Art: thoughts that haven’t been translated by reason.
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| Village of Elizondo where The Baztán Trilogy was filmed The trilogy was written by Dolores Redondo Meira I can see why they chose this place - beautiful small town |
It became more recognized after the Baztán Trilogy (by Dolores Redondo, 2013) was written and then made into a series on Netflix (2017-2020). Many of the places you see or what you eat here are described in these books. I can see why this place was chosen for it is enchanted, fairy-tale-like, and beautiful. No matter which way you look, the scenery is magnificent and inspirational.
Baztán (and the Basque Country in general) is also known
for its hospitality. Even if home owners do not care or feel like having certain
visitors come into their home, not wanting to talk to them at all, they will
still invite them in, offer them a coffee or something to eat. Accepting a visitor is a sacred rule that is
seldom, if ever, broken.
The Basques are indeed a welcoming and hospitable people, known for their warmth and generosity towards visitors and newcomers. Their strong sense of community and pride in their culture contribute to their reputation as welcoming individuals.
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| Elizondo and its river |
The Basques from the Baztán area of Navarre are direct descendants of the Basques that lived 15,000 years ago. A study shows that 75% of the current inhabitants of Europe have as an ancestor a Basque riding horseback through the Pyrenees in the last ice age. Or, to say it another way, the ancient Basque people were the first to colonize Europe after the last ice age.
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| Red half-timber and white wall - lovely Some of the built dates shown on these homes:1641, 1662, 1733 |
Built in the 12th century to welcome
pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela on the Baztán route, most of
this hamlet of 650 people was destroyed by the Spanish in 1629 therefore what
you see today is primarily from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Aïnhoa is an incredible place with a state of
conservation like few others. It is a
miniature jewel of preservation that will charm anyone. It is one of ‘Les plus beaux villages de
France’ (Most beautiful villages in France).
Considered a ‘bastide’ (medieval walled village),
built for defense purposes, its homes are mostly red or green painted half-timbers,
the colors of the Basque Country, and exposed (mostly around windows and
corners) ashlar (cut and dressed stone).
Perhaps the most curious feature of Aïnhoa is that the
buildings on one side of the street appear to be more decorative, and have more
balconies, than those on the other side of the street. This is because the
local tradition is to build houses with their backs to the sea, for protection
against the wind and rain, so on one side of Aïnhoa main street you see the
backs of the houses.
Personally I found the slightly more austere 'house
backs' as attractive as the more decorative fronts, and I am guessing that most
people will not notice the difference. The overhanging roofs that protect the
half-timbered houses are another characteristic of the architecture of the
region.
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| Wooden balcony - well crafted Ashlar showing at corner of the walls and around windows |
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| Nearly all homes have an in-relief crest (Coat of Arms) next to a door or window The checkerboard section of the crest represents the town of Elizondo |
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| Santiago Apostól, Elizondo |
Santiago Apostól
The construction of this church came after the previous
church was mostly destroyed in a devastating 1913 flood. What I find different about this church are its colorful elements among its pink façade.
Most churches have carved reliefs, not painted biblical scenes or
religious figures. It, along with its
monumental rose window, are quite eye-popping.
The two Baroque Towers are built with some of the old
church’s rocks. That church was
disassembled and then some of it rebuilt on the new site. This is one of the reasons some rocks are of
different colors (newer vs. older rocks).
Today the church also serves as a place for religious ceremonies, music concerts or art exhibitions, becoming a strong part of the local community.
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| Protrusion at back of wall on right is a toilet Items would fall directly into the stream below |
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| Church Saint Martin de Sare Exquisite internal wooden balconies |
Church Saint Martin de Sare
Sare is barely five miles (8km) from Aïnhoa. Looking very much like Aïnhoa, it has an
interesting church which was built in the 16th century and enlarged
in the 17th century. It’s five
story belltower burned in 2003 and was rebuilt in 2005 where the most sculpted
bell in France now hangs.
On the tower you can find this inscription: ‘Every
hour wounds a man; the last one sends him to his grave.’
Inside the church is an exquisite three-tier wooden
balcony made of carved oak wood and turned oak balusters. Until 1970, only men could use these
balconies. Some of my readings say this
is typical of Basque constructions because there were and are many forests in the
region.
