20. Les Basquais/es: Pampas Grass and Sunset Hikes
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Apologies for the 24 hour delay. I spent yesterday forest bathing and the hours melted away until before I knew it, it was sundown and I not sent out this newsletter. The response from last week’s newsletter encouraged me to write more about my past travels and the landscapes I have seen in my short time here on earth. So I decided to bring you all into the Basque Country, known for the food, unique language, and beautiful seaside, Nico and I spent our honeymoon there last summer, roadtripping up the coast and loitering wistfully outside realtor offices.
Pays Basque
Here is a short background about the region just to give you some insight into the Basque Country, if you are interested. It is a coastal mountainous region in the North of Spain and Southwest of France that has its own language - Euskera, wants to separate (like Quebec), has beautiful architecture unique to the area, and fantastic farmer’s markets with the best food. I’d also argue some of the most beautiful landscapes I have seen in Europe, if you are like me and partial to a rugged coastline with moody beaches.
Known very well to the French and Spaniards as a stubborn, beautiful, and picturesque region that is packed in the summertime, The Basque Country is not a holiday destination frequented by my contemporaries. Although it is a very popular tourist destination, we found most of our friends are more enchanted with the Mediterranean coast and were unfamiliar with this pocket of heaven along the Bay of Biscay. So I thought I might bring it to your attention in case you are unfamiliar with it as well.
I first discovered the Basque world upon visiting San Sebastián years ago and having a whirlwind romance with a Basque classical musician (sorry Nico). I fell in love more with the backdrop of mountains, rough Biscay, seafood and green surroundings than the musician (obviously) and decided to return with Nico last summer, but this time to the French side of the Basque country.
We arrived in Bidart, a small surf town still unknown to those outside of the surf world and Basque Country (or at least it seemed that way when we brought it up amongst Nico’s French relatives). We were staying just a few minutes from the Plage des 100 marches, a beach with amazing views and perfect picnic spots. Since we visited in September, tourists had already flocked back to their homes. We often had the beaches completely to ourselves during the day with only surfers showing up at sunrise and sunset to catch a few waves, all of them dancing along to the dawn and dusk ocean reflections. With the temperature still warm and sun still strong, I really recommend visiting that time of year.
The dense vegetation of the region is in part due to the sudden year-round rainstorms that roll in from the Atlantic. We were caught in one when a sunny afternoon in St. Jean de Luz clouded over, but luckily we were close enough to the car. Witnessing one of these storms is a film worth watching. The winds can be turbulent and the rain unstoppable but if you are brave enough to make it to a viewpoint, the lightning across the bay is spectacular. I caught one of these storms from the Monte Igeldo Parkea in San Sebastián years ago (as it turns out so did Nico, but a year earlier than me) but this time we were too scarred from living in The Netherlands to brave any storm and promptly headed back to the comfort of our dry airbnb and Elvis cuddles.
Pampas Pampas Pampas and Botanical Research
One of the plants that I noticed proliferating all over the Basque seaside was Pampas Grass. Many of you may know it from popping up across insta-bouquets and flower shops, quickly becoming one of the most popular choices for backyard gardens in recent years. I am convinced Pampas Grass hired the same PR firm that Kale did. With its billowy stature that flirts with the wind, it can be easy to forget that the Pampas plant is incredibly invasive.
Pampas Grass originates from South America but it was brought over to Europe first through the U.K. then spreading into the continent. It has become so invasive in the Basque Country that there is even research into how to remove them and instead plant indigenous plants. Indigenous plants to the Basque region include:
Armeria euscandiensis (lady’s cushion)
Alavan pinto beans
a variety of apples: Errezila, Goikoetxea, Ugarte to name a few - oh you’ve never heard of those?
Espelette peppers: expensive, coveted, delicious (not actually from here but so intrinsic in Basque cuisine)
Pelua and Xapata cherries: the best black cherry jams you will ever have. We bought some to bring back to Amsterdam and none of the jars made it past the border once they met the tourteau fromager from the markets in Cap Ferret
and more.
There are also great botanical teams that work together with academic researchers throughout the Pays Basque to reinstate indigenous plants and encourage a return to using traditional plant medicine. There are even more who work to prevent the land erosion that is occurring along the coastline, which you can see in some of the pictures of the beachside cliffs. They do this by replanting indigenous flora and keeping certain areas protected from trekkers so that the land can heal itself.
If you want to nerd out, this is a great website that shows flora and fauna specific to the region. This also looks like a dreammmm if you are looking to plan your next holiday.
‘Hiking’
The most enticing part of the Basque Country are the hiking trails. Apparently there are trails that go all the way to Spain, possibly Camino de Santiago or otherwise. Nico tried convincing me to do a little hike through the Pyrenees but I was much more into lounging on the beach with a stack of books. However, I was up for evening sunset hikes through the winding sloped paths of greenery towering above the beaches. No matter what path you take you end up on a beach of some sort, guided by the ocean and tempted by the beautiful foliage waving you over.
Some things nourishing me this week:
Going offline for a bit and forest bathing. I am quite addicted to the live news on The Guardian website, closely watching the Ukraine/Russia conflict and it was necessary to turn off and reset my parasympathetic system.
Biking down JVG in Amsterdam, I was intent on running other errands, but the smell of orange blossom wafted over in my direction and I veered off following the scent to my favourite plant shop. The previous week they were selling kumquat trees - as you know I gave in and bought one, this week they had mandarin trees. In full bloom and completely irresistible. You know what happened next. If things continue in this direction the kitchen might turn into a full-blown orangery, which would actually be amazing.
I am very keen to plant my dahlia bulbs but it is still dipping down to -2 at night. Those of you new here and unaware of Elvis the cat’s escapades with my plants would tell me to just plant them indoors, but those familiar know that that will end badly. Instead, I indulged in a bouquet of roses, protea and ranunculus to satisfy my floral appetite until it warms up outside.
My yuzu baby blossoming over the past week
Cherry Blossoms peeking out and the magnolias as well
I hope you enjoyed this magical little window into the greenery of the Basque world. It is such a rich culture and I didn’t really delve into it so if you were inspired I encourage you to do some internet diving! There is much to read about the stunning land of the Basque and I might revisit it at a later point as well.
Wishing you all the best and I hope you are feeling safe and that those in the Northern Hemisphere are enjoying the first few signs of spring. As I mentioned in my last newsletter, if you are able to help out with the crisis in Ukraine - this is a good place to start. Praying for peace and less idiotic dudes in positions of power. Love to you all and see you next week!
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