Podcasts about Basque Country

In this episode of Skip the Queue, host Paul Marden speaks with Andy Hadden, founder of the Lost Shore Surf Resort in Scotland. Andy shares the remarkable journey from his sporting background and early property career to discovering wave technology in the Basque Country, which inspired him to bring inland surfing to Scotland. Despite starting with no money and no land, Andy raised over £100 million and built one of the world's most advanced inland surf destinations. He explains how Lost Shore Surf Resort combines world-class waves with a strong community focus, sustainability initiatives, and partnerships with schools and universities to deliver real social and economic impact.Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden, with co host Andy Povey and roving reporter Claire Furnival.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Show references:  Lost Shore Surf Resort website: https://www.lostshore.com/Andy Hadded on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-hadden-94989a67/Andy Hadden is the founder of Lost Shore Surf Resort, Scotland's first inland surf destination and home to Europe's largest wave pool. Opened in November 2024 near Edinburgh, Lost Shore is the country's largest sports infrastructure project since the Commonwealth Games and now attracts a truly international audience of surfers, families, and brands. With a background in insolvency and investment surveying, Andy led the venture from concept to completion - securing major institutional backing and building a multidisciplinary team to deliver a world-class destination. Long before 'ESG' was a buzzword, he embedded environmental and social value into Lost Shore's DNA, helping set new benchmarks for responsible development. As home to the Surf Lab with Edinburgh Napier University, Lost Shore also serves as a global hub for performance, product R&D, and surf therapy. Live from the show floor, we'll also be joined by:Bakit Baydaliev, CEO/ Cofounder of DOF Roboticshttps://dofrobotics.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/bakitbaydaliev/Hamza Saber, Expert Engineer at TÜV SÜDhttps://www.tuvsud.com/enhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hamzasaber/David Jungmann, Director of Business Development at Accessohttps://www.accesso.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjungmann/Kristof Van Hove, Tomorrowlandhttps://www.tomorrowland.com/home/https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristof-van-hove-2ba3b953/ Transcriptions:  Paul Marden: Welcome to Skip the Queue, the podcast about attractions and the amazing people who work with them. I'm your host, Paul Marden, and with my co-host Andy Povey and roving reporter Claire Furnival, we're coming to you from IAAPA Expo Europe. This is the first of three episodes from the show floor that will come to you over the next three days. Firstly, I'm joined today by Andy Hadden, the founder of Lost Shores Surf Resort.Paul Marden: Andy, tell us a little bit about your journey. You've opened this amazing attraction up there in Scotland where I was on holiday a couple of weeks ago. Tell us a little bit about that attraction. Why this and why in Scotland?Andy Hadden: Well, I grew up locally and I came from more of a sporting family than so much of a business family. My father was the international rugby coach for a while and I played a lot of sport. Paul Marden: Oh, really? Andy Hadden: Yeah, yeah. So we always had this thing about there wasn't enough facilities here in Scotland because Scotland is a place which doesn't necessarily have all the resources and the access to funds and everything else like that. But one thing we noted with, you know, if you created facilities, whether they be good tennis facilities, good 4G football pitches, whatever it was. It allowed the environment around it to prosper, the communities around it to prosper. And, of course, I was a charter surveyor by trade, so I worked in insolvency and then in investment. So I sold two sites to that market. Andy Hadden: But I always surfed. I always surfed. So whilst I was down in Birmingham in England, when I actually got an email in 2012 talking about some, you know, some surfy thing that might have been happening in Bristol, I called the head of destination consulting up and I said, 'this sounds like nonsense, to be honest', because I surf and you can't really be talking about real surfing waves here. It's got to be something, you know, different. He said, 'No, no, there's these guys in the Basque country.' So I took a flight over there and that day changed everything for me. Paul Marden: So what was it that you saw? Andy Hadden: I went to see what was back then a secret test facility in the mountains of the Basque Country. It was very cloak and dagger. I had to follow the guide and give me the email address. I found this all very exciting. When I went and actually saw this facility, I realised that for the decade before that, there'd been all these amazing minds, engineers and surfers working on what they believed could be, you know, a big future of not just the inland surfing movement that's now burgeoning into a multi-billion dollar global movement, but it could really affect surfing. And if it was going to affect surfing as a sport, and it's now an Olympic sport because of these facilities, they wanted to make sure that it was a very accessible piece of kit. So surfing, it could affect surfing if ran by the right people in the right ways and really communicate that stoke of the sport to the masses.Paul Marden: So what is it that you've built in Edinburgh then? Tell me a little bit about it.Andy Hadden: So we've delivered a wave garden cove, which is a 52-module wave garden, which is about the size of three football pitches, and it can run hundreds of waves an hour, touch of a button and it can run in skiing parlance anything from green runs right through to sort of black powder runs. And the beauty of it is you can have people that are the better surfers out the back and just like at the beach at the front you've got their kids and learning how to surf on the white water. So we're finding it to be a really amazing experience— not just for surfers who are obviously flocking to us, but already here in Scotland, eight months in, tens of thousands of new surfers are all coming back and just going, 'Wow, we've got this thing on our doorstep.' This is blowing our minds, you know. Paul Marden: Wowzers, wowzers. Look, I'm guessing that the infrastructure and the technology that you need to be able to create this kind of inland wave centre is key to what you're doing. That you've got to access some funds, I guess, to be able to do this. This is not a cheap thing for you to be able to put together, surely.Andy Hadden: Yeah, correct. I mean, you know, I have questioned my own sanity at times. But when I started 10 years ago, I had no money and no land. But I did have some property expertise and I wanted to do it in Edinburgh, a close-up place that I cared about. So we have excellent networks. For a few years, you know. Whilst we've ended up raising over  £100 million in structured finance from a standing start, it took me a couple of years just to raise £40,000. And then I used that to do some quite bizarre things like flying everyone that I cared about, you know, whether they were from the surf community or... Community stakeholders, politicians, and everyone over to the test facility to see themselves— what I could see to sort of—well, is it? Am I just getting carried away here? Or is there something in this? And then, on top of that, you know, we sponsored the world's first PhD in surf therapy with that first $5,000. So now we have a doctor in surf therapy who now takes me around the world to California and all these places. How does business actually really genuinely care about, you know, giving back? And I'm like, yeah, because we said we're going to do this once.Andy Hadden: We got to do it right. And it took us a decade. But yeah, we raised the money and we're very happy to be open.Paul Marden: So I mentioned a minute ago, I was holidaying in Scotland. I bookended Edinburgh— both sides of the holiday. And then I was in Sky for a few days as well. There's something about Edinburgh at the moment. There is a real energy. Coming up as a tourist, there was way too much for me to be able to do. It seems to be a real destination at the moment for people.Andy Hadden: Yeah, well, I think, coming from the background I came from, if I knew I was going to deliver a surfing park in the edge of Edinburgh, I then wanted to do it in the least risky way possible. So to do that, I felt land ownership was key and three business plans was also very key. Edinburgh's in need of accommodation regardless, and Edinburgh's also in need of good places, a good F&B for friends and family just to go and hang out on the weekends. And then, of course, you have the surfing, and we've got a big wellness aspect too. We also sit next to Europe's largest indoor climbing arena. And we're obviously very well connected in the centre of Scotland to both Edinburgh and Scotland. So, so many things to do. So, yeah, I mean, the Scottish tourism landscape has always been good, but it's just getting better and better as we see this as a future-proof marketplace up here. You know, we're not building ships anymore.Andy Hadden: Well, in fact, we got a contract the other week to build one, so maybe that's wrong. But the point is, we see it as a very future-proof place because the Americans are flagging, the Europeans are flagging, and they just want to feel like they're part of something very Scottish. And that's what we've tried to do in our own special way.Paul Marden: And when you think of coming to Scotland, of course, you think about surfing, don't you? Andy Hadden: Yes, who knows. Paul Marden: Exactly, exactly. Look, you had some recent high-profile support from Jason Connery, the son of the late James Bond actor Sean Connery. How did that come about?Andy Hadden: Well, I think we've got, there's a real Scottish spirit of entrepreneurialism that goes back, you know, probably right the way through to the Enlightenment where, you know, I'm sure. I'm sure a lot of you know how many inventions came from Scotland. And this is, you know, televisions, telephones, penicillin. I mean, just the list goes on.Andy Hadden: Of course, you know, that was a long, long time ago, but we still feel a lot of pride in that. But there seems to be a lot of people who've had success in our country, like someone like Sir Sean Connery. These guys are still very proud of that. So when they see something— very entrepreneurial— where we're using a lot of local businesses to create something bigger than the sum of its parts. And to do it truly— not just to be a profitable private business, which is what it is, but to give back 18 million into local economy every year, to work with schools in terms of getting into curriculums. We've got Surf Lab. We work with universities, charities, and so on. They really want to support this stuff. So we have over 50 shareholders, and they've each invested probably for slightly different reasons. They all have to know that their money is a good bet, but I think they all want to feel like they're part of creating a recipe. For a surf resort, which we believe there'll be hundreds of around the world in the next few years. And we can create that recipe here in Scotland. That's hopefully another example of Scottish innovation and entrepreneurialism.Paul Marden: So you've got the test bed that happened in the Basque Country. You've got Scotland now. Are there surf resorts like this elsewhere in the world?Andy Hadden: Yeah, there are eight other open in the world. There's actually, there's various technologies. So there's about 25 different surf parks open at the moment. But there's... doesn't under construction. Pharrell Williams has just opened one in Virginia Beach a few weeks ago there in America. And what the equity, I think, is looking at quite rightly, the big equity, you know, the type that go right, if this really is a, you know, kind of top golfing steroids in that property developers can look at them as.Andy Hadden: You know, excellent ways to get through their more standardised property place, residential, office, industrial. Usually they have to do that in a kind of loss-leading way. But if you look at this as a leisure attraction, which councils and cities actually want because of the benefits, and it makes you money, and it increases the prices of your residential around it. I think developers are starting to realise there's a sweet spot there. So the equity, the big equity, I think, is about to drop in this market over the next couple of years. And it's just waiting for the data set to enable them to do that.Paul Marden: Wow. I guess there's an environmental impact to the work that you do, trying to create any big... a big project like this is going to have some sort of environmental impact. You've put in place an environmental sustainability strategy before it was mainstream as it is now. Tell us some of the things that you've put in place to try to address that environmental impact of what you're doing.Andy Hadden: Well, we're in a disused quarry. So it was a brownfield site. So already just by building on it and creating an immunity, we're also adding to the