¡Que suerte!

Wow! I'm just pinching myself right now  to make sure all of this is real. It is amazing just being in Donostia-San Sebastián, but on top of that, I've had such insane luck. I thought that by having a number of foreign friends here it would make it harder to meet Basques and Spaniards. It turns out that the friends I've made have provided a plethora of opportunities. Through my German and Italian friends I met Penny and Prue, 2 girls from Australia who are working here for the summer. They were the ones who talked to Jessica and Javi, the American and Basque couple that took me to the sociedad. Now Penny and Prue also talked about my project to other people at the hostel they work out. I met the activities planner for the hostel, Dom, at a dinner and he offered to let me film a Basque pintxos making demonstration that he was organizing. Pintxos are little snacks that are served in bars along with drinks. Yesterday I contacted Dom and he invited me to come down to the hostel to meet the chef for the evening and make sure I could get what I need from the experience. At the hostel I met Asier, the director of the hostel. He grew up in a small town nearby and has lived in Donostia for the last 20 years. Asier is also an extremely exuberant fellow and proud Basque. He was sooooo excited about my project. He grabbed a broom and was jumping around saying how he needs to defend his country and it is his duty to help me. He then listed all the things he's going to help me do. He wants me to join them on a full day bike trip through the mountains, go to a sidreria (a place where they make cider), go on a pintxos tour, talk to his friend in the mountains, go to a bunch of small Basque towns, and go to French Basque Country. If Asier helps me do half of these things it will be incredible! 
So last night I got the film a TV chef demonstrate how to make 5 different pintxos. He had the Spanish classic torilla de patatas (a delicious omlette with potatos and onions) and the rest were special Basque dishes, such as anchovies, olives and sweet pepper. This demonstration was filmed in a sociedad so I finally got to go in a sociedad kitchen. Now I have loads of footage of Basque food and in a place where women aren't even allowed to go.

I was wicked excited about filming this and trying these different pintxos, but the food was instantly gobbled up by the guests so I didn't get a chance to eat. I was a bit let down that I got to film all this wonderful food  (and smell it), but I didn't get to eat it. Yet Asier, being the unbelievable man that he is, had a surprise in store. When the guests went home the hostel staff stuck around the clean up. Asier then brought out the gourmet food. He first made us so omelette like dish with leeks that was delicious. He even opened a bottle of white wine for us. After that I was completely full, but he had more. He made a dish with the best cut of beef, solomillo, and an incredible sauce. The picture below shows the dish, though I can tell you it tastes soooo much better than it looks. The sauce has red and green peppers, garlic, onions, roasted almonds, oil and balsalmic vinegar. We had to finish up the white wine quickly because you have to drink red wine with this course. Asier brought out a beautiful bottle of Rioja, which is the name of one of the 2 wine making regions in Spain. Rioja happens to be in Basque Country. We then relaxed and talked as he brought out another bottle of Rioja and gave everyone a shot of a special liquor made from grapes. We finished dinner and left at 2:30 am! 
Asier's next plans for me are on Monday night, which is noche de San Juan. This is the longest day of the year and they have a fiesta that goes all night. Asier is going to take me to a small town nearby that still celebrates this a large bonfire and men in traditional outfits dancing around it. I am so excited!

I really feel like everything is coming into place. I have a number of interviews from general people and I have 4 interviews set up with heads of organizations and members of the government. I think I have found a Spaniard to give me the Spanish perspective as well. I'd like to interview to people who are maybe a little less liberal. I have talked to a few people like that, but I need to get them to let me tape them. I've got some time so I think I can make it happen. I am just so excited about all the people I've met and all the cool things I get to do here. I will make sure to keep you updated on the upcoming adventures and I will do my best to get some good photos of them as well.

Agur!