In June we had the opportunity to visit the Basque Country and give two presentations on Tom Crean and our own 2016 expedition. Our hosts were Catalina and Josef and two more welcoming hosts you would struggle to find anywhere. Catalina runs a language school in Cork and Dublin hosting students from families in the Basque Country – Getxo Language Services.
We were set to deliver our first presentation in the Nautical Museum in Bilbao, however our hosts surprised us with the mode of transport… They took us on a spectacular sail around the mouth of the River Nervión as it enters the Bay of Biscay, Josef a keen, yet modest sailor gave us a master class in sailing in the 25 knot breeze with full sail. An amazing experience finished off by delivering us by his boat to the steps of the Nautical Museum in Bilbao. The next evening saw us walk along the strand to the Marine Institute in Plasentia (Plentzia) for another very special evening.
We had such an enjoyable time in the Basque Country, it is stunningly beautiful, the culture is so rich and vibrant, the history remarkable and the people simply lovely; we’re looking forward to our next visit to explore more of this great region. Thank you Catalina and Josef.