biodiversity of that site. And we're obviously there's no escaping the fact that we're a user of energy. There's just no escaping that. So the reality is we've got as much sustainable energy use as we can from air source heat pumps to solar. And we're looking at a solar project. So it becomes completely self-sustaining. But we also, the electricity we do access from the grid is through a green tariff. But you'll see a lot of the resorts around the world, this is going to become the sort of, the main play is to become sort of sustainable in that sense. Where we really fly is with the S and ESG. And like you say, the reason we were the world's first institutionally backed wave park, of course, we like to think it was purely down to our financials. But the reality is, they started saying, 'Wow, you're as authentic an ESG company as we've come across.'Andy Hadden: And it's the same with our mission-based national bank. So, because we didn't really know what that meant, we just knew it was the right thing to do. So we fit squarely into that ESG category, which I know is a tick box for a lot of funds, let's face it. There's a lot of them that really want to do that. There's a lot of investors out there that want to do it. But let's understand our place in the system, which is we're really market leading in that area. And I think that's very attractive for a lot of funds out there. But the S in ESG is where we really fly with all the work we're doing socially around the site.Paul Marden: So talk to me a little bit about that. How are you addressing that kind of the social responsibility piece?Andy Hadden: Well, two examples would be we're not just looking at schools to come here to surf. That's an obvious one. They'll go to any attraction to surf if you could go to Laser Quest, go up to visit the castle, do whatever. But we reverse engineered it. We got schools coordinated to go around the headmasters and the schools and say, 'Well, Look, you're all teaching STEM, science, technology, engineering, maths, for 9 to 13-year-olds. And you're all looking for outdoor learning now, which is definitely a big part of the future in education in general. Can you allow us to create some modules here? So we've got six modules that actually fit into that STEM strategy. For instance, last week, there was a school in learning physics, but they were using surf wax on a surfboard friction.Paul Marden: Amazing.Andy Hadden: So these kids so it works for schools and headmasters which is very important and for parents and it obviously works for the kids and they love it and the reason we do that and we give that it's all at discounted low times and everything is because it's a numbers game they come back at the weekend and so on so that's example one and another would be we've created a surf lab with Napier University, a higher education. So we sponsored the world's first doctor. It got a PhD in surf therapy, but then the university was like, 'hold on a minute, you know, this is good marketing for us as well'.Andy Hadden: This surf lab, which has the infrastructure to host great competitions, but also PhD students can come down and learn engineering. They can learn sustainable energy. So we've got more PhD students working there. And this higher university collaboration has not only led to Alder kids coming down but other universities in the area are now what can we do with lost shore now that's cool and fun so we're working with the other universities in town too so that's a couple of examples alongside the standard, employing local people and actually having the economics of putting money into the local economy.Paul Marden: It's interesting, isn't it? Because... So for many people, ESG, and especially the social responsibility piece, feels a little bit worthy. It feels an altruistic move for the organisation to go and do those things. But you've hit on the quid pro quo what do you get back for doing all of this stuff well you're bringing in these kids you're enriching their learning, you're helping them to learn valuable skills but you're also giving them a taster of what life is like at the the resort and seeing the benefit of the return visits that flow from that is crazy.Andy Hadden: You know, I like to think we've fought as hard as anyone to ingrain this stuff in your DNA because we're year one. And of course, we have our cash flow difficulties like everyone does. You know, you don't know how to... run the place for the first three months or that's what it feels like even though you've done all this preparation and so on and so forth but at no point does anyone turn around and go let's get rid of the schools program let's get rid of the university partnership and that's why i think it's very important to build it into your dna because it doesn't have to be this zero-sum game that people attribute you know or we're giving here so that means we have to take over here it's like there's cute ways to do everything you can do the right thing but also drive traffic for your business and it's very good right. It's good reputation, because the people that stay there, when they see that we're doing this stuff, they feel like they're part of it, and then they want to book again. So I believe it doesn't have to be a zero-sum game, but it is a different way of creating a business— that's for sure.Paul Marden: For sure. So there's going to be a listener out there, I'm sure, with a crazy idea like you had a few years ago. What advice would you give for somebody just starting out thinking of opening a business in the leisure and attraction sector?Andy Hadden: I would just try your best to make it as simple as possible. I think it was Yves Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, who said, 'One of the hardest things in life is to make it simple. It's so easy to make it complex.' And when you're dealing with a business plan, it's very exciting, right? Well, what if we get into this market? What if we do this? And splitting it all into those components. I think arm yourself with very good people around you. They don't even have to be part of the company. If you've been a good person in your life, I'm sure you've got friends who you can tap into. Everyone knows an architect. Everyone knows an accountant. Everyone knows a lawyer. You're a friend of a friend. Andy Hadden: And I think just overload yourself with as much information to get you to the point where you can be assertive with your own decisions. Because at the end of the day, it's going to come down to you making your own decisions. And if you've got a very clear path of what success and failure looks like, understanding that it ain't going to look like your business plan. As long as it's got the broad shapes of where you want to go, it can get you out of bed every day to try and make things happen. So, yeah, just go for it. Really, that's it.Paul Marden: See where it takes you. So look, in the world of themed entertainment, we talk a lot about IP and storytelling and creating magical experiences. Are any of these concepts relevant to a destination like yours?Andy Hadden: Yeah, well, you know, technically, from an IP perspective, you know, we're using the WaveGround Cove technology. You know, we've purchased that. So from a strictly business perspective, you know, we have access to their sort of IP in that sense and we deliver that. But I think for us, the IP is the destination. It's so unique, it's so big that it becomes defendable at scale. So it does sound like a bit of an all-in poker hand. But it would be more risky to go half in because these things are very hard to build. But when they are built, they're also very hard to compete with. So as long as your customer experience is good enough. You're going to maintain a kind of exclusivity in your locality for long into the future. So, yeah, there's obviously IP issues in terms of technologies. But for us, it was all about creating a destination with three business plans that's greater than the sum of its parts. And if we can do that in our location, then it's very hard to compete against, I would say.Paul Marden: Andy, it sounds like such an exciting journey that you've been on. And one year in, that journey has still got a long way to play out, doesn't it? You must be on quite the rollercoaster. Well, surfing quite a wave at the moment, if I don't mix my metaphors so badly.Andy Hadden: Yeah, we're just entering maybe the penultimate phase of the sort of 20-year plan. You know, we've gone through our early stages, our fundraising, our construction. We've gone through the very hard sort of like getting the team together and opening year one. And we're just starting to go, 'OK, we understand we've got data now'. We understand how to run this place now. So I think we now want to push through to stabilise the next two or three years. And then hopefully we've got a lot of irons in the fire globally as well. Hopefully we can go to the next phase, but we'll see what happens. Worst case scenario, I just surf a bit more and try and enjoy my lot.Paul Marden: Well, Andy, it's been lovely talking to you. I've been really interested to hear what you've been up to. This was only a short snippet of an interview. I reckon there's some more stories for you to tell once you're into year two. So I'd love for you to come back and we'll do a full-on interview once you've got year two under your belt. How's that sound to you?Andy Hadden: Absolutely, Paul, and thanks very much for the platform.Paul Marden: Next up, let's hear from some of the exhibitors on the floor. Bakit.Paul Marden: Introduce yourself for me, please, and tell me a little bit about where you're from.Bakit Baydaliev: We have two companies located in Turkey, Istanbul, and Los Angeles, USA. We develop attractions, equipment, but not just equipment— also software, AI, and content, games, and movies. Paul Marden: Oh, wow. So you're here at IAPA. This is my very first morning of my very first IAAPA. So it's all very overwhelming for me. Tell me, what is it that you're launching at IAAPA today?Bakit Baydaliev: Today we're launching our bestseller, Hurricane. It's a coaster simulator. In addition to that, we're also launching a special immersive tunnel, Mars Odyssey. We're sending people to Mars, we're sending people to space, and the story, of course, may change. After you install the attractions, you always can create different kinds of content for this attraction. It's completely immersive and what is very unique for this attraction is edutainment. Theme parks, science centres, space centres, and museums all benefit from it. It's not just to show and entertain, but also educate and provide a lot of useful information for people. Paul Marden: So what would you say is unique about this? Bakit Baydaliev: There are several factors. First of all, it's equipment. We have a very special software that amazingly synchronizes with the content and it doesn't create motion sickness at all. Paul Marden: Oh, really? Bakit Baydaliev: This is very important. Independently on the speeds, which is... We have very high speeds in our simulators. In addition to that, we have special effects, unusual effects, which feel like cold, heat, sounds.Paul Marden: So it is truly 4D, isn't it?Bakit Baydaliev: Completely. In addition to that, it's interactive content. It's not just the content which you can sit and... watch and entertain yourself and get a lot of useful information, but also you can interact. You can play games, you can shoot, you can interact. And of course, the most important thing which makes this attraction innovative is the educational aspect.Paul Marden: I find that really interesting that you could see this ride at a theme park, but similarly you can see it as an educational exhibit at a science centre or space centre. I think that's very interesting.Bakit Baydaliev: Very, very. Especially, you know, the standard experience for space centres, science centres, and especially museums, it's just walking around, touch some stuff. Some you may not even touch it. It's exponents which you can watch, you can read, it's very nice. But it's even better when you let people live it in real with a nice simulation atmosphere environment, like immersive tunnel.Paul Marden: Absolutely. Bekit, thank you so much for joining us on Skip the Queue, and I look forward to enjoying one of the rides.Bakit Baydaliev: Please ride, and you will be amazed.Hamza Saber: My name is Hamza. I work for TÜV SUD Germany. Our main job is to make sure attractions are safe, parks are safe. We do everything from design review to initial examination of rides, to yearly checks and making sure that we push the standards and the norm to the next level and cover everything that comes in new in the industry as well to make sure this industry stays safe and enjoyable for people. Paul Marden: It's so important though, isn't it? At an event like this, you don't have a sexy stand with lots of really cool rides to experience, but what you do is super important.Hamza Saber: Yes, I guess it's not one of the big colourful booths, but it's at the heart of this industry. It's in the background. If you look at the program for the education, there is a lot of safety talks. There is a lot of small groups talking about safety, trying to harmonise norms as well. Because if you look at the world right now, we have the EN standards. We have the American standards