Comments for Pyrenean Experience

Comment on What Clients & Press Say by Swancott

Swancott — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:50:02 +0000

Thank you Georgina for a brilliant week of walking and learning Spanish at the end of September. I shall always remember the lovely walks, stunning views, Izaskun’s cooking, Sagrario’s friendly welcome and Inaki’s lessons and patience. Last but not least your infectious enthusiasm and kindness.

Comment on What Clients & Press Say by Mary Anne Beech

Mary Anne Beech — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 08:37:40 +0000

Just back from a great week, marvellous scenery, good walking, delicious food, very useful language teaching and practise, and all in lovely company.

A specially big Thank You to Georgina, Izaskun, the miller and all the restauranteurs for managing my gluten-free diet so well.

Abrazos a todos
MaryAnne

Comment on What Clients & Press Say by Cathy Thomas

Cathy Thomas — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 07:40:23 +0000

Had the most amazing week. Didn’t realise the Basque country was so picturesque and spectacular. Really enjoyed getting out and about, walking in the mountains, learning to cook a sweet onion soup (which I have already made since my return), meeting the former smuggler and local miller and spending time with such lovely people – my fab group, Georgina, Inaki and Izaskun …oh and my Spanish improved enormously. Back home, am now thinking of Spanish words all the time – bit of a problem seeing that I’m off to France tomorrow! Good luck Georgina!

Comment on What Clients & Press Say by Eirian Owen

Eirian Owen — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:46:09 +0000

I fell in love with the beautiful scenery and the peaceful surroundings . Georgina has found the perfect recipe in her paradise in the hills – first class Spanish tuition, excellent accommodation and food, the delightful company of local people and an insight into Basque culture . Georgina’s exuberance, Iñaki’s humour and Izaskun’s warmth provided the icing on the cake. A week to remember and cherish. Eirian.

Comment on What Clients & Press Say by Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:26:03 +0000

The greatest compliment I can give to Georgina, Inaki and Izaskun is that I returned home thinking in Spanish and with a love for their part of the world.

Gracias for todos

Comment on What Clients & Press Say by Glenn & Carole Millar

Glenn & Carole Millar — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 18:34:09 +0000

It was nearly dusk when we arrived at Georgina’s house. We had travelled to Bilbao by ferry and driven there following her very detailed directions “… pass through the middle of a farm …” up into the hills above the village of Ituren. Georgina was waiting to welcome us warmly and after a quick wash and brush-up we were ushered on to the patio to meet the rest of the party – our teacher, Inaki, our classmates who had arrived earlier – Jackie from Lancaster, Marie-Luise from Leipzig and Ally from Vancouver Island – and Izaskun, provider of home-cooked food and companion on our walks.

They were all speaking Spanish. Already. A bit daunting at first but we got used to it, learned to enjoy it and now even do it ourselves at home sometimes.

The view from the patio was amazing, high above the valley and the villages where the lights were starting to come on. Very soon we were tucking into supper – tortilla and salads, washed down with a few glasses of rosado – a welcoming start to a great week.

Some memories

· Enjoying el sonido del silencio – it’s a very tranquil place
· Waking to the sound of the cencerros (small bells) around the necks of the sheep grazing beneath our room.
· Being above the early morning mist in the valleys and watching the changes in the mist’s shape and light as the sun strengthened.
· Dark, starry nights
· The fun of our daily Spanish classes as Inaki expanded our vocabulary and understanding, proposing and acting out scenarios for us while exploring the mysteries of ser and estar, por and para, to say nothing of irregular verbs in umpteen tenses.
· Our walks in late summer sun through villages, woods and hills with Georgina, Inaki and Izaskun using the local topography as a visual aid – a fig tree was an introduction to estar en una higuera and a muddy puddle to meterse en un charco, both useful expressions for struggling students of Spanish
· Wonderful views at every turn
· Georgina being hailed as we walked past a neighbour’s garden and all of us invited in to admire the flowers and sample the grapes..
· Touring a working water mill and then having the miller turn up at Georgina’s house next evening to sing Basque and Spanish songs on the patio after dinner.
· Living in an almost totally Spanish environment and meeting a number of different Spanish speakers, including the miller, farming friends and a friend from Pamplona who joined us for lunch one day. Dinner was usually in English, pretty much everything else in Spanish (with excursions into English when we needed to be sure that we’d got it right).
· Making an impromptu visit to a local swimming pool on a hot afternoon where we and many of the local families were able to cool off before heading into the nearby town of Elizondo to see the gigantes (giant figures of a king and queen) plus their big-headed retinue (cabezudos) dance in the streets.
· A once in a lifetime opportunity to join with Inaki and Marie-Luise in helping a local farming couple to make una meta de helecho (a stack of bracken for animal bedding). Very satisfying – it’s in the blood – the Millars were farmers long ago.

