Basques around the world

Hello-

Well I don’t know what the weather’s like where you are, but it’s typical Basque weather here today. However, it would seem we’re promised good, stable weather for the weekend, so here’s hoping.

The big news on this side of the Atlantic is that ex-Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman is playing a gig in the Basque capital Vitoria on Friday night. He’ll be heading up his new band, ‘The Rhythm Kings’.

We have three exciting new blog entries, firstly on our Tourist ‘Off the Beaten Track’ blog; Kepa Junkera has left his latest post about this year’s Jaialdi; and catch the latest from Tiffany about the Pelota.

And for Athletic fans, a new signing. Alaves player Igor Martinez will play for the team next season.

Ondo pasa!

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Hi Basques,

An historic day today for Bilbao, the Basque Country – perhaps, indeed, the world! As momentous achievements, big and small, are being achieved in all corners:

First and foremost, the laying of the first stone of Athletic Bilbao’s new stadium, San Mames Barria.

Enjoy the taster video we’ve included for you here, and read about the “emotional” occasion which included a giant human chain (also with video).

Another significant Basque sporting event was also happening some miles away: Home-grown mountaineer Edurne Pasaban landed at Madrid airport after completing her challenge to climb the 14 8000ers – read what she had to say about her feelings, the future and what it is like to be the second woman to manage the feat.

And, as if you needed more reasons to come to Biscay: The province’s Txakoli wine was recently highly-rated by esteemed US wine-taster Robert Parker.

Lastly, if you’re in or around the Basque Country this autumn, you might like to know that legendary group Supertramp will be playing at the BEC! in Barakaldo on September 17^th.

That’s all for now!

Agur.

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Hello Basques-

As you will know, Easter is a special time in the Basque Country. Whether you believe or not, there is no denying the impressiveness of the processions and actuations that go on around much of the territory. The most famous of all takes place in the Biscay town of Balmaseda and there is an article and video about this for you to enjoy today.

If you’re thinking of visiting over the weekend, there’s a report about this Easter’s weather as well as a gallery of photos to accompany it.

Important sports news today is that Bizkaia Bilbao Basket have made it through to the Final Four of the Eurocup, despite a 6-point loss to CEZ Nymburk.

Tiffany has sent us her latest update, reminding us about tomorrow’s Pairs Championship Final. Unfortunately she’ll be away and unable to keep us updated, but she has given us some important information on how to keep abreast of developments.

Happy Aste Santua

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Hi Basques,

Good news if you’re planning a trip to the Basque Country this Easter, as the weather promises to be settled with mostly blue skies. Maybe while you’re here you’d like to visit the Chillida works on show at the Ysios bodegas in Laguardia, or see the ‘Pamplona Encounters 72 Exhibition’, which recalls an amazing artistic movement that took place in the Navarre capital in 1972.

If you’re coming in May you’ll be in time for the 5^th ‘Basques and Dance’ Gala, which this year will be headed up local ballerina Lucia Lucarra, and feature two other Basque dancers from Biscay.

American travel company and group members Fresco Tours have written on our wall to tell us about a talk being given today in Florida by Professor Leonard Bloom entitled ‘The Mysterious Basque People of the American West, Spain and France’. If any of you make it, we’d love to hear about it.

Sports news from our English Pelota specialist Tiffany is about Saturday’s final of the Campeonato Parejas Promotion.

Meanwhile, yesterday wasn’t such a great day for Basque football or basketball as Athletic lost to Atletico Madrid and CSKA Moscow thrashed Caja Laboral.

That’s the news for today.

Ondo pasa!

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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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Hey Basques, everything ok?

Today, Thursday, March 4th our Facebook group shows some information on Iparraldea XXI  (Iparraldea 21), a documentary based on the French Basque youth which has been produced by Euskal Kultur Erakundea, an association on Basque culture. The work is aimed to join young people from Iparralde and Euskadi, different and alike at the same time thanks to Basque idiosyncrasy.

Furthermore, a travel agent from Waterbury, Vermont (New England-USA), offers a packaged tour to the Basque Country in its website. The advertisement includes a review made by native Basques, actual guides of the initiative.

You can also enjoy some pictures and videos on Basque weather and bands such as Elkano Browning Cream and Oreka TX, a group who fusions tradition and modernity through the Basque instrument txalaparta. Besides, they have become nominees for the Independent Music Awards. Congratulations!

Separately, Athletic Club Bilbao was defeated on Wednesday in a match against Paraguay. And a Basque citizen was the mastermind behind one of the world’s biggest networks of virus-infected computers… it was a data vacuum that stole credit cards and online banking credentials from as many as 12.7 million poisoned PCs.

Cheers!

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