I leave for Europe in just five days and I could not be more excited! I have been itching to go back ever since my junior year of college, when I studied abroad in the Basque Country of Spain and traveled Europe with my best friend, (and current roommate,) Tina. Unfortunately, this trip’s itinerary does not include Bilbao or any city in el País Vasco, so I am reminiscing about that extraordinary nation in this post.
The above title, 4+3=1, is an old form of Basque nationalist graffiti that refers to the seven provinces that make up the Basqueland; four are located in Spain, three are found in France. The nation—never having been its own country—is only 8,218 square miles, which makes it slightly smaller than New Hampshire. However, even with its small size, it has enough national pride and culture to rival any European country. It is as Miguel de Unamuno, a Basque writer and philosopher, stated: “The Basques share with the Celts the privilege of indulging in unrivaled extravagance on the subject of themselves.”
The first written accounts of the early Basques date two centuries after the Romans arrived in 218 B.C.; however, these accounts give the impression that they were already an ancient civilization. Likewise, multiple sources allude to the Basques possibly being the original Europeans! In any case, since their beginning, they have been invaded, conquered, and settled by every country and their mother, yet—somehow—they have been able to hold onto their roots throughout it all.
Not only have they maintained their roots, but they have also attempted to establish their independence from Spain throughout the nation’s history. Whatever progress they made in those endeavors was lost when Francisco Franco officially became Spain’s dictator in 1939. His government suppressed Basque nationalism while it also oppressed its own Spanish people. Nowadays, some of the Basque society is still attempting higher degrees of self-empowerment, sometimes even by acts of violence. The Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) is recognized as a terrorist organization by the US and EU. In 2006, right before I left for Bilbao, the ETA declared a "permanent ceasefire" after almost 40 years of fighting for the annexation and independence of the Basqueland from Spain and France. It was very eerie, yet interesting, to see most of the underground walkways, side street alleyways, and stop signs spray painted with “ETA” or "¡Independentzia!” The only run-in I had with this Basque vs. Spanish mentality was when I, naively, called a local girl Spanish. She quickly corrected me and adamantly explained she was Basque. (She soon found out I was from the US, forgot about my insult, and wanted to talk nothing but American culture ha! A European who loves America… rare, I know.)
In addition to the Basqueland’s rich history, they—especially the city of Bilbao—still have their place in the world of today. As of 2010, the port of Bilbao is a first-class commercial port and is among the top five of Spain. Also, the province of Biscay is rich in raw materials, with both Spanish and European capitals importing nearly 90% of the Biscayan iron. Finally, Bilbao also attracts tourists, like me! It first established itself as a touristic city when the railway between Bilbao and the coastal neighborhood of Las Arenas was created in 1872. Through this, the city became a modest beach destination. Now, nearly every stop along the Metro Bilbao has a nearby beach. Las Arenas is actually the neighborhood where I lived with my host family; it is just a few stops away from the Universidad de Deusto where I studied. A typical day that summer consisted of class in the morning, a homemade meal at noon (gotta love “la siesta!”) and beach time throughout the rest of the afternoon. ¡Qué la vida!
Finally, the most unique aspect of the Basque Country is its language, Euskara. Though numerous attempts have been made, no one has ever found a linguistic relative of Euskara. It seems to predate the Bronze Age as well as the Indo-European invasion. If this is all true, it could actually be the oldest living European language!
So, as you can see, el País Vasco’s history and culture make it a very unique nation. If you ever find yourself in northern Spain, I suggest you go there and experience it for yourself. I am sad that I will not get to see it this time around in Europe, but I guess that just means I will have to go back again soon! Below are some photos from my previous trip to Spain. Unfortunately, most of the pictures from that trip are on my old computer, so I borrowed some from the internet and they are mixed in below too.
The above title, 4+3=1, is an old form of Basque nationalist graffiti that refers to the seven provinces that make up the Basqueland; four are located in Spain, three are found in France. The nation—never having been its own country—is only 8,218 square miles, which makes it slightly smaller than New Hampshire. However, even with its small size, it has enough national pride and culture to rival any European country. It is as Miguel de Unamuno, a Basque writer and philosopher, stated: “The Basques share with the Celts the privilege of indulging in unrivaled extravagance on the subject of themselves.”