and we're working right now to try to bring them closer together so it's as easy and safe and clear for all manufacturers and operators to understand what they need to do to make sure that their guests are safe at the end of the day.Paul Marden: So Hamza, there's some really cool tech that you've got on the stand that's something new that you've brought to the stand today. So tell us a little bit about that.Hamza Saber: So as you can see, we have one of the drones right here and the video behind you. So we're trying to include new technologies to make it easier, faster, and more reliable to do checks on big structures like this or those massive buildings that you usually see. You can get really, really close with the new technologies, the drones with the 4K cameras, you can get very, very precise. We're also working on AI to train it to start getting the first round of inspections done using AI. And just our expert to focus on the most important and critical aspects. So we're just going to make it faster, more reliable.Paul Marden: So I guess if you've got the drone, that means you don't have to walk the entire ride and expect it by eye?Hamza Saber: No, we still have to climb. So what we do is more preventive using the drones. So the drones, especially with the operators, they can start using them. And if they notice something that does not fit there, we can go and look at it. But the actual yearly inspections that are accepted by the governments, you still need to climb, you still need to check it yourself. So the technology is not right there yet, but hopefully we're going to get there. Paul Marden: We're a long way away from the robots coming and taking the safety engineer's job then. Hamza Saber: Yes, exactly. And they don't think they're going to come take our jobs anytime soon. Using technology hands-in-hands with our expertise, that's the future.Paul Marden: It must be so exciting for you guys because you have to get involved in all of these projects. So you get to see the absolute tippy top trends as they're coming towards you.Hamza Saber: Yeah, for sure. Like we're always three years before the public knowledge. So it's exciting to be behind the scene a little bit and knowing what's going on. We're seeing some really fun and creative ideas using AI to push the attractions industry to the next level. So I'm excited to see any new rides that will be published or announced at some point this week.Paul Marden: Very cool. Look, Hamza, it's been lovely to meet you. Thanks for coming on Skip the Queue.Hamza Saber: Yeah, thank you so much.Kristof Van Hove: My name is Kristof. I live in Belgium. I'm working for the Tomorrowland group already now for three years, especially on the leisure part.Paul Marden: Tell listeners a little bit about Tomorrowland because many of our listeners are attraction owners and operators. They may not be familiar with Tomorrowland.Kristof Van Hove: Yeah, so Tomorrowland is already 20 years, I think, one of the number one festivals in the world. Actually, already for the last years, always the number one in the world. And what makes us special is that we are not just a festival, but we are a community. We create. special occasions for people and it starts from the moment that they buy their tickets till the festival we make a special feeling that people like and I think we create a world and each year we work very hard on new team that goes very deep so not only making a festival but we go very deep in our branding not only with our main stage but we also make a book about it we make gadgets about it so it's a completely.Paul Marden:  Wow. Help listeners to understand what it is that you're doing new here at the moment. You're blending that festival experience, aren't you, into attractions.Kristof Van Hove: Yeah, that's right. So because we are already 20 years on the market building IP, the more and more we really are able to create a complete experience, not only the IP as a brand, but also all the things around it. We have our own furniture. We have our own plates. We create actually all elements that are needed to build a leisure industry project. And that makes it magnificent. I think we are capable now, with everything that we do in-house, to set up and to facilitate water park and attraction park projects completely. Paul Marden: So, have you got any attractions that are open at the moment? Kristof Van Hove: Well, we have the Ride to Happiness, of course, the coaster that is built in Plopsaland three years ago. That is already now for five years the number one steel coaster in Europe and the fifth steel coaster in the world. So this is a project we are very proud of. Besides that, we have already a lot of immersive experiences. And we are constructing now a secret project that will be announced in the beginning of next year somewhere in Europe.Paul Marden: Give us a little sneak peek what that might look like.Kristof Van Hove: It's not that far from here. Okay, okay, excellent. So it's more an outdoor day project that we are constructing. That for sure will be something unique. Excellent.Paul Marden: So look, you're already planning into 2026. Help listeners to understand what the future might look like. What trends are you seeing in the sector for next year?Kristof Van Hove: Well, I think more and more the people expect that they get completely a deep dive into branding. I don't think that people still want to go to non-IP branded areas. They want to have the complete package from the moment that they enter. They want to be immersed. With everything around it, and they want a kind of a surrounding, and they want to have the feeling that they are a bit out of their normal life, and a deep dive in a new environment. And I think this is something that we try to accomplish. Paul Marden: Wow.David Jungmann: David Jungman, I'm the Director of Business Development here at Accesso, based in Germany. I'm super excited to be here at IAPA in Barcelona. We're exhibiting our whole range of solutions from ticketing to point of sale to virtual queuing to mobile apps. And one of the features we're calling out today is our Accesso Pay 3.0 checkout flow, which streamlines donations, ticket insurance, relevant payment types by region on a single simple one-click checkout page.Paul Marden: What impact does that have on customers when they're presented with that simple one-click checkout?David Jungmann: Well, as you guys know, conversion rate is super important. The number of clicks in an e-commerce environment is super important. And because we're at IAAPA Europe, we've got guests here from all over Europe. Different regions require different payment types. And it's important to not overload a checkout page with like eight different types for, let's say, German guests, Dutch guests, Belgium guests, is to be able to only offer what's relevant and to keep it short and sweet. And then rolling in additional features like donations, ticket insurance and gift cards, stuff like that.Paul Marden: Amazing. So get your crystal ball out and think about what the world in 2026 is going to be like.David Jungmann: I think this year was a little bit soft in terms of performance for the parks, certainly in Europe, what we've seen. I think what that will mean is that maybe some will consider, you know, really big capex investments. But what that also means is they will get creative. So I envision a world where, instead of buying new protocols for 20 million, maybe some operators will start thinking about how can we make more out of what we've got with less, right? How can we be really creative? And I think there's a lot to uncover next year for us to see.Paul Marden:  Sweating their assets maybe to be able to extend what they do without that big CapEx project.David Jungmann:  Yes, how can we keep innovating? How can we keep our experience fresh? Without just buying something very expensive straight away. And I think that's what we see.Paul Marden: What is going to be innovating for Xesso and the market that you serve?David Jungmann: Well, for us, it's really about that streamlined, consistent guest experience, but also tying into things like immersive experiences, right, where you could maybe change the overlay of an attraction and feed in personalised information that you have for your visitors and collect it during you know the booking flow when they enter the venue and feeding that into the actual experience i think that's something i'm excited about.Paul Marden: I think that there is a missed opportunity by so many attractions. There's so much data that we build and we collect the data, but oftentimes we don't bring it together into a central place and then figure out the ways in which we want to use it. There's so much more you can do with that rich data, isn't there?David Jungmann: 100% exactly. And I don't just mean from a marketing perspective. I mean from an actual experience perspective. Let's say you ride through Dark Ride and all of a sudden your name pops up or your favorite character pops up and waves hello to you. That's the type of stuff you want to do, not just market the hell out of it.Paul Marden: Absolutely. Look, David, it's been so good to meet you. Thank you ever so much. And yeah, thank you for joining Skip the Queue. David Jungmann: Thanks, Paul. Have a great day at the show. Paul Marden: Isn't it great? I mean, we have got such an amazing job, haven't we? To be able to come to a place like this and be able to call this work.David Jungmann: Absolute privilege. Yes, absolutely.Paul Marden: Now, before we wrap up, Andy and I wanted to have a little chat about what we've seen today and what we've enjoyed. Why don't we sit down? You have clearly returned to your tribe. Is there a person in this place that doesn't actually know you?Andy Povey: There's loads. I've been doing the same thing for 30 years. Paul Marden: Yeah, this ain't your first radio, is it? Andy Povey: I'm big and I'm loud, so I'd stand out in a crowd. I mean, there are all fantastic things that I should put on my CV. But this is really where I feel at home. This industry continues to blow me away. We're here, we're talking to competitors, we're talking to potential customers, we're talking to previous customers, we're talking to people that we've worked with, and it's just all so friendly and so personally connected. I love it.Paul Marden: It has been awesome. I've really enjoyed it. Although I'm beginning to get into the Barry White territory of my voice because it's quite loud on the show floor, isn't it? Andy Povey: It is. It's actually quieter than previous shows, so I don't know why, and I don't know whether... Maybe I'm just getting old and my hearing's not working quite so well, but... You used to walk out of the show and you could almost feel your ears relax as they just stopped hearing and being assaulted, I suppose, by machines pinging and blowing.Paul Marden: It really is an assault on the senses, but in the very best way possible. Andy Povey: Absolutely, absolutely. I feel like a child. You're walking around the show, you're going, 'Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow.' Paul Marden: So what has been your highlight? Andy Povey: Do you know, I don't think I could give you one. It really is all of the conversations, the connections, the people you didn't know that you hadn't spoken to for two years.Paul Marden: So for me, my highlight, there was a ride that I went on, Doff Robotics.Andy Povey: I've seen that, man.Paul Marden: So it was amazing. I thought I was going to be feeling really, really sick and that I wouldn't enjoy it, but it was amazing. So I had Emily with the camera in front of me. And within 10 seconds, I forgot that I was being recorded and that she was there. I was completely immersed in it. And I came off it afterwards feeling no motion sickness at all and just having had a real good giggle all the way through. I was grinning like, you know, the Cheshire Cat. Andy Povey: A grinning thing. Paul Marden: Yeah. So, tomorrow, what are you looking forward to?Andy Povey:  It's more of the same. It really is. There's going to be some sore heads after tonight's party at Tribodabo. We're all hoping the rain holds off long enough for it to be a great experience. But more of the same.Paul Marden: Well, let's meet back again tomorrow, shall we? Andy Povey: Completely. Paul Marden: Let's make a date.Paul Marden: Thanks for listening to today's episode from IAAPA Expo Europe. As always, if you've loved today's episode, like it and comment in your podcast app. If you didn't like it, let us know at hello@skipthequeue.fm. Show notes and links can also be found on our website, skipthequeue.fm. Thanks to our amazing team, Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle from Plaster Creative Communications, Steve Folland from Folland Co., and our amazing podcast producer, Wenalyn Dionaldo. Come back again tomorrow for more show news. The 2025 Visitor Attraction Website Survey is now LIVE! Dive into groundbreaking benchmarks for the industryGain a better understanding of how to achieve the highest conversion ratesExplore the "why" behind visitor attraction site performanceLearn the impact of website optimisation and visitor engagement on conversion ratesUncover key steps to enhance user experience for greater conversionsTake the Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey Report

