While we’ve lived in the Basque region for more than 7 years, there’s still a lot of exploring to be done. And little by little, as opportunities present themselves, we attempt to get to know the area better.
We spent October 19 and 20, discovering Goierri, one of the 18 districts of Gipuzkoa (the province where we live). We stayed at the Petit Hotel Goierri, located in Ormaiztegi (pop. 1226), about an hour away from San Sebastian via the Cercanias train. The train winds its way through the beautiful green hills and numerous small towns, many of which are filled with factories where buses and train cars are made, among other things.
We spent the afternoon at the Museo Zumalakarregi, Don’t you love Basque names?!? The museum, the former home of the Zumalakarregi family, focuses on the history of the region and the remarkable changes that took place during the 19th century, including the Carlist Wars and the industrial revolution. Tomas Zumalakarregi became a famous Carlist general, known as a clever military strategist, while his brother Miguel’s legal education led him to choose the liberal side of the conflict. Not only can the locals pronounce the family name perfectly, but they also learn about them in school. We left feeling a bit overwhelmed but certainly more educated.
We had a fabulous traditional Basque dinner in Beasain (pop. 13,908), the next town over and the administrative center of the district. We enjoyed seeing the townspeople out on a lovely Saturday evening – the bars and restaurants were full.
The hotel’s homemade pastries hit the spot at breakfast and were the perfect impetus to go for a long morning hike in the local hills before returning home. We followed the Via Verde Ormaiztegi-Mutiloa, which tracks the old mining rail lines that were used to ship iron ore out from the mines to the towns below.
The uphill path was steep – and a lot easier for the horses that passed us – but the views were worth it.
It was a fun, mini escape from our “city” life. Perhaps our next short local escape will be to a place that’s easier to pronounce.
Hasta pronto,
Shana & Jeff
