a blog on the Basque Country and neighbouring areas- Spain

Wow that's great. I couldn't find enough information on the Basque country/culture before my trip. I can't wait for my next trip back there. Just curious, how do you write in such excellent English?

Great blog - thank you so much for sharing your culture and heritage. The Basque country is already luring me back for a trip next fall! It's often difficult to find good information on this unique and intriguing region.

This is perfect timing! I am just starting to plan a one week trip to San Sebastian for May 2010. I am eager to continue reading your blog. Thanks for posting the link.

thanks, I intend to update it at least once a week, posting on unusual topics. If interested in something in particular, please let me know.

Egbert, I just happen to like languages, travelling and reading...and use a lot English and French for my work.

Mikel, it looks quite good ...
I hope you manage to keep a regular schedule, I am always failing on that ...

Bye, Cova

hi mikel,

well, i really enjoyed episode 1. you do not need to be worried about your English.

BTW, recent research suggests that the DNA of the cornish and the Basques is very closely linked. sadly very few cornish speak the language, and there are few bi-lingual sign-posts. and our tapas are not in the same league!

Hi Mikelg --This looks great! It will make for good reading between now and my trip to N SPain in the Spring. Don't worry about your English, its fine -- I wish my Spanish was half as good as your english.
thaks for sharing your blog.

If it helps, I´ve just posted the 10 routes that I consider as a "must" if you visit the Basque Country, with half of them you´ll get a very good idea about this so unknown area.

I´ll post later the 10 things to do and places to eat.

mikelg...

Thanks for updating this post. I'll check out the 10 "must" routes and I'm looking forward to your things to do and places to eat information!

For those following my blog, I´ve been contacted by the Basque Broadcasting Corporation (no, not the BBC, it´s EITB, Euskal Irrati Telebista, www.eitb.com) and my blog will appear (format will change) on their blogs in English for those interested in "Basqueness". It seems they find it interesting. I will update the correct address this week.

hi mikelg -- I love your blog and have tried to register to get the updates, but don't seem to be able to do so. I tried a post, but that didn't seem to work 4 me either. Any suggestions?

I live near St. Gaudens and don't know nearly enough about my Basque neighbors, so I welcome your blog and will use it.

Thanks.

Really nice blog, makes me want to take a trip.

yestravel, I subscribed to my own blog without problems, I don´t really know why you´re having those problems, I´m so sorry!

I do recommend the 3 minute video on the post on San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, it´s really spectacular!

and thank you a lot for your comments, I really appreciate them!

Nice blog, conversarional and helpful.

Hola Mikelg,

Thank you so much for this fantastic blog. Now, if I could only get myself back to Basque country!

well, I'll keep trying and in the meantime continue to check it regularly. Again, great blog and thanks for doing it.

Let's not forget a "hats off" to the moderator for letting Mikel go forward!

Congratulations, Mikel !

Are you going to share "blog home" with Jonan ? (Sorry, I couldn´t resist it)

Bye, Cova

To be honest, I asked for permission to publish this post and they were very kind to accept it.

Cova, that was funny!!

I am able to access the original website for the blog, but can't seem to get to the one hosted by EITB...anyone else having the same problem?

It is wonderful when you benefit from the hard work of someone else.

It is wonderful when you benefit from the hard work of someone else.

It really is, Aduchamp. The information, "earned" wisdom, and overall knowledge with regard to travel as a whole that is available here on Fodor's is amazing. I have so much respect for the posters here who share the fruits of their hard work with the rest of us...and tremendous appreciation as well.

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism, I hope it works now...

great blog! glad you were allowed to post it.

Love the Basque country and love that blog but it bums me out because I don't know when my next trip will be...

I´ll be showing some of your fellow Americans the hidden places off the beaten track in the Basque area next September, I hope to take lots of pics to post them here, Egbert.

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism, I hope it works now...

It works! Thank you so much, mikelg. Your blog is fantastic, and I am really enjoying reading it.

I had no interest whatsoever in ever visiting the Basque country. All I knew was that the Guggenheim was in Bilbao, and that a big fat hairy dude who does porn is also from there. Neither of those things were at all inspirational to me.

But a while back I saw a rerun of a No Reservations show Tony Bourdain did there. And then I started coming across posts on Fodors about the area. And then I read your first blog.

Now I am entranced, and am trying to figure out when I can make a trip there myself! I am even thinking the Guggenheim would be interesting now. But I still pass on the porn dude from Bilbao.

Thank you, I'm enjoying your blog very much.

Nepenthe, funny that you know the porn dude from Bilbao, he´s my age and has become rich directing "freak porn"...and lives now in Madrid. The Basque Country is a very unique area in Europe, yet quite unknown and has many things to offer to those that look for something different in their trips. And yes, I think that the Guggy is quite interesting to see, even if just the building.

Nepenthe, funny that you know the porn dude from Bilbao, he´s my age and has become rich directing "freak porn"...

I had to laugh at this comment, mikelg. You talk about being concerned about how your English is coming across to those of us who are native speakers of the language, and we all say that your command of the English language is excellent! However, I admit I was taken aback when I read your comment that I "know" the porn dude from Bilbao." I don't "know" him...I only "know of him." In other words, I don't know him personally. I just know him by reputation. He is quite infamous in certain circles, in which I do not care to travel.

I am not a fan of Gehry in general either, for different reasons obviously. But the descriptions I have read from those who have traveled there are quite amazing and have definitely piqued my interest, even if the collection itself is reportedly rather secondary.

My first thought was to try to combine a trip to Barcelona with one to the Basque Country, but now I am thinking that perhaps the Basque Country deserves a trip all by itself in order to even begin to do it justice.