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| Lauburu (ancient Basque hooked cross) headstone A connection to the Yucatan where I also saw these |
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| We move in and out of the Spanish and the French parts of the Basque Country Customs no longer in use. |
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| Doors of the Mairie (Town Hall) of Aïnhoa, French part of the Basque Country |
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| Beautiful Gothic Church in Etxalar Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, (three stages of construction 1200-1774) Previously known as The Church Between Two Rivers |
Etxalar is smack on the French-Spanish frontier, so there was gaulana, ‘night-work’. Virtually every household in the village was involved in some fashion in the guiding of clandestine horses and/or illegal Portuguese immigrants into France, when not carrying packages as part of smuggling gangs. Despite that history, it is definitely another well-preserved village with beautiful caserios (farm houses).
Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
Construction began in the 13th century but improvements continued over time. It also has a Calvary from the 17th century, a baptismal from the 18th century and an organ from the 20th century.
In its garden are discoid steles (somewhat like Bera in previous post). They are from the 17-19th centuries and were taken from an abandoned church (from 1850) and placed here to remind people of their distinctive past. They are evocative and give somewhat of a romantic mood.
Ancestral funerary monuments like these date all the way back to the Celts (5,000 years ago). They are a pagan symbol of one of the oldest beliefs of humanity. Steles have been found in many parts of Europe but never as many as in Navarre (Pyrenees). To date, some 5,000 were found. They are decorated with shapes offered by nature such as moon, sun, water, and various symbols.
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| Homes near Church of Etxalar - so impeccably well maintained Some discoidal steles in this area are from the era of the Celts (5,000 years ago) The majority are from the 17th to the 19th century |
I’m pretty sure you have heard of Bizet’s 1875 opera Carmen (from Prosper Mérimée’s 1845 novella) about a wayward fiery gypsy, a searing depiction of a woman who craves love, but creates obsession and jealousy. First considered an immoral piece, Bizet died three months after its opening and never got to see how popular it eventually became. It is speculated that the Karmen in the novella/opera came from around Etxalar.
Las Palomeras de Etxalar (Pigeon Houses)
There is a 600 years old tradition in Etxalar in which pigeons are hunted without any type of weapons, other than a system of nets between tall towers and ping pong like paddles. Given that one of the lowest passes in the Pyrenees filled with oak, beech and chestnut trees is here, pigeons come through it in large numbers at the beginning of each fall. When they fly near, people first checking for favorable winds, throw white paddles simulating birds of preys to direct the pigeons between the towers where nets can then be released to fall and trap them. It is considered part of the Basque Cultural Heritage.
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| Old castle with top cut off when it was no longer cool to be a castle. Still can see the crenellations below the roof line |
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| Where I stayed on my last night. A very large old seminary turned into hotel and offices in Bilbao. |
It is with a heavy heart that I leave the Basque Country and its wonderful people behind. I truly enjoyed visiting this amazing part of Europe. Though surrounded by France and Spain, it has little to do with either and that makes it quite special.
Basque Country Culture
The Basque country may be a small country but it has a
big identity. It offers a journey
through time and culture promising diverse, unforgettable, experiences to the
adventurous, the foodie, or the history buff.
They also have their own language, which is
considered the only Pre-Indo-European language surviving in Western
Europe.
The Basque Country is where Northern Spain meets
Southern France, a place known for its fiery and impassioned desire for
independence and its extraordinary culture. The Basque Country, or Euskal
Herria, as it is known in their fascinating language, is lamentably mostly
known for the terrorism of the independence seekers ETA (Basque Homeland
and Liberty), who were predominantly active during the 20th century.
However, the magnificence and strength of its unique culture and rich traditions
should not be overshadowed by the turbulence of a terrorist organization.
Starting with language, there are various cultural intricacies that are woven
together to create the beautiful tapestry that is Basque identity.
Nestled between the rugged Atlantic coast and the
rolling green hills of northern Spain, the Basque Country beckons travelers
with its unique blend of ancient traditions, avant-garde architecture, and
gastronomic delights. It’s a land where age-old languages dance on the tongues
of locals, and every corner reveals a new story waiting to be told.
Proudly perched on the northern Atlantic coast, near
the border of France, the fabled region – locally known as Euskadi or País
Vasco has its own language, its own culinary traditions and a distinctive
geographic and cultural landscape.