Ama Brewery produces a pét-nat tea brewed using local spring water from the Izarraitz Massif in the Basque Country, and high-quality tea and herbs. Pét-nat, an ancient method of making sparkling wine, is short for pétillant naturel, where the wine... The post Profile: AMA Brewery, Irun, Spain appeared first on 'Booch News.

The Arsenal News Show EP638 - Athletic Club Victory, Martinelli Reborn, A Dream Realised & Mad Story

For this episode, we will explore The Virgin of Juncal. This Black Madonna who has since been "restored" is the oldest Marian image in Gipuzkoa and probably in the entire Basque Country. Her shrine is in Irun, and aptly called The Church of Our Lady of Juncal or Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Juncal. The church owes its name to the discovery of a carved image of the Virgin in the reeds growing along the banks of the estuary in around the year 1400.To make a one time donation of any amount to support the podcast, please donate tohttps://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BlackMadonnaHeartBecome a Patron for the channel at https://www.patreon.com/TheBlackMadonnaSpeaksTo purchase Black Madonna Speaks extra content, please visithttps://www.patreon.com/theblackmadonnaspeaks/shop#divinefeminine #sacredfeminine #virginmary #ourlady #blackmadonna #anthroposophy#spiritualjourney #camino #pilgrimage #mothermary #spirituality #Gipuzkoa #NuestraSeñoradelJuncal #Spain

Coach reacts to Arsenal's win in the Basque Country on this latest edition of Coach's Corner.Tap In!

In this episode of The Go-To Food Podcast—brought to you by Blinq (the UK POS rebels)—we sit down with fire-obsessed chef Lennox Hastie, the man behind Sydney's cult restaurant Firedoor and the pintxo-loving Gildas. From starring on Chef's Table to earning two Chef's Hats (Australia's Michelin-adjacent kudos), Lennox has built a career on cooking everything over live flame—no gas, no charcoal, just wood, nerve, and precision.Lennox takes us back to the Basque Country, where a chance overheard conversation in a bar sent him up a mountain to Asador Etxebarri—and straight into Victor Arguinzoniz's inferno. He shares how he went from three-Michelin-star kitchens to a tiny grill line where the ovens roasted your back and the fire seared your front, translating for Anthony Bourdain and learning that wood choice is as crucial as the cut. You'll hear why turbot belongs flat on the grill (not in a cage), how prawns can stop time, and why simplicity hits harder when the flames are perfectly tuned.Back in Australia, Lennox fought a four-year, site-by-site battle to open Firedoor the uncompromising way—100% wood-fired or nothing. He breaks down the nerdy magic of ironbark vs. oak, why the team builds log-cabin fires every morning, and how prep dances around rising and falling embers. Expect goosebump dishes and surprising ideas: live-marron split and kissed by heat, grilled lettuce that eats like a revelation, long-aged beef that hums with prosciutto-y depth, and flame-finished desserts that prove pastry belongs in the fire, too.We also detour through San Sebastián and Sydney's best bites—pintxos culture, tomato salads worth a pilgrimage, vermouth-forward Marianitos, and Lennox's go-to Korean and Japanese haunts. It's a story of obsession, patience, and learning to “slow dance” with fire—from mountain grills to a packed open kitchen where every lick of flame is on show. Plug in for craft, chaos, and crackling honesty—and leave hungry.---------Please leave us a great rating and a comment and share it with your friends - it really helps us grow as a show.If you're in the industry and are looking for the greatest POS system in the world than look no further -as Blinq are tearing up the rulebook—no long-term contracts, no hidden fees, and no per-device charges.Just £69 a month for unlimited devices and 24/7 UK-based support that's always there, in person when you need it.Built for hospitality, by hospitality, blinq is the fastest, easiest POS system on the market—so intuitive, anyone can use it. And while others take weeks to get you up and running, with blinq, you're live in just 2 hours.Join the hospitality revolution today & use the code GOTOBLINQ to get your first month free - https://blinqme.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remember when Juan Ayuso was the biggest story of the week? Today on the show: Protests in the Basque Country bring the Vuelta to a halt, GC Pidcock has arrived, maybe? And we still haven't talked about Juan Ayuso officially leaving UAE, so we'll definitely talk about that.

Johan Bruyneel and Spencer Martin break down a wild day in the Basque Country on Stage 11 at the Vuelta a España, which saw Jonas Vingegaard and Tom Pidcock climb clear of the rest of the GC contenders before a protest at the finish line neutralized the stage. They discuss how the action before the race neutralization potentially reveals a great deal about the GC picture going forward, and debate whether the race will even be able to proceed as planned due to the growing presence of protest. Before they depart, they preview tomorrow's tricky stage in Cantabria, discussing how they think the race will unfold and who presents the best betting value.

Johan Bruyneel and Spencer Martin break down Jay Vine's performance to win his second stage at this Vuelta a España on a summit finish, where the GC group once again traded light blows behind before coming in just over a minute down. Johan also breaks down how the Juan Ayuso drama continues to unfold at this race, what he thinks the issues are within the team, and where he thinks he should race in 2026. Before they depart, they preview tomorrow's tough stage in the Basque Country, discussing how they think the race will unfold and who presents the best betting value.

Hola Amigos and welcome back to the show. We are Fran and Jorge and today we are opening a chapter that Spain still feels in its bones: ETA. How a clandestine group turned terror into a political gambit, shaking streets from San Sebastián to Madrid and beyond.We will rewind to the last breath of Franco's dictatorship, when the country was brittle, fearful, and ripe for sparks. ETA stepped in with bombs and bullets, targeting civilians, cops, judges, politicians or/and anyone they thoughtsymbolized the State.And the Basque Country wasn't the only stage. The pain traveled. Families across Spain learned what it means to glance under the car, change routines, and live with apermanent “side eye” on the world.But here's the twist: decades later, the gunfire started to fade and speeches got louder.A pivot from underground violence to ballot boxes, from fear to messaging. Did politics tame the beast, or just shift the battlefield?We are not here to sensationalize. We're here to humanize survivors, negotiators, journalists, and everyday people who carried keys, memories, and grief. We'll unpack ceasefires, crackdowns, and the slow grind of reconciliation.Expect sharp context, clear timelines, and no romantic myths. Just facts, voices, and the uncomfortable questions: What makes a movement abandon terror? What helps ademocracy heal without forgetting?Stick around. By the end, you will have a cleaner map of how Spain moved from sirens to debates and why old echoes still are bouncing around today.This is Spanish Loops, hit follow, rate the show, and let's begin.

Hola Amigos and welcome back to the show. We are Fran and Jorge and today we are opening a chapter that Spain still feels in its bones: ETA. How a clandestine group turned terror into a political gambit, shaking streets from San Sebastián to Madrid and beyond.We will rewind to the last breath of Franco's dictatorship, when the country was brittle, fearful, and ripe for sparks. ETA stepped in with bombs and bullets, targeting civilians, cops, judges, politicians or/and anyone they thoughtsymbolized the State.And the Basque Country wasn't the only stage. The pain traveled. Families across Spain learned what it means to glance under the car, change routines, and live with apermanent “side eye” on the world.But here's the twist: decades later, the gunfire started to fade and speeches got louder.A pivot from underground violence to ballot boxes, from fear to messaging. Did politics tame the beast, or just shift the battlefield?We are not here to sensationalize. We're here to humanize survivors, negotiators, journalists, and everyday people who carried keys, memories, and grief. We'll unpack ceasefires, crackdowns, and the slow grind of reconciliation.Expect sharp context, clear timelines, and no romantic myths. Just facts, voices, and the uncomfortable questions: What makes a movement abandon terror? What helps ademocracy heal without forgetting?Stick around. By the end, you will have a cleaner map of how Spain moved from sirens to debates and why old echoes still are bouncing around today.This is Spanish Loops, hit follow, rate the show, and let's begin.

