Ignacio,

Hein? Wow! Please do calm down, let's not take a silly joke out of proportion, shall we?

1st. of all, 'quédate tranquilo'; I've never been to Bilbao, Vizcaya; so I would never "talk" specifically about that city, or region for that matter, that you think you're trying to "defend" so fiercely (from no attack on my part, believe you me!); but I was generalizing (that might be somewhat wrong), and definetely speaking from my experience, "confessing" something about which, both my Basque and non-Basque friends and relatives, have ALWAYS joked about when going out for pintxos around Donosti(San Sebastian)and other villages and towns 'guipuzcuanas', (during the last decade of the 20th. century to be more precise).

Ignacio,

If you're looking from any right-winger around....er...."the last post", better look somewhere else!

Ignacio, can I just, gently, ask what you find so offensive about what has been said here? We've all posted very positive comments about the Basque Country and Pim has said that he/she was having a joke, although people forgeting "accidentally on purpose" to declare fully all the tapas they've consumed of an evening must surely happen from time to time. Maybe you've got hold of the wrong end of the stick here somehow: I honestly can't see anything fascist or right-wing in any of the messages on this thread.

Normally you say exactly how many pintxos that you eat. Just point out to the waiters how many of each when you ask for the bill.

Speaking of pintxos, on the plaza of the Jardines de Albia there is a cafe/restaurante called Cafe Irun(?). It is a good resaurant and also they have an impressive selection of pintxos. Another restaurant you might check out, although sometimes a little pricey, is Serantes II (phone 944211045) close to plaza Indautxu. It´s specialty is seafood.

Use the metro to get from place to place if you start getting tired. It is very nice, clean, and also pleasing to the eye.

Ignacio, chill out!

Bricamb and Roe. I agree that you have praised Bilbao and the BC, and I thank you, although I can stand too a bit of fair criticism.

I felt very disturbed by " Weeell, from my experience, everyone "declares" at least one less than they have enjoyed! (I do believe it's understood too, so that's ok ) , when it's exactly the opposite.

Of course, there's always one in a thousand who doesn't say the exact number of pintxos, but it's an exception, not the rule. Otherwise it wouldn't work, owners and waiters are not stupid.

It seems that PIM's experience is not as wide or first-hand as she pretends, since it's opposite to what she says.

Anyway, I wouldn't have jumped like this if it weren't because she uses to give an opinion on the Basque Country matters that is a mixture os truths and let's call them inexactitudes that's hard to separate for somebody who really haven't been there for a while.

I don't want to start it again, speaking on matters that have made stop posting on them well known members as Cali, or made me leave. But I am not writing on her attitude in this thread, but in the rest of them. I have been biting my tongue so many times, ..., but I really cannot spare more time and efforts in showing up the biasing of her posts. ¡Sorry! you'll have to have only one point of view, I am getting older and cannot stand hours in the computer in rage.

This time, the matter was important, but not extremely important (like the posts I am complaining on) but the brazen way she spoke about something that's untrue was the final drop that filled my glass.

By the way, and to add something positive, Esperanza, I also recommend you the pintxos, that are (in my opinion) much tastier than the southern locations ones (maybe because you are paying they give you sth. better?). For one day, Guggenheim, central downtown Bilbao and Casco VIejo should be ok. If you have some spare time and want to visit Basilica de Begoña, you can use an elevator from Casco Viejo if I recall right. But I am sorry to say you are missing the best: The beaches, the prairies, the woods, the quaint villages, the rural homemade food, surfing in San Sebastian (a bit further), the old sports (stone lifting, pelota-mano or Jai -Alai, cutting wood, ...), and so much ...

Again, thanks for all of your imput! Just so you all know, this is not our first time in the Basque country...We absolutely LOVE the Basque country ...its cuisine, its arquitecture and its people!! We know the cities and towns most of you have mentioned. We LOVE San Sebastián ( what is not to love?) and Fuenterrabía is where we spent a few nights of our honeymoon as well. We only "passed through" Bilbao about 20 years ago...and that is why my memories are only "old" ones and need to be refreshed! I am really looking forward to our brief visit this year. Pim, I would love to hang out with you in Madrid if you are in Madrid the first week of August...After reading so many of your posts I feel like I know you. Let me know if that would work for you.
Again, thanks to everyone! I promise I will return and let you know how my girls and I liked ( probably LOVED) our one night in Bilbao.

Ignacio, Roe, anyone....

There's a fantastic restaurant that serves chicken roasted over an open wood fired barbecue somewhere in the Getxo area. It's a converted Caserío, and you order whole chickens (which are quite large), and is served "family style" to all the guests. On Sundays, reservations are a necessity, or you'll never get served. From what I was told, you need to get your reservations in as early as possible or you will be turned away - they do that much business.

The food is to die for. I have never tasted chicken prepared better! Unbelievably great, and the Caserío itself is from the 19th century, not a modern replica. The majority of the tables you sit at are trestle type, and you sit family style, with other guests.

I just can't find a picture of it on the internet, or remember the name. Apparently my notes from that period of time have gotten lost.

Help! Can you identify the place? It's kind of off the beaten path, and the parking is kind of helter skelter in a field adjacent to the restaurant.

For the record. I've never seen any of my Basque friends pay for fewer pintxos than what they've actually ate. The reason the practice of allowing people to monitor their own intake continues because the customers are honest enough to give an honest count. If they weren't, the practice would stop in a heart-beat, because the pintxos in Basque country are quite expensive to make.

Also, I think the idea that people don't keep count as well as they really do has come from a few "well-meaning" but "mis-guided" travel brochures, where they seemed to find it difficult to believe that people are as honest as they are.

Of course, these errors on their part become part of "urban legend," and people from outside an area have a tendency to believe them, because it's what they've heard. We just have to learn to seperate the legends from the truth, and that isn't all that easy, when the legends are all we know, or hear.

Wolf

Wolf, I think that might be the Cerveceria El Molino. If it is that one, it is just outside of Getxo in Berango. It´s an old caserio/mill that has been well cared for. You have to drive a little bit on a dirt road to get there. It has two stories, and a big fireplace in the center, near the entrance. Most cervecerias offer roasted chicken, so it´s a little hard to know if that´s the one that you were talking about. Do you remember anything else? Like was it a cerveceria or a restaurant?

Sure Espe, do get in touch ; I still don't have a clue about where I'll be next August, since we stopped going to Zarautz two years ago, but it'll be fun if we get to meet around here.

Roe,

I'm pretty certain that's the place. Cerveceria El Molino. The description is exactly like I remember it, and yes, they do serve on both floors like you indicated.

If I recall, you walk up and in, then down again to the lower floor level, or up to the second floor. Also, the fireplace stands out in my mind.

Fantastic place! If you can get a few digital pics of it, I would be eternally grateful.

Thanks a million!

Wolf

Esperanza:
Last night I thought of something: If you and the girls are early risers you can visit the Mercado in the morning before The Guggenheim opens. A lot of bus lines originate/terminate in front of the Mercado and any of the side streets will take you into the Casco Viejo. The sights, the sounds and the smells in the Mercado make it worth a stop; and you will understand why I made a vow that if I ever return to Bilbao I will rent a place with a kitchenette (or cooking privileges). :p

On the Plaza Mayor in the Casco Viejo there's a Brass & Glass restaurant the name of which escapes me. You might want to stop there for Café o Chocolate and they have some fantastic pastries.