It's estimated that Basque people spend more than twice
as much of their disposable income on food as people do in the United States.
Step into any bar and look at the lavish spread of pintxos and you'll understand why. The region's
cuisine, built around authentic and local products like grilled lamb, cured
meats, salt cod, sheep's and goat's cheeses, espelette or piquillo peppers,
artichokes and fresh anchovies, to name a few, is rightfully world-famous.
You can swing high or low: Basque Country is home to
the second-most Michelin star-restaurants per capita, but you'll be just as
happy sampling finger food and sipping Basque cider or txakoli, a sparkling
white wine typically served as an aperitif, at a bustling corner bar that's
been run by the same family for generations.
Oldest and Unique Euskera Language
Basque (Euskara) is one of the oldest languages in
Western Europe, preceding the Indo-European tongues.
Various scholars claim that there exist nexus between
Basque and Iberian, Berber or some of the languages found around the Caucasus,
but the origins of Euskara remain a mystery.
In bygone times, Basque was spoken over a wide
territory which stretched from the river Ebro to the south northwards to the
banks of the Garonne and from the western Pyrenees as far as Catalonia. This
territory was diminished bit by bit due to invasions (by Celts, Romans, etc.)
and, since the 19th century, Euskara has lost half of its zone of
influence.
In 1968 the Academy decided to officially lay down the
criteria for the unification of the Basque language: euskara batua or
unified Basque was born. This unification and standardization has been an
essential instrument for Basque to overcome the challenges posed by
contemporary society.
An international research team led by UPF (University Pompeu
Fabra, Barcelona) has confirmed that the Basques' genetic uniqueness is the
result of genetic continuity since the Iron Age, characterized by periods of
isolation and scarce gene flow, and not its external origin in respect to other
Iberian populations. ‘We find no
influences from North Africa which are appreciated in most populations of the
Iberian Peninsula, and neither do we find traces of other migrations such as
the Romans.’
The Basque language, known as Euskera for many
linguists, is the biggest mystery in linguistic history. It is this intense
sense of enigma that has, throughout history, played a crucial role in
preserving the fascinating notion of Basqueness, having survived the conquering
pressures of the Roman Empire. For years, even the most elite and esteemed
linguists and scholars have been left blindsided by the mystery of Euskera, as
if it were an unruly plot dreamt up by a master criminal. But what exactly
makes this language so mysterious?
Unlike other European languages, Euskera does not
occupy a place on the Indo-European language tree, bearing little to no
similarities with any other languages. Its origins, therefore, are the ultimate
linguistic mystery. You might suppose that the Basque language would look and
sound relatively like Spanish, given the Basque country’s geographical
whereabouts. Yet, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The Basque country
spans the Western Pyrenees, across the Spanish-French border, which suggests that
you might be able to see some Basque influence on French and Spanish, or even
vice versa, you might expect to see the influences that the Romance languages
have potentially had on Basque over the centuries. The Basque Country comprises
two Spanish Autonomous Communities (the Basque Country and Navarre) and three
French provinces (Lower Navarre, Labourd and Soule). However, Euskera has
preserved its own individual charm despite being surrounded by Romantic
influence.
If you follow the news, you know that Basque
nationalism is a point of controversy in Spain. But that regional pride could
be read as an expression of cultural independence: though mystery surrounds the
topic, confounding anthropologists and archeologists, Basque people are
believed to be descendants of the original human inhabitants of the European
continent. Their culture is characterized by thoroughly unique traditions,
including Euskara, the Basque language. It predates the Romans and it bears no
relation to languages spoken elsewhere in Europe.
Travelers will hear Euskara spoken throughout Basque
country, and see the language – with its own alphabet and dedicated typeface –
printed everywhere from the train station schedule to newspapers and cafe
menus. Luckily, most words are also printed in a language that's much easier to
decipher – Spanish. As they say in Euskal Herria, ‘everything that has a name
exists’, so come enjoy this amazing part of Spain and all that exists in
it.
Some of the above is taken from various websites and because it has been a year since I researched this post, I don't have the actual names of each site. Apologies.
Interesting side note
about the Basque flag (Ikurriña) and why you don’t see it much… The Spanish law states that if you fly the
Basque flag, you also have to fly the Spanish flag and the Basque people refuse
to fly the Spanish flag so you don’t get to see the Basque Flag much…
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