Gary is joined by author and coach Tim Stegmann to discuss his outstanding new book Xabi Campeon. Tim takes an in-depth look at Xabi's coaching journey including his personal influences, the remarkable transformation at Leverkusen and the tactical innovations behind Alonso's dynamic and dominant style. What influential methodologies from Spanish football form the foundation of his philosophy? And why do coaches from the Basque Country suceed almost everywhere? In his interview, Tim talks about his research and work around the tactical portrait of one of the most exciting coaches in world football - Xabi Alonso. You can order a copy of Tim's book here: https://buchshop.bod.de/xabi-campeon-tim-stegmann-9783819228698 We are excited to team up with Soccer Coach Weekly for this episode. Since 2006, they've helped over 50,000 coaches, parents, and teachers around the world — and now they've redesigned everything with U.S. volunteer coaches in mind. Each week, you'll get proven practice plans, fun small-sided games, and coaching advice that's easy to use, right off your phone or laptop. Modern Soccer Coach listeners get 50% off a full year of premium access with the code GARY50. Click below to take advantage of the offer! www.soccercoachweekly.net/scw-usa#utm_…=US+campaign ( if this link doesn't work use this link instead: soccercoachweekly.net/scw-usa )

It has been an urban revitalization like few others in the world. Legendary in fact. Bilbao and its metropolitan district has a strategic location near the sea which confirmed its strength as a trading center and evolution into the great economic giant of the Basque Country in the days of iron and steel, shipyards mining. But in the 1970's and 1980's it hit the skids and went into a deep crisis. As its problems got deeper people left, it physically grew uglier while its environment became more polluted. As we learned during previous conversations in 2023 https://tinyurl.com/ydh3b7fn its recovery was a modern wonder and perfect example of what the Intelligent Community movement is all about. It was a systematic plan with a flourish, one that literally defines “the soul of a city.” In 2025 for the first time, Bilbao made the ICF's list of Smart21 Intelligent Communities. We decided to go back and have another discussion with its new Director of Modernization to get more on this story of a truly great 21st Century community. Here it is. Just for ICF podcast listeners! Ane Miren, a Law graduate from the University of Deusto, has an extensive professional career linked to people management and talent development, having specialized for the past six years in comprehensive technology leadership. Her extensive professional experience in the private sector has allowed her firsthand experience with leading Basque industry companies such as ITP Group and Vicrila, the German multinational Rothenberger, as well as the hotel sector, where she led Human Resources and Health and Safety departments. In the public sector, from 2015 to 2019, she became a member of the Board of Directors of BilbaoTIK, a municipal technology entity of the Bilbao City Council. In 2019, she acquired the position of General Manager of BilbaoTIK until her appointment as Director of the Modernization Department of the Bilbao City Council on August 1, 2023.

I've created a FREE guide with 7 cultural stories from France, designed to help you make real progress in French —not through boring drills, but through powerful, inspiring stories that immerse you in French culture.

How literature helps us to understand morality, totalitarian politics, and the life of Jesus Christ.Join the team at the IAI for four articles about great, classic literature, covering world-renowned authors such as George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Clarice Lispector, to name but a few.These articles were written by Michael Marder, Emrah Atasoy, John Givens, and Dana Dragunoiu.Michael Marder is Ikerbasque Research Professor of Philosophy at the University of the Basque Country, Vitoria-Gasteiz. Emrah Atasoy is a professor in the Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies at the University of Warwick. John Givens is a professor of Russian at the University of Rochester and the author of 'The Image of Christ in Russian Literature: Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Bulgakov, Pasternak'. Dana Dragunoiu the author of 'Vladimir Nabokov and the Art of Moral Acts' and 'Simply Nabokov'. And don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Outside of Spain, Idaho is home to one of the largest populations of Basque people in the United States. And as it happens, it's also home to one of the Basque Country's oldest grape varieties. 

In this episode, Mike speaks with Jordan Faker, a former youth pastor and current missionary in the Basque Country of Spain. Jordan shares lessons from his eight years in youth ministry and reflects on the realities of bivocational life—working a regular job while faithfully shepherding students. He offers practical encouragement for preachers navigating time constraints, limited resources, and the tension of dual callings.The conversation also explores the spiritual climate of post-Christian Europe, the urgent need for long-term missionaries, and how today's young people (Gen Z and Gen Alpha) are spiritually searching in unexpected ways.This episode is especially relevant for those preaching in small churches, ministering cross-culturally, or wrestling with how to balance faithfulness and sustainability in gospel work.Follow Jordan's journey:

Repasamos la LIMúR, Lista Ibérica de Músicas de Raíz del segundo trimestre del 2025, una iniciativa que lanzamos desde Mundofonías y en la que participan especialistas y divulgadores de diversos países. Escuchamos músicas que conectan Portugal, el País Vasco, Cataluña o el País Valenciano con Siria, Irlanda, Italia, Francia y otros parajes orientales. Escuchamos más novedades ibéricas desde Asturias y Portugal, para terminar con influencias balcánicas desde Francia e inspiraciones bluegrass desde Alemania. We review the LIMúR, the Iberian Roots Music Chart for the second quarter of 2025, an initiative launched by Mundofonías with the participation of specialists and music disseminators from various countries. We listen to music that connects Portugal, the Basque Country, Catalonia and the Valencian Country with Syria, Ireland, Italy, France and other eastern landscapes. We hear more Iberian new releases from Asturias and Portugal, finishing with Balkan influences from France and bluegrass inspirations from Germany. - Héctor Braga - Llobatu - Rabil - O gajo - Filhos do Vendaval - Trovoada - Estaca Zero - Ponteiros à solta na terra dos duendes - As aventuras do guitarrinho no país das possibilidades - Oriol Marès & Talal Fayad Quartet - Ma7dood - Estuarium - Rodrigo Leão - O labirinto - O rapaz da montanha - Alboka - Blackberry blossom / The bachelor - The marker stone - Efrén López, Ciro Montanari & Jordi Prats - Tappya - Mel - Matthieu Saglio & Camille Saglio - Strange fruit - Al alba - Tako Toki - Yanitza - Yanitza [single] - WDR Big Band - Elzic’s farewell / Yew piney mountain - Bluegrass 📸 Matthieu Saglio & Camille Saglio (Claude Theolle)

In Discovering the Southwest of France: Tips and Tales for Travelers, host Annie Sargent talks with Catherine McMillan about her recent road trip through some of the most beautiful and underrated parts of France. Catherine traveled by car and took her time exploring the Southwest of France. She shares her experience driving from Bordeaux to Arcachon, Cap Ferret, Bayonne, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Espelette, Sare, Lacanau, and more. Her trip focused on slower travel, scenic drives, good food, and authentic experiences. Annie and Catherine talk about why the Southwest stands out from other parts of France. They share practical tips on navigating small towns, finding great local markets, and making the most of regional specialties. If you're curious about the Basque Country, the Dordogne, or other places tourists sometimes miss, this episode is for you. They also talk about local museums, seasonal travel advice, and why renting a car can be the best way to explore rural France. This episode is full of smart advice and personal stories to help you plan your own French road trip. Subscribe to the Join Us in France Travel Podcast for weekly episodes about travel tips, cultural insights, and unforgettable destinations in France. Whether you're planning your first visit or your tenth, Annie helps you travel smarter and deeper in France. Table of Contents for this Episode [00:00:15] Introduction [00:00:32] Today on the podcast [00:00:55] Podcast supporters [00:01:25] Magazine segment [00:02:21] Annie and Catherine [00:03:42] Planning the Trip: From Consultation to Gratitude [00:05:16] Trip Timeline and Destinations [00:05:58] Renting a Car [00:07:21] Exploring the Southwest of France [00:08:21] Walking Through History: Medieval Villages and Cathar Country [00:10:31] Discovering Plus Beaux Villages [00:17:10]  Musée du Foie Gras [00:17:36] Unique Experiences: Craftsmen and Local Artisans [00:19:39] Gloves Making Experience [00:21:20]  Weaving Basque Fabrics [00:23:31] Unusual and Lesser-Known Museums [00:23:49] Museum of the Oyster [00:24:30] Musee du Tabac [00:25:18]  The Musee de la Mer in Sete [00:26:07]  Vézuna Museum [00:27:04] La Maison Forte de Reignac: A Must-See Historical Site [00:28:43] Exploring a Historic Maison Forte [00:29:42] Discovering the Charm of Bayonne [00:30:43] The Vibrant Les Halles Markets [00:32:11] Adventures in the Basque Country [00:34:56] Aveyron [00:35:39] booking.com [00:37:03] Find Out Where You Can Park Before You Get There [00:38:16] Hiking in the Hautes-Pyrénées [00:40:25] A Visit to Notre-Dame [00:42:20] Reflections on Traveling in France [00:43:59] Mistakes to Avoid [00:45:05] Phone access [00:46:42] The trains in the area [00:50:41] Final Thoughts and Farewell [00:51:29] Thank you Patrons [00:52:36] VoiceMap Reviews [00:53:18] Podcast Listeners Discounts for VoiceMap Tours [00:54:21] Fireworks in Paris [00:54:59] The Bayeux Tapestry Going on Loan [00:55:41] Notre-Dame de Paris Is VERY Popular [00:58:22] Next Week on the Podcast [00:58:41] Copyright More Episodes about the going off the beaten track in France

Today, we're venturing to a corner of Europe that feels like a world all its own - the Basque Country. Straddling Spain and France, this is a place where ancient traditions meet avant-garde cuisine, where surfers ride some of the best waves in Europe, and where you can hear one of the oldest living languages on the continent. There's a saying in Basque, “Izena duenak izana du,” which means, “That which has a name, exists.” The Basque Country is a place that names its mountains, its winds, its waves – and by doing so, keeps its ancient identity alive. Joining me today is Frederic Du Coral, who takes us deep into this interesting culture. We talk about everything from medieval history to the modern spirit of resilience that defines the region today.    Looking to book a luxury hotel? Get special perks and support the podcast by booking here: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sarahgroen/travel/luxury-hotels If you want our expert guidance and help planning a luxury trip with experiences you can't find online, tell us more here and we'll reach out: https://bellandblytravel.com/book-a-trip/     Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com   Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn  

Hola Chicos and welcome back to Spanish Loops! You're tuning in to a brand new episode that will take you straight into the heart of Spanish culture by exploring four “must read” books that reveal the soul of Spain. From street smarts to epic ideals, and its wounds through history and memory. Stick around as we are unpacking everything. -Lazarillo de Tormes.The original Spanish picaresque: funny, edgy, and sharp. It's about a little hustler surviving by his wits. You will feel the cheeky humour that threads through Spain's cultural DNA. -Don Quijote de la Mancha.The granddaddy of duels and daydreams. Idealism vs. reality, chivalry vs. windmills. It captures Spain's passionate spirit, its hope “even when the world says no”, with a very good dose of laughter and heart. -Los Santos Inocentes.Rural Spain laid bare. This one dig deep into social class, injustice, and quiet dignity.You'll see how struggle and resilience are weaves into community life and how power plays out when nobody is watching. -PatriaModern Spain through the Basque Country's turbulent and recent past. A powerful, personal, political journey into how history, violence, and family shape identity and how past wounds still echo today. Together, these four novels form a panoramic portrait of Spanish society: sly humour, bold idealism, social tension, and historical memory. They show attitudes, behaviour patterns, and emotional scars that define Spain.Whether you're learning Spanish, exploring another culture, or building your reading list with deep, meaningful stories, this episode will track you understand Spain's core.Catch you inside the loop. Let's read, reflect, and root ourselves in Spain. Subscribe and share wherever you listen and don't miss an episode. Hit that follow, leave a review, and turn on notifications to stay in the loop.See you next week!

