Adventures in Euskadi (Basque Country)

Sorry I am just getting around to writing about my trip to Bilbao and Basque Country.  I have been a little bit sick these past few days and not had much energy to do anything!

My trip to visit Irati was great!  Seriously one of the best weekends ever.  I arrived at the Bilbao airport Thursday night and was greeted by Irati, her mother, and her brother, Inigo.  The first thing her mom said to me was “I have been waiting five years to meet you!”  It was rather late, so we just drove to her flat in Amorebieta, I met her dad, and we went to bed. 

Irati's School

On Friday Irati had a class, so we both went.  I walked around during her class.  After, we went to Bilbao and explored the city.  I really liked it.  My senora told me that it is a very ugly city and has too many factories/industry, but I thought it was beautiful.  It is situation in mountains, kind of in the bottom of a bowl.  There is a river that runs through the city too.  We stopped for lunch and then went shopping down Gran Via…a ritzy streets with lots of shops.

Guggenheim and the dog known as Puppie (how Irati spells it, but it is pronounced "Poopy")

We returned to Amorebieta and walked around the city.  It is quite small and within 20 minutes we had seen everything, so we met up with Irati’s friends and went to a few bars for a drink or two.  After that, we went back to her house and met up with Inigo and Ollia (Inigo’s girlfriend) and went to dinner.  Irati’s parents were waiting for us at the restaurant.  It was a gorgeous restaurant built in an old typical Basque house.  Irati’s mother instructed everyone to order the seven course dinner.  It was delicious.  I am not even exactly sure of everything that I ate, but I loved it all! 

Dessert, Friday Night

Saturday morning we woke up early as Irati’s mom had booked a private tour for Irati, her boyfriend Xabi, and me, through the caves of Santimamine.  These caves were inhabited by people (I think actually by homo sapiens sapiens ??—I did once take a archaelogy class, but my grade was abysmal) over 14,000 years ago!  It was really neat to walk through.  After, we went to a gorgeous beach and climbed up a mountain (El Ogono), to find amazing vistas.  Irati suggested that I throw Pa’s ashes here.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have any with me!  It was such a beautiful place, but brought him there in spirit.  (*This is a tradition in my family, we spread the ashes of my Grandfather with us to all of the beautiful places we travel to—some places he resides include the Sistine Chapel, beaches on Hawaii, Big Sur, and Wrigley Field.) 

Entrance to Caves

View from atop El Ogono

We stopped for lunch, and before entering the restaurant Irati needed to change her clothes…she was wearing sneakers for our hike but could not be seen in public in them.  Haha, she really has NOT changed!  And I am the same as always…I told her that I make any look work…natural beauty always shines through.  She thinks I am crazy.  Anyways, lunch was delicious, and while we did not eat 7 courses, Irati insisted that we eat four. 

After lunch we went to a church that is built on top of a rock, situated in the water.  It had stunning views.  It took us about 30 minutes to climb up, and 60 minutes to climb back down to our car.  I was agotada (exhausted!).  We stopped for a few drinks (of cold water!) on the way back to Amorebieta.  When we got back we went to a few bars (and I had lots of competition, as there were several rubias there!  What is going on??) and then went to bed. 

Church in the background...About 10 minutes into the climb!

"BEER--helping ugly people have sex since 1862."  What did they do in 1861??
Maybe wine was around then...

Sunday, my last day, we explored San Sebastian (a nearby city on the ocean) and went to the 3 cruces.  It was bad weather, so we mainly stayed in the car and drove around.  The countryside is beautiful!  We ate a late lunch at a super fancy restaurant.  Again, we had several courses, and each food was to be eaten in a very precious manner.  “You need to let it melt in your mouth.  Don’t mix the food in the bowl.  Eat the flower, then the meat, then the other flower.”  It was honestly unlike any other eating experience I have ever had.  Incredibly expensive too, but that’s what parents--in all countries--are for, right?  Just kidding, of course, Mom and Dad.

Tuna with three peppers...my main dish Sunday

We then went to the Bilbao airport, designed by Calatrava, and met Inigo.  My flight was delayed, so Irati’s parents went home and Inigo, Irati, and I grabbed a drink in a café and talked for a while.  Inigo told me about his most interesting study abroad experience.  While studying in Ireland, his host sister seemed a bit in love with him.  One day, he went home to find her COMPLETELY dressed in all of his clothes.  He was a bit bothered by the experience, but didn’t make a big deal of it and just asked her to not wear his clothes again.  The next day he went home to find her COMPLETELY naked in his bed.  Needless to say, he was even more bothered after this, and has never returned to Ireland.

At last, we bid farewell and I passed through security, jumped on the plane, and arrived back in Sevilla an hour later.  It was an amazing trip!  

As I told Irati, my natural beauty ALWAYS shines through.