Colombia... castellano o espanol?

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Basque is totally different, posted by OkieMan on Feb 21, 2005

One of the other posts I mentioned I think its 3 provinces in France and 5 in Spain,I'm not sure the exact number,I should know.It was all Basque territory initially untill  it was split by Spain and France.But now people do seem to make distintions between French Basques and Spanish Basques,but they were one and the same in the past.Now they might be effected by political isssues.I know of no big political issues in France like in Spain.

Pete

[AGUILA]

... in response to Basque is totally different, posted by Pete E on Feb 21, 2005

I met a Basque girl when I was in Spain sevral years ago and she took me to her city, San Sebastian and I met her family. Her parents and brothers hated Franco with a passion and even after his death referred to him in a real derogatory manner.
The Basque cuisine in reportedly the best in Spain and I ate some lovely meals there and also drank wine out of a goatskin pouch.
Bilboa another Basque city recently opened a Guggenheim art museum and it has become a big tourist attraction.

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Basque is totally different, posted by AGUILA on Feb 21, 2005

The Basques call San Sebastian Doresti,the Basque name for it.There are lots of culinary clubs there,basically these guys take turns cooking for each other.Its just a few miles south of the French border.I think its five provences in Spain and three in France that are considered the Basque country.
Lequito,where my family comes from is about 40 or so miles south on the coast.
The other famous Basque city is Pamplona.When we were talking about bullfighting a few weeks ago I found one source that said the Basques got it from Roman Soldiers who had some sort of a bull fighting thing they did.The Romans were never able to conquer the Basque region,only parts of it.
Of course you have to be a little bit crazy to run with the bulls in Pamplona.One friend of mine was there in the days leading up to the event.In the bars the big question was are you going to run with the bulls?He said sure.He was even thinking about it.But when it came down to it he thought better of it.

Pete

[OkieMan]

... in response to Re: Re: Basque is totally different, posted by Pete E on Feb 21, 2005

Pete,
I see where in your last post you confirmed what I thought about the French Basque area.  Also, you were talking about Pamplona.  Is that where the famous "running of the bulls" takes place?  I have seen new coverage about it many times, but I was not sure exactly where in Spain they did that.  Man, you could not pay me enough money to let those bulls chase me.  As the old saying goes, "My Momma didn't raise no fool"!

                          OkieMan

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Basque is totally different, posted by OkieMan on Feb 21, 2005

Yes,
Pamplona,in the Basque country,the site of the famous running of the bulls.I agree,looks pretty stupid to me.But add a few drinks and some macho pride and they are out there with Toro.

Pete

[markxport]

... in response to Basque is totally different, posted by Pete E on Feb 21, 2005

Thanks Pete, very interesting.  Did you ever make it over to the Wool Growers in Los Banos.  Great Basque restaurant, not fancy, but good food.

Take care,

Mark

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Basque is totally different, posted by markxport on Feb 21, 2005

Mark,
No,I never went there,only a Basque restaurant in San Francisco and Winnemucca Nevada.I hesitate to tell them I'm Basque,they start talking Basque to me.One old guy said,
"you're not Basque,you just have the name.
I speak zero Basque,worse than my spanish.Its supposed to be extremely difficult,almost impossible to learn as an adult.

Pete

[Malandro]

... in response to Basque is totally different, posted by Pete E on Feb 21, 2005

is the language that was transported to the Americas and that is what is spoken there.  Two people so far have said Castellano is the most "pure" form of Spanish.  That is not correct.  Catalonian, Galician are their own languages and are NOT Castillian.  

I believe Franco also banned Catalonian during his reign.

[OkieMan]

... in response to good info Pete my point being that Caste..., posted by Malandro on Feb 21, 2005

Hey, I think I heard that Franco also banned Franco-American Spagetti-O's!  Just kidding!  Seriously though.  That guy was a real nut case.  Just like so many of the other dictators that we all were discussing recently.

                        OkieMan

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: good info Pete my point being that C..., posted by OkieMan on Feb 21, 2005

Right,and this guy ruled Spain untill the 1970's,long after Hitler was dead in his bunker and the Italians strung up Mussolini,his Natzi buddies.
BUT,Spain has made  great improvements since then.Support for ETA,basically the Basque terrorists,is very low in the Basque population.

Pete

[Malandro]

... in response to Re: Re: good info Pete my point being th..., posted by Pete E on Feb 21, 2005

at least the 1980's.  A friend of mine's father is a history professor specializing in the Spanish colonization of the Western US.  He did research in Spain and even bought an apartment in Madrid back in the 1960's that he still owns.   Anyway, he said back then Mexico was more developed than Spain.

I remember my social studies books from the 70's characterized Spain as Third World.

[Pete E]

... in response to I think Spain was considered "Third..., posted by Malandro on Feb 21, 2005

At least where my relatives lived they were poor.I remember my grandmother sending her care packages.She used to send womens nylon stockings to her sisters.I guess they could sell them for alot more over there.
I also remember friends traveling there in the 70's.The good hotels were the ones with the Mercedes in front,the Germans knew how to find them.
I think they moved up alot.We think of them as first world but I'm not sure that applies to the whole country.
I think Spain was very poor by European standards untill the last 20 years or so.

Pete

[OkieMan]

... in response to Re: Re: good info Pete my point being th..., posted by Pete E on Feb 21, 2005

Well, until that bombing in Madrid spooked the spanish enough so that they voted in some Leftish govt; I thought that they were doing well.  But, now, who knows?  In my opinion, Europe is in deep do do!  For one thing, they have way too many camel jockeys running around, influencing their different government's policies.  That goes double for France!  I think that no matter what, Jacques Chirac is a jerk, but, make no mistake, he has a very large Arab population in his country; and they are influencing policy!   I think the biggest group there is Iranian, but I am not sure.  At any rate, as far as I am concerned, the French are a bunch of losers!  President Bush is over there right now, trying once again to appeal to them.  Maybe he will get some help or concessions with this Iraq problem, but overall, the European leaders are a bunch of wet noodles and pacifists!

                           OkieMan

[thunderbolt]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: good info Pete my point bein..., posted by OkieMan on Feb 21, 2005

Inasmuch I do not support a lot of EU's foreign policy, almost all of it, you are simplifying a rather complex phenomenon.

First of all, regarding France.  It does NOT have a large Iranian population, but a lot of Arabs.  However, this is not really a determining factor in its foreign policy.  First of all, it is dependent on foreign oil, which it receives from Arab countries (they do not have Alaska and Texas).  Its raw resources come from its former African colonies, most of which are muslim, and could be a target for destabilization if the Jihaders will put their mind to it.  It also wants to be a world power, but without ideology, it can only assert itself by being contrary to whatever US wants to do.  The bottomline is, it stands to lose everything if it supports Bush (at least in the short term), while gain a lot by being against him, especially if Americans will lose in the end (which is the bet made by the French leadership).  Hopefully, they will lose the bet, but frankly it is too early to say now who is loser.

If you are entrusted with the foreign policy, you have to optimize it, so that risk to your country's interests and citizens is minimized.  France is doing precisely that.

Spain I believe is still doing quite well.  The former government basically involved itself in a major scandal following the bombing, and that propelled it out of office.  Besides the new government, while pulling out of Iraq, contributed significantly to the contingent in Afghanistan.

[AGUILA]

... in response to re France (long - you have been warned), posted by thunderbolt on Feb 22, 2005

France's population now is 15% Muslim, mostly Algerian, Tunisian and Morrocan,all countries whose second language is french.
The French Government is very mindful of this in any decisions they make. When we went into Kosova to help out the Muslims there during the ethnic cleansing, you didn't see any French protests then.