Random Musings from Northern Spain

After 2 weeks in Spain it is almost time to leave.

I have been fortunate enough to spend all of my time so far in Euskadi (or the Basque Country).

The Basque people are awesome...they speak their own language (Euskara)...they have their own unique cuisine...based heavily on cod fish (aka bacalao)...they have their own fashion (funny shoes with rope soles, huge berets, and mullet hair cuts)...they have their own sports (lifting and dragging big stones springs immediately to mind).

They are a lot like the "Newfies"...with a strong maritime tradition and they are even more fiercely independent.

All of Spain loves their tapas...but in Euskadi...they have made it a way of life, at just about anytime of the day or night one sees groups of all ages walking from pub to pub...never staying for more then maybe two drinks and a snack (aka pinxos)...repeat...repeat...repeat...etc.

This technique definitely scores "two thumbs up" from the D-Man.

The Basque are ridiculously friendly...but not as quick to befriend people as much of the rest of Europe. This may be as a result of their location on the Iberian Peninsula being a regular route for foreign armies from pre-roman times.

Luckily, my cousin (aka prima), Jessica has been adopted by the locals in Azkoitia as one of their own...so I kinda' fell into my own little community.

Thanks Jess!

Most of our evenings have been well spent in the local bars (but always the "Dean"...Siempre the Dean)...telling jokes in a mixture of Euskara/Spainish/English, and meeting what seems like an endless stream of "colourful" characters. The constant movement of people from place to place means that if one stays at a venue for half an hour, then entire clientel has changed.

The Basque have a very generous nature, which often results in cloak and dagger work as people compete with each other to pick up the bill before they go to (yet another!) bar. But it seems to usually balance out by the end of the night. (Which is LATE...no one eats dinner until about 9PM...which means that they finish about midnight...then continue into the small hours of the morning). I appear to be the only person in Euskadi that requires sleep.

I have often found myself stuffed to the gills with food but unable to refuse my hosts
offers of more...most notably at one of the local, private eating societies (I went to San Martin)...where I had a small mountain of cod (bacalao) and what appeared to be 3 half-chickens...with my digestion aided by large volumes of the local red wine (aka vino tinto) that is generally very good and very cheap. (This is a dangerous combination).

Never one to sit on my laurels, I was then invited to go to a cider house in the mountains about 45 minutes from Azkoitia.

It was outstanding...there is a set price per head that includes a (large) meal, and unlimited cider. I was served a steak that seemed like it came from a brontosaurus...it was massive...and pretty rare..but when in Rome etc. etc. This was accompanied by another mountain of cod (bacalao), and cheese.

No salad and no sweets...exactly the way I like my meals.

By tradition, there is no drinking at the table...periodically "el hefe" (the boss), thumps his glass on a table...then anyone that it thirsty (read...everyone), follows him to the back where he pours straight from the vat, from a distance of several feet, straight into one's glass.

(It can get a little messy, and cider has a pretty strong smell, my advice...stand well to the side...rather than behind one's glass...it is safer for everyone involved.)

And remember...do not say "Thank You"...do not say "Gracias"...always say "Eskerrek Asko"