National TV film on us
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Category Archives: Basque Culture and Tradition
The importance of ‘work’ in the Basque Culture
As I dashed out of my neighbour’s farm Amatxi (the grandmother) waved to me from the door ‘Que trabajes mucho!’ she said; a translation from the Basque ‘lan haunditz egin’ meaning ‘I hope you have lots of work!’. She wasn’t … Continue reading
Cider Houses in the Basque Country .. and a few less trees
For some reason cider has become the theme of the week … and not a drop has yet passed my lips . .. I swear! My partner, the village lawyer, always seems to get interesting cases when it is cider … Continue reading
Basque Smugglers and Tomatoes
Koilkil, our retired smuggling friend, continues to surprise us with his tales of smuggling cows and horses over the Spanish/French borders of the Basque Pyrenees. He rarely speaks with animosity about the Guardia Civil during Franco’s regime … sometimes I even note a … Continue reading
Lunch & Autumn Walks in Ituren (17th November 2012)
The best way to start off this invitation is with a picture of Ituren on the school run down the mountain earlier this week .. and if this photo came with a sound track, you would also hear the haunting cries of … Continue reading
El Día del Joaldunak (When I got the dates wrong!)
It is the day that only the villagers know about, (and me) and last year I got it terribly wrong! This is the private day of the Joaldunak – the mythical, pagan, carnival personality of our village of Ituren. … Continue reading
Edorta sings Razón de Vivir by Victor Heredia
Some more wonderful memories of Edorta as he sings ‘Razón de vivir’ to another Spanish group on the terrace of our home last autumn. No international house-party here in Ituren would be the same without him. Eskerrik asko Edorta!
Our Basque grandparents (Amatxi and Atautxi)
Here is a picture of Amatxi and Atautxi, as I have always known them; the ‘grandparents’ who adopted me when I arrived in Ameztia 10 years ago and helped me to bring up Marion when she made an appearance 3 … Continue reading
The Making of the RTVE DESTINO ESPAÑA Documentary:
Wallflowers and Stephen Fry! When I was contacted by RTVE, National Spanish TV, to do a documentary on my life for their programme, Destino España, the natural wallflower in me was nowhere to be found! (See the video on the … Continue reading
Business with the Basques in Northern Spain
Any article entitled ´Working with the Spanish’ will get into stormy waters if it attempts blanket coverage of the Iberian Peninsula and this is no truer than for the proud Basque people who inhabit the rugged coasts of the North. … Continue reading
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