The first written accounts of the early Basques date two centuries after the Romans arrived in 218 B.C.; however, these accounts give the impression that they were already an ancient civilization. Likewise, multiple sources allude to the Basques possibly being the original Europeans! In any case, since their beginning, they have been invaded, conquered, and settled by every country and their mother, yet—somehow—they have been able to hold onto their roots throughout it all.
Not only have they maintained their roots, but they have also attempted to establish their independence from Spain throughout the nation’s history. Whatever progress they made in those endeavors was lost when Francisco Franco officially became Spain’s dictator in 1939. His government suppressed Basque nationalism while it also oppressed its own Spanish people. Nowadays, some of the Basque society is still attempting higher degrees of self-empowerment, sometimes even by acts of violence. The Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) is recognized as a terrorist organization by the US and EU. In 2006, right before I left for Bilbao, the ETA declared a "permanent ceasefire" after almost 40 years of fighting for the annexation and independence of the Basqueland from Spain and France. It was very eerie, yet interesting, to see most of the underground walkways, side street alleyways, and stop signs spray painted with “ETA” or "¡Independentzia!” The only run-in I had with this Basque vs. Spanish mentality was when I, naively, called a local girl Spanish. She quickly corrected me and adamantly explained she was Basque. (She soon found out I was from the US, forgot about my insult, and wanted to talk nothing but American culture ha! A European who loves America… rare, I know.)
In addition to the Basqueland’s rich history, they—especially the city of Bilbao—still have their place in the world of today. As of 2010, the port of Bilbao is a first-class commercial port and is among the top five of Spain. Also, the province of Biscay is rich in raw materials, with both Spanish and European capitals importing nearly 90% of the Biscayan iron. Finally, Bilbao also attracts tourists, like me! It first established itself as a touristic city when the railway between Bilbao and the coastal neighborhood of Las Arenas was created in 1872. Through this, the city became a modest beach destination. Now, nearly every stop along the Metro Bilbao has a nearby beach. Las Arenas is actually the neighborhood where I lived with my host family; it is just a few stops away from the Universidad de Deusto where I studied. A typical day that summer consisted of class in the morning, a homemade meal at noon (gotta love “la siesta!”) and beach time throughout the rest of the afternoon. ¡Qué la vida!
Finally, the most unique aspect of the Basque Country is its language, Euskara. Though numerous attempts have been made, no one has ever found a linguistic relative of Euskara. It seems to predate the Bronze Age as well as the Indo-European invasion. If this is all true, it could actually be the oldest living European language!
So, as you can see, el País Vasco’s history and culture make it a very unique nation. If you ever find yourself in northern Spain, I suggest you go there and experience it for yourself. I am sad that I will not get to see it this time around in Europe, but I guess that just means I will have to go back again soon! Below are some photos from my previous trip to Spain. Unfortunately, most of the pictures from that trip are on my old computer, so I borrowed some from the internet and they are mixed in below too.
Bilbao is the capital of Biscay, one of the provinces of the Basque Country. Getxo, slightly north of Bilbao, is the third largest municipality of Biscay and part of the greater metropolitan area of Bilbao. Las Arenas, or Areeta in Euskara, is the neighborhood in Getxo where I lived with an awesome host family: Maria Victoria and her son, Borja.
A view of the city, Bilbao, and the mountainous terrain that surrounds it.
The Nervión and Ibaizabal rivers run through Bilbao and join to create the estuary of Bilbao. It continues to run north until it drains into the Bay of Biscay.
The mountains and hills outside the city.
One of the many beaches in the greater Bilbao area.
We traveled to the city of Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls. Here, we are waiting for the bulls (and the crazy runners) to arrive.
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a small island off the coast of Biscay; a man made bridge connects it to the mainland. On top of the island stands a small church, dedicated to San Juan, which dates back to the 10th century. There used to be a castle in its place, which explains the name, Gaztelugatxe; it comes from the Euskara words for "rock" and "castle." After climbing the 237 stone steps to the top, you are supposed to ring the church's bell three times and make a wish!
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