We had an unforgettable time, thanks to the open-hearted Georgina for her infectious enthusiasm and energy, Inaki for his good humour, quick wit and ability to immerse us in understandable Spanish, Izaskun for topping up the food and conversation in a delightful way and last but by no means least, our fellow students, Ally, Marie-Luise and Jackie for the fun and the craic. .

Gracias a todos
!Hasta luego!

Comment on What Clients & Press Say by Paddy Atkins

Paddy Atkins — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:51:58 +0000

What an amazing week! I’m back home and the sheep and cow bells are still gently ringing in my ears taking me back to what really is a corner of paradise. Yes, Georgina has some pretty good ingredients to offer us – breath-taking scenery, the Basque villages with their picture book houses and farms, the history, the people – but the really special ingredient is Georgina herself, weaving skilfully, creatively and often spontaneously her detailed knowledge of the area, her total commitment to the Basque culture, her relationships with the local farmers (like a family really) and above all her infectious passion for all things Basque into our week. Each day was unique and very special – leaving me with wonderful memories ( and I include the walk back from San Esteban, Stuart – haven’t laughed so much in ages!) and a sense of being made very welcome, a sense of belonging to a very special community.

Thank you SO much Georgina!

Comment on What Clients & Press Say by Meryl Chetwood

Meryl Chetwood — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 11:11:01 +0000

My week with Georgina, Izaskun and fellow walkers has been one of the most enjoyable and memorable holiday experiences I have had. A winning combination of the green beauty of the Pyrenees, stunning walks and scenery, excellent food and wine, Basque culture, convivial company and being lulled to sleep by the jangly clang of sheep bells. Unforgettable and very special.

Comment on What Clients & Press Say by tom

tom — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:12:58 +0000

It’s a few days since returning home from my third visit to the Baztan valley and already I’m having withdrawal symptoms and missing the peace and tranquility of the area. Nothing has changed since my last holiday here and her enthusiasm for this green paradise remains undiminished. Once again I was lucky to be in the company of delightful fellow walkers and the enjoyable social interaction of the group every day.

Georgina introduced us to interesting new walks and a great insight into the Basque culture and its gastronomy. Each day presented different challenges from learning to make tulos in a beautiful ancient mill, climbing in the high rocky peaks above the vultures and culminating in a wonderful last day experiencing the Joaldunuk with all its tradition and pagan ritual. Not forgetting the memorable walk on our free day to Santestaban and back lead by Stuart which will not be forgotten although Merryll and Paddy kept the spirits high during the long ascent back to the house. Although it was not a week for spanish lessons we had some good fun grappling with the language but I think Merryll found understanding the basque dialect easier than my northern vernacular.

Thank you Izaskun for your delicious cooking and especially for bringing your mum’s tortilla on our picnic in the mountains.

Lastly a big hug and warm thanks to Georgina, Marion and Inaki for making us so welcome in your home and giving us a wonderful Pyrenean experience.

Comment on What Clients & Press Say by Georgina Howard

Georgina Howard — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 07:58:56 +0000

So sorry Stuart about the melon …. it was just that Izaskun’s mother’s tortilla was just too good and no one could eat any more! Next time it may be easier to pick our own figs off the trees en route instead. As for the bat, I too have my suspicions that it all had something to do with getting Edorta into the bedroom and, as for your group leading skills on the free day, don’t be too hard on yourself … few people after a great lunch at Donamaria can make it to the nearest village let alone up a mountain .. I am sure that the bottle of ‘tinto’ should take some of the blame too!