The Basque Country - HibeesBounce.com

Riordan · 01-08-08, 21:25

Hello all! very soon i'm going to france for a few weeks and will be getting ferries to and back from the north north of Spain (Santander and Bilbao, respectivly) Now knowing these are in the Basque Country I was wondering if i would have any trouble speaking Castellano if I was around the city area for any length of time, i speak a bit of Castellano but I have heard some Basque folk don't like it...

Cheers, Cameron

**Forzahibs** · 01-08-08, 21:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajazemmama2008
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Hello all! very soon i'm going to france for a few weeks and will be getting ferries to and back from the north north of Spain (Santander and Bilbao, respectivly) Now knowing these are in the Basque Country I was wondering if i would have any trouble speaking Castellano if I was around the city area for any length of time, i speak a bit of Castellano but I have heard some Basque folk don't like it...

Cheers, Cameron

Hope they don't blow you up mate , theyre into that a fair bit are they not?

Colr · 01-08-08, 21:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajazemmama2008
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Hello all! very soon i'm going to france for a few weeks and will be getting ferries to and back from the north north of Spain (Santander and Bilbao, respectivly) Now knowing these are in the Basque Country I was wondering if i would have any trouble speaking Castellano if I was around the city area for any length of time, i speak a bit of Castellano but I have heard some Basque folk don't like it...

Cheers, Cameron

I got by with English. I bought a Basque phrase book but couldn't grasp the language. They all speak Spanish ar are not arsey about it.

Riordan · 01-08-08, 21:39

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Originally Posted by Forzahibs
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Hope they don't blow you up mate , theyre into that a fair bit are they not?

Aye they are, four bombs went off on a motorway last week :shittingitsmiley:

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Originally Posted by Colr
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I got by with English. I bought a Basque phrase book but couldn't grasp the language. They all speak Spanish ar are not arsey about it.

Cheers! aye basque is like nothing else, traceable roots to no other language. stuff like this Ba al da hotelik hemen inguruan?, Non dago tren-geltokia?.. All nice and fun

**FTJT** · 01-08-08, 21:42

heh. Dago

GalegoHibs · 01-08-08, 21:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajazemmama2008
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Hello all! very soon i'm going to france for a few weeks and will be getting ferries to and back from the north north of Spain (Santander and Bilbao, respectivly) Now knowing these are in the Basque Country I was wondering if i would have any trouble speaking Castellano if I was around the city area for any length of time, i speak a bit of Castellano but I have heard some Basque folk don't like it...

Cheers, Cameron

Haven't been myself but am pretty familiar with the politics of the Spanish regions. I don't think you'll have any problems. As a foreigner you won't be expected to know Basque unless you've been living there for a long time.

There are plenty of Bilbaínos who speak Castellano as a first language -Basque is not spoken habitually by all Basques and Bilbao is not the heartland of the Basque language anyway.

Santander is in Cantabria, not the Basque Country, so you won't have to worry about Basque there.

Colr · 01-08-08, 21:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajazemmama2008
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aye they are, four bombs went off on a motorway last week :shittingitsmiley:

Cheers! Aye basque is like nothing else, traceable roots to no other language. Stuff like this ba al da hotelik hemen inguruan?, non dago tren-geltokia?.. all nice and fun

mEO WANTO CHIPPO!!!

Colr · 01-08-08, 21:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by GalegoHibs
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Haven't been myself but am pretty familiar with the politics of the Spanish regions. I don't think you'll have any problems. As a foreigner you won't be expected to know Basque unless you've been living there for a long time.

There are plenty of Bilbaínos who speak Castellano as a first language -Basque is not spoken habitually by all Basques and Bilbao is not the heartland of the Basque language anyway.

Santander is in Cantabria, not the Basque Country, so you won't have to worry about Basque there.

Is San Sebastian worth a visit?

Riordan · 01-08-08, 22:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by GalegoHibs
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Haven't been myself but am pretty familiar with the politics of the Spanish regions. I don't think you'll have any problems. As a foreigner you won't be expected to know Basque unless you've been living there for a long time.

There are plenty of Bilbaínos who speak Castellano as a first language -Basque is not spoken habitually by all Basques and Bilbao is not the heartland of the Basque language anyway.

Santander is in Cantabria, not the Basque Country, so you won't have to worry about Basque there.

Cheers once again, in spanish at school we were taught some basque people don't take too kindly to Castellano folk, but i'll be okay
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Ah my mistake! I stand corrected

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Originally Posted by Colr
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mEO WANTO CHIPPO!!!

Uno more beero por favoreo manuel!

Colr · 01-08-08, 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajazemmama2008
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Cheers once again, in spanish at school we were taught some basque people don't take too kindly to Castellano folk, but i'll be okay
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Ah my mistake! I stand corrected

Uno more beero por favoreo manuel!

I got the impression that, like many paces that have benefited from low cost air travel, they are quite glad of the money tourists are bringing in.

Arsey attitude does not buy HDTV and all that.