Hola Chicos and welcome back to Spanish Loops! You're tuning in to a brand new episode that will take you straight into the heart of Spanish culture by exploring four “must read” books that reveal the soul of Spain. From street smarts to epic ideals, and its wounds through history and memory. Stick around as we are unpacking everything. -Lazarillo de Tormes.The original Spanish picaresque: funny, edgy, and sharp. It's about a little hustler surviving by his wits. You will feel the cheeky humour that threads through Spain's cultural DNA. -Don Quijote de la Mancha.The granddaddy of duels and daydreams. Idealism vs. reality, chivalry vs. windmills. It captures Spain's passionate spirit, its hope “even when the world says no”, with a very good dose of laughter and heart. -Los Santos Inocentes.Rural Spain laid bare. This one dig deep into social class, injustice, and quiet dignity.You'll see how struggle and resilience are weaves into community life and how power plays out when nobody is watching. -PatriaModern Spain through the Basque Country's turbulent and recent past. A powerful, personal, political journey into how history, violence, and family shape identity and how past wounds still echo today. Together, these four novels form a panoramic portrait of Spanish society: sly humour, bold idealism, social tension, and historical memory. They show attitudes, behaviour patterns, and emotional scars that define Spain.Whether you're learning Spanish, exploring another culture, or building your reading list with deep, meaningful stories, this episode will track you understand Spain's core.Catch you inside the loop. Let's read, reflect, and root ourselves in Spain. Subscribe and share wherever you listen and don't miss an episode. Hit that follow, leave a review, and turn on notifications to stay in the loop.See you next week!

ICEC Conference - born Europe - Begotxu Olaizola from the Basque Country and Geraint Thomas on behalf of YesCymru who are looking forward to the ICEC (International Commission for European Citizens) conference which will be in Wales for the first time on the weekend of 5 July 2025. ICEC is a network of pro-independence movements of the historic nations of Europe including YesCymru.* ICEC - International Commission for European Citizens https://icec.ngo/ * Naziogintza - Basque pro independence movement https://www.naziogintza.eus/en/* YesBreizh - pro independence movement for Brittany  https://nation.cymru/feature/yes-breizh-campaign-group-launches-to-push-for-greater-control-for-brittany/* Gure Esku - 'in our hands', Basque movement for the right to hold a vote on independence https://share.google/VfnzHNnlf4sjE2zNq* The Welsh National Anthem, it's Story it's Meaning, book by Radio YesCymru presenter, Siôn T. Jobbins https://www.ylolfa.com/products/9781847716590/the-welsh-national-anthem Series 6, Episode 24

From dusty Spanish taverns where tapas began as a clever “cover” for wine to the lively bars of Andalusia and Basque Country where small plates became a way of life—this bite-sized episode dives deep into the world of tapas. Join Neil as he traces their rich origins, reveals the must-try classics, and discovers how this delicious Spanish ritual inspired countless global traditions. Hungry yet? Let's dig in.Join the conversation! Follow Neil on his socials:➡️ Neil Patil, Co-founder, COO and CTO at Veena World- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patilneil/- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilpatil1612/

Who's Zoomin' Who? To celebrate the exciting launch of Season Eight of Phil's beloved hit Netflix food and travel show Somebody Feed Phil, Phil and David Zoom with wonderful fans of the show from around the world. This season, Phil travels to Amsterdam, Basque Country of Spain, Boston, Tbilisi, Sydney & Adelaide, Las Vegas (with an appearance by Donny Osmond & David!), Manila and Guatemala. To learn more about building community through food and "Somebody Feed the People," visit the Philanthropy page at philrosenthalworld.com.

Comenzamos explorando dos estupendas y nuevas recopilaciones que nos traen añejas y sabrosas músicas de Guinea y Zimbabue, para rendir después homenaje a un buen número de artistas que nos han dejado recientemente, como el gallego Emilio Cao; de nuevo el irlandés Alan Griffin, con el disco póstumo que le dedica su grupo Alboka, desde el País Vasco; el cantaor extremeño Ramón el Portugués; el clarinetista griego Petroloukas Halkias, y el artista judeo-yemení Aharon Amram. We begin by exploring two excellent and new compilations that bring us vintage and flavorful music from Guinea and Zimbabwe, and then pay tribute to a good number of artists who have recently passed away, such as the Galician Emilio Cao; once again the Irish Alan Griffin, with the posthumous album dedicated to him by his group Alboka, from the Basque Country; the flamenco singer from Extremadura Ramón el Portugués, the Greek clarinetist Petroloukas Halkias, and the Judeo-Yemeni artist Aharon Amram. - Bembeya Jazz National - Guantanamera / Seyni - Music for a revolution vol 1: Guinea's Syliphone recording label [V.A.] - Balla et ses Balladins - Sakhodougou - Music for a revolution vol 1: Guinea's Syliphone recording label [V.A.] - Thomas Mapfumo & The Acid Band - Chiiko chinotinetsa - Roots rocking Zimbabwe: The modern sound of Harare' townships 1975-1980 [V.A.] - Oliver & The Black Spirits - Anoshereketa - Roots rocking Zimbabwe: The modern sound of Harare' townships 1975-1980 [V.A.] - Emilio Cao - Romance do cego andante - Lenda da pedra do destiño - Alboka - The flat of my back / The red peril of Ormaiztegi / Barkatu, Pepe - The marker stone - Ramón el Portugués - Los campanilleros [+ Juan Habichuela] - Gitanos de la Plaza - Petroloukas Halkias & Vasilis Kostas - Palio zagorisio - The soul of Epirus - Aharon Amram - Eftakhá fi - Kiryá yafefiyá In memoriam: – Emilio Cao – Alan Griffin – Ramón el Portugués – Petroloukas Halkias – Aharon Amram 📸 Alboka: Joxan Goikoetxea & Alan Griffin (Ander Gillenea / Aztarna)

This week, we dive into not one but two Txakoli wines from Ameztoi, a standout producer from Spain's Basque Country. Never heard of Txakoli? You're not alone. Returning guest Dr. Coleman leads the way as we explore these zippy wines and the grapes behind them, Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza. Plus, we test a new game called Somm Lier (yeah, we're still workshopping the name).So, grab a glass of your favorite Txakoli wine, which if you don't have one you soon will, and join us for another fun, curious, and slightly fizzy episode.Show Notes:Learn More About Dr. Coleman and His ProjectsDr. Coleman's Website: ⁠⁠https://www.jeffreykcoleman.com/⁠⁠Follow Dr. Coleman on InstagramInstagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/drcoleman1102⁠⁠Learn More About the Milwaukee Wine AcademyWebsite: ⁠⁠https://www.mkewineacademy.com/⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mkewineacademy⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MilwaukeeWineAcademy/⁠Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stopwastingyourwine.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chapters: 00:00 - Intro05:02 - Today's Wines12:43 - Wine Discussion: Aromas and Flavors26:06 - Learning Segment: Txakoli Wines45:25 - Review59:53 - Game: 'Somm Lier'01:11:00 - Outro

Host Danny Kelly is joined by The Athletic's Jay Harris and Jack Pitt-Brooke (live from Bilbao). An incredible night in the Basque Country. Ange proves he does in fact always win things in his second season. Sonny gets everything he deserves for years of loyal service. Christian Romero does Christian Romero things. A depleted midfield. A white wall of fans willing Spurs to victory. A million different footballing sub plots, all explored on this very happy edition of The View From The Lane.HOST: Danny KellyWITH: Jack Pitt-Brooke, Jay Harris, James MawPRODUCER: Tom Fuller Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday night sees a massive game in Bilbao as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur contest the Europa League final. There is plenty on the line for both sides, as Spurs chase a first trophy for 17 years, whilst Manchester United need the prize of Champions League football after their worst ever Premier League campaign. But Tottenham's domestic form has seen questions arise over the future of gaffer Ange Postecoglou, despite the result in Spain, whilst Manchester United's short term future could hinge on winning or losing in the Basque Country. Keep up to date with us on our socials here:Twitter: https://twitter.com/FSDPodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@footballsocialdailyTelegram Group: https://t.me/FootballSocial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Manchester is RED is sponsored by NordVPN. To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan - go to https://nordvpn.com/manchester our link will also give you 4 extra months on the 2-year plan. There's no risk with Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee!

