian President Lula da Silva. His trip of the South American country has brought some positive economic news.

The latest edition to our Basque Country Live Blog is Jess Soodeen, a Canadian with no Basque heritage except for the historical links between the Basque Country and her mother’s native Newfoundland.  Find out how this connection brought her to our shores.

Chef Najat Kaanache, born in the Basque Country to Moroccan parents, is currently in Chicago as part of a three-year trip to learn from the world’s best chefs. Read about her odyssey.

If you’re following the Basketball Euroleague, some bad news I’m afriad as Caja Laboral crash out against CSKA Moscow.

Lastly, if you happen to be in the Basque Country this June, AC/DC will once again be playing Bilbao. Not a few people were left disappointed last year when tickets sold out in minutes, so this year’s gig at the massive San Mames stadium hopes to cater for all.

That’s all for now.

Bihar arte-

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Good day to you Basques,

Boise’s international Basque Cultural Festival is drawing ever nearer folks, and two Boise sisters of Basque heritage have launched their latest Basque designs to coincide with the event; this year they hope to branch out and bring their creations to the ‘Old Country’. Read about ‘Ahizpak’ and see some of their designs here.

Our English pelota fan Tiffany provides the latest from the Fronton, with the good news that Abel Barriola has finally returned after a year of being out with injury. His comeback match will take place today in his home town of Leitza (Navarre) alongside Berasaluze IX, up against duo Idoate and Goni III.

In other news, Yo La Tengo, the noise band which was in many respects the quintessential critics’ band during the 90s, will be playing at Barakaldo’s Rock Star Live concert hall on 18th March, which is located about 7 kilometres far from the centre of Bilbao.

On a different ‘note’, internationally-acclaimed Basque musician Kepa Junkera has followed up his work on the short film about Pelota, released this year. This time he’s been collaborating on a big-screen production, not only helping out on the soundtrack of Emilio Aragon’s latest movie Birds of Paper, but giving some important advice on how to play the Trikitixa.

Finally, today our Basque Tourism blog reveals some interesting information, not least that the world’s biggest Rolls Royce collection is housed just 35kms west of Bilbao. It is in fact a collection of 75 unique cars, which also includes Lamborghini, Ferrari and Bentley, among others. If rare cars are your thing, you might think about taking a trip there next time you visit the Basque Country!

That’s all for today.  Have a great weekend!

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Good day to you,

You’ll remember we set up the Basques Around the World group in an endeavour to bring the many Basques located around the world into a single forum. So far we’ve managed 2,200 members – good news.

Today, 11th March, marks six years since the attack in Madrid when ten explosions on the rail network left 191 people dead and 1,800 injured. The European Day for the Victims of Terrorism was set up all over the EU as a result, and today acts of commemoration took place in Madrid, the Basque Country and all over Spain.

Following the news yesterday that world-class Mugaritz chef, Andoni Luis Aduriz, had begun designing his new kitchen (destroyed by fire), it was revealed on Wednesday evening that other top Basque chef, Martin Berasategui, has designed an ‘innovative’ new type of bottle, meant for many liquids including wine. Find out what makes it so special!

If you’re into reading comics, you’ll be interested to hear that a further boost for the Basque Country today has been the news that 22 of our comic artists have been invited as guests of honour to this year’s International Comic Fair in Barcelona, the most important in the Peninsular.

Finally, we forgot to tell you yesterday that Bizkaia BB lost to Panellinios 77-70 but remain at the top of Group K.

Bihar arte..

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Hey Basques, how’s it goin’?

One of our Basques from around the world, Stephanie Itza from Reno, wrote on our wall today to ask whether anyone would be travelling from the Basque Country to the US this July to accompany her little cousin who wants to visit. Please get in touch with Stephanie if you can help.

After the news announced by Athletic boss García Macua yesterday that the first stone of the new San Mames Barria stadium would be laid towards the start of May, the Basque Government finally confirmed today it would also give its backing to the project.

Further good news for Athletic fans is that manager Caparros has signed on for another year at the club.

You will probably remember that a couple of months ago the prestigious Basque restaurant Mugaritz was badly damaged when fire broke out in its kitchen. It was a tough blow to world-class chef Andoni Luis Aduriz, but he and his team are now looking positively to the future. They have started planning the new improved kitchen, and have opened a discussion forum on their blog in the hope that we will all play a part in its design.

This year marks the 400^th anniversary since 31 residents of the Navarre town of Zugarramurdi were tried as witches, 11 of them finally being burned at the stake. The city of Logroño, which tried and executed the women, has chosen to mark the fourth centenary by paying homage and apologizing for the atrocities carried out in 1610.

Lastly, you may recall the Eguraldiblog Macrophotography competition that was launched a few weeks ago. The final winner was Javier Bahillo, who shared some more of his macrophotos with us, which we hope you will enjoy.

That’s the news for today Basques.

More tomorrow.

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Hello Basques,

Today is March 3^rd and the weekend is nearer so we enclose a tiny map showing a poteo route in Bilbao taking advantage of the fact that one of the typical pintxo and txikito (little glasses of wine) streets of the city, Maestro García Rivero, will become pedestrian from summer onwards. Just go to our Facebook wall and you’ll find it.

We encourage Basque mountaineer Edurne Pasaban to reach her dream: becoming the first woman in the world to reach 14 ‘8,000s’. Tomorrow, she starts a trip aimed to reach Shisha Pangma and Annapurna summits. Aurrera Edurne!

However, we regret to tell you that former Basque PM Jose Antonio Ardanza has suffered a heart attack. Fortunately, he is said to be in stable condition.

Separately, Lontzo Sainz uploaded some news on the fact that residents of Bayonne-Baiona, a city of the French Basque County, have rejected the lack of political will of American president Barack Obama to put an end to the economic, financial and commercial blockade of his country against Cuba, while Sean Paul Artis made us remember the dates of the Jaialdi 2010 in Boise, Idaho: 7/29-8/1.

Don’t forget to get our latest news on basket (Bilbao Basket) and Basque pelota, with the Aspe pelotaris sweeping the board at Pairs Championship.

Lastly, a cultural suggestion:  the ‘Silicon Dreams. Art, Science & Technology at the EU’ exhibition at Tabakalera centre in Donostia-San Sebastián.

Cheer up!

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