Riordan · 01-08-08, 22:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colr
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I got the impression that, like many paces that have benefited from low cost air travel, they are quite glad of the money tourists are bringing in.

Arsey attitude does not buy HDTV and all that.

Cheapish sea travel for me!

these are my vessels with pools, saunas et all

P&O MS Pride of Bilbao

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Brittany Ferries' MS Pont-Aven

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True they need to be kind to us
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GalegoHibs · 01-08-08, 22:59

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Originally Posted by Colr
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Is San Sebastian worth a visit?

Haven't been there myself but I've heard nothing but good things about it - apart from the fact that it is expensive by Spanish standards. Would love to go there. Looks beautiful and is widely reputed to have the best food in Spain - by the Spanish.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajazemmama2008
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Cheers once again, in spanish at school we were taught some basque people don't take too kindly to Castellano folk, but i'll be okay
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Ah my mistake! I stand corrected

Uno more beero por favoreo manuel!

There is a lot of political tension between the Basque Country and the Spanish state as everybody knows. Again, it's not the same but to some extend you might compare it to the kind of tensions that exist between Scottish and English people sometimes. Probably fair to say some Basque don't take kindly to Spanish folk but remember it works both ways.

As I say, I can't talk about the Basque country from personal experience as I haven't been there. Each region has it's own peculiarities. I'm familiar with the general conflicts that exist between different Spanish regions and Madrid and the central government. But especially with Catalonia and Galicia through a lot of personal experience and study of these regions/nations.

Language conflicts are a big issue as there are four official languages in Spain - Spanish (Castellano), Catalan, Basque and Galician. This is different from the Scotland/England thing as language is not at the heart of all that.

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The Basque country has its added violent edge but I wouldn't feel in any great danger going there. Worth remembering that ETA can and do strike anywhere in Spain. Normally their targets are politicians and commercial property. They don't tend to go in for deliberate targetting of the general civilian population, although there have been massacres from time to time. Surprisingly perhaps, the worst ETA attacks have taken place in Catalonia - the bombing of a supermarket in Barcelona in 1987 in which 21 people died and a bomb in the centre of Vic (a small Catalan town where I have also lived), which cost 9 lives.

hibs1986 · 01-08-08, 22:59

Spent a week in Satander and then the Basque country. Loads of anti-basque grafitti in Santander, and then anti-Spanish and ETA grafitti in BAsque country. Most people in both regions were speaking Spanish though. I learned Basque greetings etc... which seemed to be welcome, but folk spoke to us in Spanish. In the places we were, though (mainly off the beaten track), there was no English spoken.

Great bit of the world though. Have a good trip!

GalegoHibs · 01-08-08, 23:20

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Originally Posted by hibs1986
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Spent a week in Satander and then the Basque country. Loads of anti-basque grafitti in Santander, and then anti-Spanish and ETA grafitti in BAsque country. Most people in both regions were speaking Spanish though. I learned Basque greetings etc... which seemed to be welcome, but folk spoke to us in Spanish. In the places we were, though (mainly off the beaten track), there was no English spoken.Great bit of the world though. Have a good trip!

I accept what you are saying and it is interesting to hear your view. Just to point out for others that people shouldn't get the impression that everyone in the Basque Country supports ETA - some of the biggest demonstrations against them take place there.

Always a good idea in my opinion to learn a few words or phrases anywhere you go with another language. Even if it's just for the sake of being polite and acknowledging the language exists. Any efforts to do so are usually appreciated.

Most of Spain's northern/Atlantic coast is as you describe. Where I live it really grabs my attention if I hear someone speaking English in the streets, as outside of the main streets in summertime, I hardly hear any.

Certainly makes for a more authentically Spanish holiday!

**Dr Shrink** · 01-08-08, 23:29

I'm not an expert, but if you want some real basque background I recommend having a look at [Only Registered Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register]

GalegoHibs · 01-08-08, 23:48

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Originally Posted by Dr Shrink
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I'm not an expert, but if you want some real basque background I recommend having a look at [Only Registered Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register]

Does that come with or without salsa?
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**Dr Shrink** · 01-08-08, 23:50

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Originally Posted by GalegoHibs
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Does that come with or without salsa?
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I came without.

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**Jack** · 02-08-08, 09:33

You’d probably get more stick (nothing serious) for being English! When I’ve driven abroad, including where you're going I’ve stuck Scottish flag(s) about the car somewhere so as not to be mistaken. Something like one of those wee stick on jobs for the boot lid.

Attempting to speak anything other than English goes down well with the locals.

**SlovSam** · 02-08-08, 10:23

Bilbo and Donastia are both very different cities and nothing at all like I imagined them to be.

For some reason I expected them to be rather run down and the people furtive and wary as that has been my experience in other parts of the world where there is political unrest.

Nothing could be further from the truth, Bilbao is a very rich well off city which has thrown off it's industrial heritage with many parks , bouelevards and grand buildings as well as the Guggenheim which must be easily the most boring museum in the world.
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San Sebastian is much smaller and compact but very pleasant and easy on the eye and both cities (as well as Vittoria and Pamplona) are populated by confident and well off though reserved people who are quite welcome and friendly to tourists but not in an in your face way.