Hear wild travel stories of local pub encounters in Alaska, extortion in Panama and 30-foot waves en route to Antarctica. _____________________________ Subscribe to The Maverick Show's Monday Minute Newsletter where I email you 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in 60 seconds (all personal recommendations like the latest travel gear I'm using, my favorite destinations, discounts for special events, etc.). Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram ____________________________________ Jordan Campbell joins Matt for a virtual wine night and starts off talking about her most epic wine experience of all time in San Sebastian in the Basque Country.  She then talks about her recent experience traveling to Antarctica and encountering 30 foot waves in the Drake Passage. Jordan then reflects on her upbringing in different places around Europe, including her dog getting kidnapped by the mob in Naples and drinking her first beer in Belgium at 12 years old. She then tells stories about a very local pub encounter in Alaska and visiting the Demilitarized Zone on the border of North and South Korea.  Jordan also reflects on the unique beauty of Iceland and tells the story of her mistaken visit to see fake swimming pigs in the Bahamas.  Finally, she tells the story of getting extorted by the police in Panama and reflects on the impact Anthony Bourdain's work had on her life. FULL SHOW NOTES WITH DIRECT LINKS TO EVERYTHING DISCUSSED ARE AVAILABLE HERE. ___________________________________ See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that's not traditionally virtual) Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn  See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use) ____________________________________ ENJOYING THE SHOW? Please Leave a Rating and Review. It really helps the show and I read each one personally.  You Can Buy Me a Coffee. Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

The returning Ollie White is the former Digitals Communications Specialist for Valencia CF & currently works for La Liga, as their English Social Media Manager. This week, Lew and Ollie discuss if it's possible for Lamine Yamal to win Ballon d'Or, if Barcelona win the Champions League. The La Liga title race slowly falling out of the hands of Real Madrid and fun clubs in Spain that you need to watch! We're also breaking down two juicy European matchups in Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United and Real Betis vs Fiorentina. In a football world driven by money and superstars, Athletic Club constantly remind us what identity and expression can achieve. Before they play Manchester United, we dive into their incredible journey, powered entirely by Basque born talent. Can Ruben Amorim's men can handle the heat at San Mames? Then we shift to Seville, where Real Betis host a gritty Fiorentina side in their first ever European semi final match in the clubs history! Immortality beckons for Isco, Antony and co, who could become the first Spanish side to reach the Europa Conference League final.(00:10) The return of Ollie White!(02:29) Liverpool win the Premier League(06:17) The potential Arne Slot war chest (11:45) Barcelona 3-3 Inter Milan breakdown(15:19) How good is Lamine Yamal?(20:16) Can a teenager win the Ballon d'Or?(24:16) Barcelona vs Real Madrid for La Liga(27:55) The disciples of Neymar (30:32) 11able (GAME)(41:58) The history of Club Athletic(46:55) Basque Country talent factory (52:36) The Nico Williams saga(57:28) Real Betis on the verge of history(1:03:19) The Antony remontada (1:07:37) Fun Spanish teams to watch(1:10:41) Quick fire questions (1:13:38) The aura of Real Madrid players

Repasamos algunos de los discos elegidos en la LIMúR, la Lista Ibérica de Músicas de Raíz del primer trimestre del 2025, con propuestas sonoras procedentes del País Valenciano, del País Vasco, Portugal y Murcia, con conexiones sefardíes, arábigas, balcánicas y jazzísticas, entre otras. Mandamos una felicitación especial a Mara Aranda por su número 1. Y continuamos con más estrenos y adelantos ibéricos, entre aires tradicionales, fadistas y flamencos We go over some of the albums selected in LIMúR, the Iberian Roots Music Chart for the first quarter of 2025, featuring musical proposals from the Valencian Country, the Basque Country, Portugal and Murcia, with Sephardic, Arabic, Balkan and jazz connections, among others. We send a special congratulations to Mara Aranda for her number 1. And we go on with more Iberian new releases and previews, among traditional, fado and flamenco airs. - Mara Aranda - Los kaveyos tuyos - Sefarad en el corazón de Bulgaria - Andrés Belmonte - Samai nahawand - Gharbí - Xaloq - Quan veja que ja no cante - Quan veja que ja no cante - Besaide - Hammurakami - Hirusta - Omiri - Cala-te aí, cachopa [+ Ana Gil Aperta] - Modas novas e algumas velhas - El Pantorrillas - Distopía - Palomo cojo - Danças Ocultas - Travessuras - Inspirar - Amadeu Magalhães - Contradanças beirãs - Cavaquinho à portuguesa - Lina & Marco Mezquida - O fado - O fado - Diego Amador - Rondó gitano - Suite flamenca 📸 Mara Aranda

Lee-Ann Curren is a freesurfer, musician, and artist. She grew up and lives in Biarritz, in the southwest of France. Her father is three-time world champion Tom Curren. Her mother is Marie-Pascale, a top-ranked European surfer in the 1980s. Her grandfather is the late Pat Curren, one of the pioneers of Waimea Bay and shaper of big-wave elephant guns. Her aunt Marie-Paul is the 1967 French national champ, and her aunt Marie-Christine is a six-time French national champ. Though she's won a couple of French national championships herself, Lee-Ann is primarily known as a freesurfer who has woven traveling, music-making, and art into that moniker. In this episode of Soundings, host Jamie Brisick meets with Lee-Ann in the Basque Country to talk about her family's influence, touring with her band, finding her place, maintaining artistic purity, criticality, and the poetics of movement in sound and water.  

Hear about travel to the Basque Country in France and Spain as the Amateur Traveler talks to Craig Anderson about his recent trip to the home of the Basque. Why should someone go to the Basque Country? "It's a very unique region so it's got some unique architecture, it's got unique history. The culture is unique and fairly compact, so you can get around and explore the whole thing in a week. There's obviously other things that you can go see if you wanted to spend a little more time." Craig's 7-day Basque Country itinerary (France & Spain) includes a mix of historic towns, stunning coastal landscapes, cultural experiences, and exceptional food and wine. Here's the breakdown: Day 1: Bayonne (France) Arrive in Bayonne, the cultural and historical heart of the French Basque Country. Explore the Old Town, bridges, plazas, and Bayonne Cathedral. Visit the Musée Basque et de l'histoire de Bayonne to learn about Basque culture. Sample Bayonne chocolate and Bayonne ham, along with local cheeses and cherry tarts. Walk along the city's ramparts. ... https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-the-basque-country-in-france-and-spain/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to It Was What It Was. Mikel Arteta's transformation of Arsenal, Unai Emery's tactical mastery, Xabi Alonso's meteoric rise at Bayer Leverkusen, and Andoni Iraola's fearless pressing at AFC Bournemouth all highlight a remarkable trend: A new wave of coaches shaping the modern game, many of them from the Basque Country.But why does this small region produce so many elite managers? Is it the coaching philosophy, the deep footballing culture, or something ingrained in the Basque identity?This is the story of how a new generation of Basque coaches are redefining football.If you're enjoying the series, please subscribe and consider leaving a five-star review to help others find the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bees solve puzzles, have distinct personalities and play with balls like a puppy. Zoologist Lars Chittka reveals amazing new discoveries about the mind of a honeybee and what a bee's consciousness means for us humans. Plus, we investigate the mysterious phenomenon of bee heists; Sylvan Mishima Brackett, chef-owner of Rintaro, shares the secrets to perfect hot spring eggs and ruby grapefruit jelly; Alex Aïnouz searches for the perfect paella; and we bake Basque Country's burnished cheesecake. (Originally aired February 15th, 2024.)Get this week's recipe for Basque Style Cheesecake here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Gema Varona, Ph.D., to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Dr. Varona joins us and discusses her decades of experience researching the evolving boundaries of restorative justice, challenging the traditional limits imposed by legal frameworks. She shares her journey from academia to hands-on work with survivors of terrorism, sexual abuse, and large-scale corporate and environmental harm. She explains why punitive measures often fail to address the root causes of harm and how restorative justice offers an individualized, relational approach that centers victims' needs while fostering true accountability. Listen as Dr. Varona delves into the role of dialogue in breaking cycles of violence, the importance of institutional courage, and the urgent need for a shift in global justice systems. As countries move toward more punitive approaches, this conversation serves as a powerful reminder that restorative justice is both an act of resistance and a path to transformation. Dr. Varona is a professor of Victimology and Criminal Policy at the University of the Basque Country and a senior researcher at the Basque Institute of Criminology (Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain). In 1998 she was honored with the Junior Scholar Competition Award of the International Society of Criminology for her research on restorative justice. From 2014-17 she worked as co-director of the Master in Victimology at that University. She served as a member of the executive committee of the World Society of Victimology and now holds the position of president. She has authored books on migration and human rights, restorative justice, juries and the construction of juridical truth, women's local safety audits, victims of terrorism, victims of sexual abuse, and evaluation of public policies.   Tune in to learn more about Dr. Varona's work and perspective on the importance of restorative justice across contexts. Hear more from Dr. Varona at the 2025 World Conference!

Jon Galdos operates a premiere tour company in San Sebastian.  The convergence of his love of travel and thirst for holiday time led him to find this passion almost 20 years ago, during a successful career in engineering.   Jon explains in this interview how he approaches designing experiences for people in one of the most culinary-rich areas of the world, and how he came to love what he does.   Jon has curated some wonderful experiences for host Chris Angelus' Portland Food Adventures groups with Urdaneta in Basque Country.  One of them, a dreamy visit to a 13 generation Basque Pig family farm, gets a little love and time from Jon in our conversation.  It's a must to hear about -- and more importantly, DO!!   Access the PFA trip to Basque Country here:  https://www.portlandfoodadventures.com/basque-country-with-javier-canteras   And Jon's Basque Tours here:  https://basquetours.com/index.htm   Check out Jon on Instagam: @jon_galdos + @basquetours   Right at the Fork is supported by: Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

Dr. Ekain Zubizarreta is a Lecturer at the University of the Basque Country in Spain, and he is also a member of the research laboratory ISP at Paris Nanterre University in France, which hosts the UNESCO Chair in “Doping Studies and Analysis of Anti-Doping Policies”. In this episode, Ekain talks about the history and significance of UNESCO's role in anti-doping, The International Convention Against Doping in Sport, and research projects he and his colleagues have worked on in the realm of anti-doping policy, anti-doping organizations, and more.

