Travels4Yourself

Poor, poor Basques! Imagine - this nation does not have a single relative in the whole world: their language does not belong to any group. There was once a theory that they were supposedly relatives of Georgians, but now they have abandoned this seductive idea. No one really understood where the roots of their language and traditions were, unlike anything else. The only thing that can be argued: the Basques are relatives to the Gascons, tribesmen of D’Artagnan. But who are where they came from? Some hypotheses.

I won’t tell you all about the Basque Country, there’s not enough time, but here are some interesting things. First: local men take off and rent a room equipped with a kitchen. It turns out to be a closed "gastronomic club". If you want, bring your products there and cook yourself, but if you want, order the cook, he will buy and do everything himself. An outsider is booked, and you always have a table there free to eat with friends and tasty.


About to eat is another interesting thing. Here they have no idea what “tapas” is, but they drink cider. It happens like this: the waiter comes up with a special teapot, raises it above his head on his outstretched arm and, looking straight into your eyes, manages to get a trickle of the drink exactly into the glass.

Speaking of Spanish “tapas” - pleasant snacks that are free of charge attached to a glass of wine in any institution. In Basques, they are called pinchos, and the main difference is that goodies should be on skewers, and then the waiter will consider them when the time comes to pay. So: these "pinchos" - just some indecent rampant gastronomic fantasies! By the way: Bilbao, the main city, it is no coincidence that several years ago it was declared the "culinary capital of Europe." It is believed that everything caught in the cool Bay of Biscay is the most delicious!


Fourth interestingness of a different kind: in one and a half to two decades, the Basques turned the wilted Bilbao into the third most visited city in Spain. Fortunately, so far the Spaniards themselves come here mainly, and not one of our Chinese friends.

And the Basque Country is beautiful. And not at all like the dull landscape of the Costa Brava, where you spend your vacation. Oddly enough, the north of Spain reminds me most of all ... Siberia and Crimea at the same time. Mountain slopes overgrown with pine trees stretch along the coastal road. Eye-catching! Who was not in the north - in Galicia, Asturias, the Basque Country, did not see Spain.

And the last: in vain you did not go with me! You yourself will never find Fat Fat Jesus - the Cheese King of the Basques. Not to meet Pedro - a smiling baker and artist from Bermeo. Oh you, Thomas unbelievers. I must obey!