It's really hard to identify any poltical activity apart from some graffiti and posters (mostly about allowing political prisoners to serve their sentence within the Basque country) and you feel totally safe in either city.

I wouldn't have thought the locals would give an absolute monkeys if you tried to speak Castellian Spanish as they are mostly bi lingual and many Spanish people have settled in the region and you would get more credit for attempting to converse in Spanish than just waving your hands about and pointing.

Nice county, nice people and nice food and well worth a visit.
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hibs1986 · 02-08-08, 11:03

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Originally Posted by GalegoHibs
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I accept what you are saying and it is interesting to hear your view. Just to point out for others that people shouldn't get the impression that everyone in the Basque Country supports ETA - some of the biggest demonstrations against them take place there.

Always a good idea in my opinion to learn a few words or phrases anywhere you go with another language. Even if it's just for the sake of being polite and acknowledging the language exists. Any efforts to do so are usually appreciated.
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01-08-08, 21:25	#1
Riordan Tetris Playing Radge Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Edinburgh Age: 15 Posts: 2,822 vCash: 500 My Mood: Thanks: 97 Thanked 35 Times in 29 Posts Rep Power: 14	The Basque Country Hello all! very soon i'm going to france for a few weeks and will be getting ferries to and back from the north north of Spain (Santander and Bilbao, respectivly) Now knowing these are in the Basque Country I was wondering if i would have any trouble speaking Castellano if I was around the city area for any length of time, i speak a bit of Castellano but I have heard some Basque folk don't like it... Cheers, Cameron

01-08-08, 21:42	#5
FTJT G-Radge-ual Descent into Madness Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lancaster Age: 20 Posts: 525 vCash: 500 My Mood: Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Rep Power: 6	Re: The Basque Country heh. Dago __________________ "Kuyt has Gerrard inside him" Knew it.

01-08-08, 22:59	#13
hibs1986 Serious Radge Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 507 vCash: 500 Thanks: 20 Thanked 13 Times in 5 Posts Rep Power: 3	Re: The Basque Country Spent a week in Satander and then the Basque country. Loads of anti-basque grafitti in Santander, and then anti-Spanish and ETA grafitti in BAsque country. Most people in both regions were speaking Spanish though. I learned Basque greetings etc... which seemed to be welcome, but folk spoke to us in Spanish. In the places we were, though (mainly off the beaten track), there was no English spoken. Great bit of the world though. Have a good trip!

01-08-08, 23:29	#15
Dr Shrink Smugness Personified Radge Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: In a cupboard under the stairs. Age: 82 Posts: 8,720 vCash: 500 My Mood: Thanks: 32 Thanked 164 Times in 81 Posts Rep Power: 33	Re: The Basque Country I'm not an expert, but if you want some real basque background I recommend having a look at [Only Registered Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register] __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. For the avoidance of doubt, anything stated in the above post is written without prejudice; is probably completely uninformed opinion, and possibly just a figment of my imagination. Readers should either ignore, treat with contempt, or simply accept the spirit it is written in, without recourse to huffy replies, legal action or threats of violence. That includes YOU.

02-08-08, 09:33	#18
Jack Radge Private Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Tamsons Age: 51 Posts: 555 vCash: 500 My Mood: Thanks: 17 Thanked 110 Times in 39 Posts Rep Power: 9	Re: The Basque Country You’d probably get more stick (nothing serious) for being English! When I’ve driven abroad, including where you're going I’ve stuck Scottish flag(s) about the car somewhere so as not to be mistaken. Something like one of those wee stick on jobs for the boot lid. Attempting to speak anything other than English goes down well with the locals. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. ............... **** Even the Loch Ness Monster's a Hibby **** ............... To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-08-08, 10:23	#19
SlovSam Radge Flag Owner and Private Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Usually Edinburgh. Posts: 3,037 vCash: 500 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Rep Power: 15	Re: The Basque Country Bilbo and Donastia are both very different cities and nothing at all like I imagined them to be. For some reason I expected them to be rather run down and the people furtive and wary as that has been my experience in other parts of the world where there is political unrest. Nothing could be further from the truth, Bilbao is a very rich well off city which has thrown off it's industrial heritage with many parks , bouelevards and grand buildings as well as the Guggenheim which must be easily the most boring museum in the world. To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. San Sebastian is much smaller and compact but very pleasant and easy on the eye and both cities (as well as Vittoria and Pamplona) are populated by confident and well off though reserved people who are quite welcome and friendly to tourists but not in an in your face way. It's really hard to identify any poltical activity apart from some graffiti and posters (mostly about allowing political prisoners to serve their sentence within the Basque country) and you feel totally safe in either city. I wouldn't have thought the locals would give an absolute monkeys if you tried to speak Castellian Spanish as they are mostly bi lingual and many Spanish people have settled in the region and you would get more credit for attempting to converse in Spanish than just waving your hands about and pointing. Nice county, nice people and nice food and well worth a visit. To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. __________________ 'Football is the most important of life's least important things' Ariggo Sachi.