Season 3 Winter Story Sip 3: The Story Queen (Story Replay)Bean's heading back to The Basque Country to hang out with Princess Laia and Stubby the squeaky lizard from Episode 3.5. We'll swim in the Bay of Biscay, defeat a giant lava-spewing turtle volcano or two, and pick up a few tips for standing firm when someone shoots down your idea. Story Description: With the help of a squeaky lizard, an angry turtle volcano, and two squabbling sisters, an imaginative princess opens her royal father's mind to the magic and true value of stories.Region: The Basque CountrySticky Situation: What do you do when someone shoots down your idea?Feelings Focus: Speaking up, resilience, setting boundaries, keeping an open mind, respecting perspectivesTake our listener feedback survey! Info/Get in Touch: Website: www.storypillar.com Instagram: @storypillar Support Us: https://ko-fi.com/storypillar Shop at: storypillarstore.threadless.comCreated, Written, and Produced by: Meg LewisStory by:Megan Cahill-Assenza and Meg LewisSound Design/Audio Editing: Niamh McAuliffeMeg Lewis Storypillar Theme Song: Lyrics by Meg Lewis Music by Meg Lewis, Andy Jobe and Suzanna Bridges Produced by Andy Jobe Episode Cover Art: Meg Lewis Sound Effects and Additional Music: -https://freesound.org/ -Suzanna Bridges (As Sparky) -Pixabay Artists: -Pixabay Artists: Chillmore, Sonican, Hot_Dope, Luminous Presence, Ahmad MousaviPour, Ahmad MousaviPour 1, Ahmad MousaviPour 2, SoundGalleryByDmitryTaras© 2025 PowerMouse Press, LLC

Hola! Today we are going to talk about the Basajaun - Legends of the Basque Country. Another episode with a lot of interesting things about our culture. In this crazy story you will be listening a lot of interesting facts, learning new vocabulary and interesting words in Spanish and also you will be improving your listening skills in Spanish. I hope that you will practice your Spanish by listening to the phrases and new words that you already know and also with the ones that you do not know.You can support me and my podcast if you want:Donate with PayPal:https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/spanishwithdennisYou can buy me a cup of coffee here:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/spanishwithdennisMy Youtube channel: Spanish with Dennishttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVuRUMQGwtzBIp1YAImQFQMy new Discord server and chat and you can already join and write to me there:https://discord.gg/HWGrnmTmyCMy new Telegram channel and you can already join and write to me or comment there:https://t.me/SpanishwithDennisJoin my Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/spanishwithdennisDonate with Boosty:https://boosty.to/spanishwithdennis/donateDonate with Donation Alerts:https://www.donationalerts.com/r/dennisespinosaSupport me by joining my podcasts supporter club on Spreaker:https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crazy-stories-in-spanish--5605778/supportDonate with Crypto currency:Bitcoin (BTC)1DioiGPAQ6yYbEgcxEFRxWm5hZJcfLG9V6USDT (ERC20)0xeb8f678c0b8d37b639579662bf653be762e60855USDT (TRC20)TXoQwsaiTGBpWVkyeigApLT8xC82rQwRCNEthereum (ETH)0xeb8f678c0b8d37b639579662bf653be762e60855Support me by joining my podcasts supporter club on Spreaker:https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/slow-spanish-language--5613080/supporthttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tprs-spanish-stories--5600864/supporthttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/comprehensible-spanish-language--5595630/supporthttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crazy-stories-in-spanish--5605778/supportIf you support me, it will motivate me to create more content for all of you. If you have any other suggestions or recommendations on what other platform you can support me and my podcasts, please let me know. You can write to me on telegram.My other podcasts you can find it on different platforms and apps:1-  Comprehensible Spanish Language Podcast2 - TPRS Spanish Stories3 - Slow Spanish LanguageI hope that you like and enjoy the episode :)

Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.  In this two-part series, host Jack Schonely and co-host Harald Brink go international and speak to Joseba Mendizabal, a Lieutenant Pilot from the Basque Police in Spain. Joseba is an inspiring and funny fixture in our industry. His journey spans from aspiring pilot to military service and now a dedicated helicopter pilot for the Basque Country's police force. Join us as Joseba shares his experiences, including a memorable flight over New York City that sparked his decision to pursue his pilot assignment. During the conversation, we explore the transformation of Bilbao, and the intricacies of modern policing.  From personal anecdotes about military training to discussions on resilience and teamwork, this conversation highlights the critical role of helicopter pilots in law enforcement and the significance of industry training and networking events like PavCon.   Our goal with these international conversations is to connect and engage with our international brothers and sisters in public safety aviation. Sharing insights, experiences, and best practices across international borders strengthens our collective efforts.  Together, we can learn from one another, celebrate our shared passion for aviation, and enhance our commitment to protecting and serving the public. Join us in this vital conversation as we bridge gaps and foster collaboration in the world of public safety aviation! Thank you to our sponsors Metro Aviation, Precision Aviation Group and CNC Technologies. 

We're going back to August of 2022 and our conversation with Aundre Barnes of Urdaneta. ORIGINAL POST: We spend an hour with Aundre Barnes, who has been serving diners at Portland's Urdaneta for the past 7 years. Aundre is a native Portlander and has seen many changes over his years here. He's worked in banking and in voice-over work along the way. He shares with us some of the reasons for his passion and his love of the industry, which run from the soulful experience of gaining first-hand knowledge of Spanish cuisine during Urdaneta's company field trips in addition to his admiration for Chef Javier Canteras, whose Basque roots shine through in his unique cuisine. Aundre will share some of his favorite Portland haunts, as well as some of his favorite travel destinations. Disclosure: Right at the Fork host Chris Angelus is associated with Urdaneta and Aundre with his trips to Basque Country offered through Portland Food Adventures. Right at the Fork is supported by: Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine. In this two-part series, host Jack Schonely and co-host Harald Brink go international and speak to Joseba Mendizabal, a Lieutenant Pilot from the Basque Police in Spain. Joseba is an inspiring and funny fixture in our industry. His journey spans from aspiring pilot to military service and now a dedicated helicopter pilot for the Basque Country's police force.  Join us as Joseba shares his experiences, including a memorable flight over New York City that sparked his decision to pursue his pilot assignment. During the conversation, we explore the transformation of Bilbao, and the intricacies of modern policing.   From personal anecdotes about military training to discussions on resilience and teamwork, this conversation highlights the critical role of helicopter pilots in law enforcement and the significance of industry training and networking events like PavCon.   Our goal with these international conversations is to connect and engage with our international brothers and sisters in public safety aviation. Sharing insights, experiences, and best practices across international borders strengthens our collective efforts.  Together, we can learn from one another, celebrate our shared passion for aviation, and enhance our commitment to protecting and serving the public. Join us in this vital conversation as we bridge gaps and foster collaboration in the world of public safety aviation!  Thank you to our sponsors Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing, Precision Aviation Group and CNC Technologies.

Today, we're thrilled to introduce you to a man with what might be one of the most intriguing jobs in the brewing industry – yeast hunter Juan Ignacio Eizaguirre. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with roots in the Basque Country, Juan has traveled the world in search of wild yeast, uncovering the secrets of fermentation. From the forests of Patagonia to ancient beer caves in Germany, he has dedicated his career to exploring the biological foundations of beer and pushing the boundaries of brewing science. Currently based in Bavaria at the world-renowned Weihenstephan, Juan is part scientist, part adventurer, and a true pioneer in discovering how yeast shapes the beers we love. In this episode, Juan takes us on a journey through his work and passion – mapping yeast diversity, uncovering the mysteries of ancient strains like Saccharomyces eubayanus, and transforming his findings into innovations for brewers worldwide. He also shares his experiences in Argentina's thriving craft beer scene, his adventures in South America, and what it's really like to hunt for yeast in some of the most remote and historic locations on the planet. So grab your favorite beer and join us as we delve into the incredible stories, science, and spirit of the yeast hunter, Juan Ignacio Eizaguirre...

This is the second installment of an in-depth series on the Rioja DOCa, where I do a close look at the three major zones of Rioja. I host top producers in each show to tell us about their areas and the challenges they face.   In Episode 544, we heard about the Rioja Alta zone and this week we hear from Tao Platón of Rioja Alavesa, who presents a completely different perspective on the region.   Tao Platón graduated in Enology from the University of Valladolid, holds a WSET Diploma and is an Master of Wine (MW) candidate. He has made wine in Bordeaux, Burgundy, New Zealand, and Rioja and in 2016 he joined Península Vinicultores as head winemaker and technical director. Photo: Tao Platón. Credit: Península Vinicultores He leads the production of a new generation of terroir-driven wines from Rioja Alavesa at Bodega Bideona. Bideona cultivates hundreds of individual parcels and makes wine in the Burgundian model – terroir-driven, vineyard specific wines. He joins us as a representative of the zone of Alavesa and as a passionate advocate for the system of terroir-driven, single vineyard wines, a system which Rioja approved in 2018.   We discuss:  The Rioja Alavesa overview -- terroir, the history of the region, and how Alavesa is made up of many small, family owned wineries.   The strengths of Alavesa, which are old vines, mainly of Tempranillo. Wineries of Alavesa don't blend grapes from elsewhere so the wines are very terroir-driven and local in Alavesa. We discuss the various styles of wines, including the production of whites in the region.   We get to some of the very hard questions regarding Alavesa and its Basque identity. We fill you in on the political independent movement in the Basque Country, the various ideologies and how those are playing out in the politics of the Rioja DOCa.   The differences between business models (traditional model versus newer, terroir driven producers) in the Rioja DOCa, as well as the tension is between quality producers and those who look to make cheap wine that they can sell quickly, regardless of quality.   The potential future for Rioja and the DOCa and various scenarios that could exist for Alavesa in the future. ____________________________________________________  This show represents a totally different perspective from Rioja Alavesa versus Rioja Alta! Just wait until the next show with Raquel of Bodegas Ontañón from Rioja Oriental!   Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! Gifting subscriptions is now available as well!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople _______________________________________________________________   Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access for your holiday shopping.They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!    To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes    

Satanic sabbaths, magic potions and demonic toads – in the early 17th century, the Basque Country was convulsed by strange accusations of supernatural activities. A new book by Jan Machielsen explores why fears of witchcraft gained such traction in this isolated region on the French-Spanish border. He tells Ellie Cawthorne more about how overexcited judges, frightened children and geographical factors all played a role in fuelling the panic. (Ad) Jan Machielsen is the author of The Basque Witch-Hunt: A Secret History (Bloomsbury Academic, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Basque-Witch-Hunt-Secret-History/dp/1350441503/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Malcolm Gaskill discusses a little-known 17th-century witchcraft case: https://link.chtbl.com/5etfOMPo. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

THEMOVE regulars Johan Bruyneel and Spencer Martin break down how Kaden Groves won his third stage with a sprint victory on Stage 17 before previewing tomorrow's Stage 18, which serves up a tough day of racing through the Basque Country. Listen in to see how the duo thinks the action will play out, who will come out on top, and which riders present the best betting value.