Mikel: do you mean that you are conducting some kind of tour in September?

I'm having the same trouble as Nepenthe - I can pull up the old site and see postings prior to April 2010 but can't pull up the new link.

Nepenthe,you´re right, I guess I was translating directly from Spanish, where no preposition is needed...Yes, I´ve heard of him, to put it in a simpler way, hahhahaaa.

Jubilada: correct.

Just added a new post for those that like wine and culture, two things that are abundant in our Basque area, www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism

Mikel, will check it out...

Hi Robert, btw, I met the Thabuca girls and talked about you a little!!

Basque names and surnames in http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/

Thanks, mikelg, for the reminder to check your blog! Your post on Basque names was very interesting.

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/2010/11/02/enkarterriakencartaciones-the-western-valleys/, the last entry, showing the least known area of Bizkaia, one of the Basque provinces.

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/2010/11/20/a-pintxo-is-not-a-tapa-and-a-tapa-is-not-a-racion/

Mike

Isn't pitxos a Basque word?

In other parts of Spain you pay for or get free tapas, they can be eaten by hand or with a fork and are smaller than a racion?

Technically, Pintxos is the way we spell in Basque Pincho, which is a Spanish word that means "toothpick", well, kind of. We´ve just adapted the word to our phonemes. Yes, tapas are eaten by hand, the smaller ones, in some places they are free (in purity, they should be free, the paid ones are raciones).

mikelg...Can you explain "Cocido" to me? Also, do you know anything about Astorga? Thanks.

yes - free in Granada [in our experience, others may know better] a few € in Seville.

As there were plenty of tourists in both places, can anyone explain the difference?

Cocido is a stew, and its recipe varies from region to region. In Cantabria it´s cocido montañés (white beans, morcilla, chorizo, ham, cabbage,...), in Madrid it´s cocido madrileño (soup first and then the garbanzos, morcilla, chorizo, cabbage,...), in the BAsque area we have the Alubias (black beans and morcilla and chorizo and pork ribs...). It´s normally delicious, anywhere, and perfect for winter time.

Annhig, you may also pay for tapas in Granada and get them for free in Seville...it´s normally the place, not the city, that decides.

so i found the right places in Granada, and the wrong ones in Seville??

that was clever!

Thanks, mikelg...does the Basque version have garbanzos too, or do the black beans take their place? I am not a big fan of garbanzo beans, and some of my Spanish friends think I am crazy as a result. They don't know how I live without the garbanzo!

just black beans...but there are dozens of types of stews in this area

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/

my last post, dealing with the very much unknown Museum of The Basque Beret...

mikelg...do women wear these too, or just men?

just men...

Hello! I am deep into planning for a trip in April, 2012 (I know - it's early but I'm so excited!) We're planning at least 3 weeks in Spain, with adequate time up in the Basque country - and I love your blogsite! Thank you so much for posting - this will really round out the various guidebooks. My only problem is that I'm awfully fond of France, and will perhaps have to drift across the border for a couple of days up there, too!
Again: thank you!

bookmarking - upcoming trip to SS

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/2011/06/16/arantzazu-sanctuary-and-onati/, new post on another Off the Beaten Track spot in the Basque Country...and very unique, too!!

Mikel, have you seen today´s article about Arantzazu in El Correo? It is in spanish, but for the Fodorites who speak it, it can be a nice addition.
http://www.elcorreo.com/vizcaya/ocio/gps/planes/170611/visita-santuario-arantzatzu-onati.html

Bye, Cova

thank you Cova...yes, and it says it´s 14 apostles, not 13...my mistake counting!! I went to the Aitzgorri mountain a month ago, and it´s really breathtaking. And Oñate is just beautiful. thanks!!

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/2011/06/18/castles-in-the-basque-country-ii-the-tower-of-varona/,the beautiful castle of Varona with the legend for its name, natural parks, amazing real unexplored towns in Araba, the unknown Basque province...

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/2011/07/10/ea-the-shortest-name-for-a-beautiful-unspoilt-town/

A beautiful unspoilt town off the beaten routes, with probably the shortest name of all towns in Spain.

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/2011/09/18/how-a-xiii-century-cathedral-is-being-restored/

how to follow the reconstruction of a XIII century cathedral, in Vitoria-Gasteiz

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/2011/10/05/some-useless-facts-figures-about-the-basque-country-i/

useless facts and figures about the Basque Country,

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/2011/10/27/the-basilica-of-saint-ignatius-of-loyola-founder-of-the-jesuits/

the founder of the Jesuits was a Basque!!

Just wanted to let you know that I'm still loving your blog, mikelg.

Thank you, Nepenthe, that´s very kind of you!!

Exactly what I was looking for! This is great.

Thanks.

Any questions, you´re welcome...

mikelg-
Just wanted to say I love your blog and wait patiently for new entries! I've already penciled in a visit to Balmaseda for my next trip.

Cathy, this past weekend I visited a Ferrería (an ironmongery of the XVI century) on the road to Balmaseda and had a great homemade meal. 3 euros one hour guided visit to the ferrería and 20 euros for the meal, including a very decent wine. Good deal!! Went with a group of friends.

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/2011/12/07/basque-sports-overly-popular-over-the-centuries

last entry on the blog...

The Church (Hermitage, really) of Santa María de la Antigua...soooo beautiful inside and so little known...

http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/2012/02/01/the-church-hermitage-of-santa-maria-de-la-antigua-zumarraga/

my contribution of today, Pig Slaughter in the BAsque Country...a centuries old tradition, http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/2012/02/15/basque-traditions-the-txarriboda-or-pig-slaughter/