euskalkultura.eus

During the two weeks that they will tour Euskal Herria, participants in this trip organized by the Itxaropen Basque club in Saladillo will get to know the most significant places in the country.  But besides the itinerary that they are aware of, tour organizers have also prepared more than one surprise that no doubt will thrill the expedition.  The party will arrive today at Loiola, in Azpeitia, Gipuzkoa. 

Saladillo, Argentina.  Supported by the Itxaropen Basque club, specifically by its former president, Silvina Bordenave, and organized in Argentina by the Tenaglia Tourist Agency and in the Basque Country by Bask In Motion-Euskotour, 23 people, mainly from Saladillo but also from other towns and clubs like Olga Leiciaga and Ana Echague from the Corpus Christi Basque club, will begin their Basque Country tour today.

The itinerary that will conclude on May 9 is comprised by visits to the most typical tourist destinations on both sides of the Pyrenees; but also, as Bordenave told EuskalKultura.com, includes some experiences “that the travelers don’t know about yet and that will, without a doubt, will especially thrill them.”

In the words of Bordenave, “we have prepared some surprises for the group, things that they will not be able to imagine.  For example, in Tolosa, we will visit the business that sells helicopters made in Saladillo at the Cicare factory; we will meet with Aratz Arregi and Ugaitz Iturbe who have been to our Basque club several times.  In Donostia, we will meet with the director of the Basque Community Abroad, Asier Vallejo, and in Bilbao with Asier Abaunza Robles, the councilman for Urban Planning at theTown Hall, who we met in Gaztemundu in 2005.  We will also tour Oñati with Esteban Mallea, brother of the founder of the Lagun Onak choir.  If that wasn’t enough, we will also participate in the Tamborrada in Legazpi where they are waiting for us with typical outfits, so that we can be truly part of it.  The group doesn’t know about any of these extra activities,” Silvina Bordenave told EuskalKultura.com.

The trip was very successful in Saladillo where the delegation was sent off by the local Mayor, Jose Luis Salomon.

Here is the program of their stay in the Basque Country:

Tuesday 26 abril
Arrival

Wednesday 27 April
Iparralde: Ezpeleta-Espelette. Visit and tasting at a pepper farm.  Witches museum and the caves of Zugarramurdi. Basque Museum in Baiona. Baiona Ttipia (Petit Bayonne)

Thursday 28 April
San Prudencio: Vitoria-Gasteiz, Campas de Armentia (dance in San Prudencio), Visit to a bodega in Laguardia.

Friday 29 April
Herri Kirolak: Azkoitia. Oteiza's Frontons, hand ball.  Exhibition and explanation with Rural Sports in Elgoibar.Legazpi – tamborrada practice.

Saturday 30 April
Gernika and San Juan de Gaztelugatxe: Gernika, Experience “Swearing of the Fueros. Roots in Euskadi” at the Casa de Juntas. Visit to Euskal Souvenirs. Visit to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Bermeo. Boat trip to see the setting sun at San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, from the sea.

Sunday 1 May
Cider house and dance: Astigarraga. Cider Route. Visit to the Cider Museum with tastings. Dance in Aia, Andatza Auzoa (Aristerrazu).

Monday 2 May
Donostia: Poligono Apatta (Tolosa), Visit to the Company that sells helicopters made by the Cicare Factory in Saladillo. Guided visit of Donostia and pintxos in the old part. Meeting with Asier Vallejo. Legazpi. Particpate in theTamborrada in Legazpi the night before Santa Cruz.

Tuesday 3 May
Zumarraga, Arantzazu and Oñati: Zumarraga, Visit the chapel of Antigua. Guided visit of the Sanctuary of Arantzazu.  Guided visit through Oñati along with Jose Antonio Urteaga Madinabeitia, from the Sister-Cities Committee in Jose C. Paz and Oñati and Esteban Mallea, brother of the man who founded the Lagun Onak choir.

Wednesday 4 May
Bilbo: Portugalete. Meeting with Asier Abaunza Robles. Hanging bridge, Basílica of Our Lady of Begoña, Artxanda and the old part. Pintxo Tour through Bilbo. Visit to the Guggenheim Museum.

Thursday 5 May
Lekeitio and Santimamiñe: Lekeitio. Visit to the lighthouse of Santa Katalina. Caves of Santimamiñe.

Friday 6 May
Amaiur and Iruña-Pamplona: Amaiur. Guided visit of the castle and talo tasting. Guided visit of Iruña-Pamplona.

Saturday 7 May
Txakolindegi and Basque Railway Museum: Artea, Complete visit of the Farmhouse Museum and its theme park. Visit to the bodega Txakolindegi, tasting and alubiada.  Ugaitz Iturbe take us to visit his bodega to taste his Txakoli. Railway Musuem visit. Trip on an old steam train to Azpeitia.

Sunday 8 May
Flysch, canning, dairy: Zumaia. Boat trip to visit the Flysch at the Geoparque. Getaria. Visit of the canning Operations there tasting and demonstration. Azpeitia. Visit to the Basilica of Loyola and birthplace of San Ignatius of Loyola y casa natal de San Ignacio de Loyola. Visit to the dairy.

Monday 9 May
Itsasmater, Farewell dinner: Pasajes, fishing day at the Itsasmater. Learn how to fish, tasting and seafood meal.  Errenteria. Farewell dinner at the Gastronomic Society Amulleta.