Basques around the world

Good afternoon Basques from a very – very – rainy Basque Country.

We’re almost drowning here from all the rain, and some parts of Biscay are even experience floods. Let’s hope it doesn’t get any worse.

Despite the miserable weather, we’re still celebrating… following Real Sociedad’s promotion to the first division, the latest fabulous sporting news is that Vitoria’s basketball team, Caja Laboral Baskonia, are now ACB Champions following a nail-biting match against rivals Regal Barcelona.

For those of you who haven’t heard of Ipuina Kontatu, today there’s a special item about the documentary which was filmed by American Emily Lobsenz. Emily discovered the Basque Country by chance, fell in love with the place and has now made a documentary. The title – Ipuina Kontatu – means ‘telling stories’, which is a clue to the format of the film, entirely based on first hand accounts from Basque shepherds, fishermen and many more typical figures.

For those of you struggling to learn Euskera – and even those who aren’t it’s really worth your while to check out the posts written by Cody Beaudreau and Megan Otteman, two Americans from Boise currently at the Barnetegi in Lazkao… real eye-openers.

Share on Facebook

Arratsalde on!

A few items today to bring you up to date with goings-on around the Basque Country this week.

Today you can read about Cody Beaudreau, an American learning Basque in the Basque town of Lazkao. He tells us of his first impressions of the Barnategi where he’s studying.

Lots of sports news, the most recent being the result of Caja Laboral Baskonia’s match against Real Madrid. Read about the nail-bitingly close match which led to a fourth play-off this Friday.

STOP THE PRESS: the North Korean World Cup squad are wearing shirts manufactured in none other than Basque town Mondragon. Find out how home-grown brand Astore made it onto the mysterious Far Eastern side’s kit.

The third sports news today, well… it’s not often we bring you news about Donostia-San Sebastian side Real Sociedad, especially since their demotion to the 2nd division. Well, they may just be promoted this weekend so watch this space…

By the way, if you’re going to be spending time in the Basque Country this summer, you’ll want to know which of our beaches have received blue flags for cleanliness. You have 3 to choose from…

That’s all for now.

Gero arte!

Share on Facebook

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

Share on Facebook

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!

Share on Facebook

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-

Share on Facebook

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..

Share on Facebook

Welcome to the week Basques.

We’ve now got a total of 2,053 members in our Facebook group, “Basques Around the World”, which we created as a place where all Basques, wherever you are, could meet on-line and share news about the Basque Country.

Some better news than yesterday on the sports front as both Caja Laboral and Bizkaia Bilbao Basket managed wins in the ACB Cup.

And talking of sport, Londoner Tiffany posted her latest Pelota installment on our blog ‘Dos Paredes’; this time about a match between Gonzalez and Laskurain in Urretxu.  In other news, a short film about the same sport has received an important award.

On the subject of awards, Spain’s ‘Oscars’, the Goyas, presented 8 prizes to Spanish film ‘Cell 211’ on Sunday, including one for Basque actress Marta Etura (see photo), not the only Basque competing on the night.

Our other adopted Basque, Tamar Moreno, has written a long and interesting explanation about one of the Basque Country’s most typical food items served at one of its most iconic buildings.

And other gastronomic news is that the kitchen of one of the Basque Country and the world’s most prestigious restaurants – run by world-class chef Andoni Luis Anduriz – has been badly burned in a fire.  Let’s hope it’s up and running again soon.

Share on Facebook

Lontzo wrote today to tell us about Mattin Noblia – an American-Basque chef living in San Francisco who’s planning something special to raise money for Haiti.

Another turn up for the books was some interesting news about the sex-lives of Basque people: are they satisfied or not and how often do they..? Click here if you want to know!

Late artist Robert Rauschenberg makes a second posthumous outing at the Guggenheim in Bilbao. His last exhibit was over a decade ago, but he always had a special relationship with the Foundation.

Read about how an EITB news item and video made it halfway across the world and even featured in the Wall Street Journal, plus a bit of bad news now for sports fans about Caja Laboral’s last match.

That’s all for today!

Share on Facebook