Canada welcomes Michel Hacala, French-Basque artist and his Canadian- Basque whaling scenes

NEWS RELEASE, October 7, 2010
Canada welcomes Michel Hacala, French-Basque artist who is painting Canadian-Basque whaling scenes

(Toronto) Michel Hacala has come to Quebec and Ontario to paint huge colourful images of Basque fishermen chasing whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the late 1500s-early 1600s.

The highly successful painter-sculptor is himself from the Basque region of southwest France, and he even enjoyed a first career as a fisherman (in the Bay of Biscay, off France and Spain).

But why would he want to paint dreamy images from the pre-Jacques-Cartier era of Canada? You could say that he is chasing his ancestors and the contact they had with Canada’s whales and its First Nations peoples.*

An international exhibit of Hacala’s historic Canadian whaling series is being planned by the Basque Museum of Bayonne (France) and the new Cité de l’Océan (opening in Biarritz, France, in 2011). Exhibition partners are being sought in Canada, Spain, and North American locales where Basque people have settled over the centuries.

Hacala spent the month of September doing creative research and then painting in the Bas-St-Laurent region of Quebec (St. Lawrence Lowlands), thanks to Parc de l’aventure basque en Amérique in Trois-Pistoles (www.aventurebasque.ca), and artist Caroline Jacques’s workshop and gallery in St-Fabien (www.carolinejacques.com). The images Hacala worked on were just shown at the Parc de l’aventure basque en Amérique, and he and they come to Ontario in October as follows.

Museums, galleries, media, and other interested parties are all invited:

Collingwood: Thanksgiving Monday, October 11, 1:00-3:00PM, Alpine Equestrian Centre, just minutes from downtown Collingwood, 795601 Osler Bluff Road, www.alpineequestrian.com

Toronto: Friday, October 15, 2:00-7:30PM, Baby Point Clubhouse, 71 Baby Point Road, west end of Toronto, closest major intersection Jane & Annette Streets

Evelyne Dufau, founder of Expérience Authentique (www.FrenchSouthwest.com), is Michel Hacala’s agent in North America. Please contact her for further information about Hacala in Canada at (866) 760-9813 or 66 Baby Point Crescent, Toronto, Ontario M6S 2C1. Expérience Authentique organizes trips to the Basque coastal region of France and Spain, and more.

To see Michel Hacala’s extraordinary body of work (paintings, sculptures, mosaics), visit www. Hacala-art.com. His large paintings (200cm x 130cm) are typically priced in the range of 6,000 euros ($8,500 Canadian).

* Right and bowhead whales, once plentiful in the coastal Labrador waters and the Gulf of St. Lawrence estuary, attracted whalers from the Basque country during the 16th century. A thriving industry developed around whale oil, a highly prized commodity in Europe. Every spring until about 1626, the Basque sailed to their North American whaling stations, where they built stone ovens to prepare whale oil. Such ovens can be found on the Ile aux Basques (island of the Basques) that faces Trois-Pistoles, as well as a number of other artifacts.

Thanks to Guillaume Lamontagne, Parc de l’aventure basque en Amérique, for information for this news release.

Avoiding a large phone bill when travelling - New York Times & Globe and Mail articles

Canadians & Americans will value the advice contained in this June 7  Globe and Mail article  and the NY Times August 1 article on optimal strategies to stay in touch at a reasonable cost when traveling outside North America.

June 2009
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/personal-tech/avoid-the-shock-of-cellphone-roaming-charges/article1594208/


The New York Time follows on August 1, 2010 with its take on it:
http://community.nytimes.com/comments/travel.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/travel/01prac.html
 
Talk, download, and send messages at a reasonable cost. Stay in the know without expensive roaming charges. Know what to do.

A dining explosion in a Tiny Basque Town - New York Times article on Hondarribia

Hondarribia ( Basque name), or Fuentarrabia ( Spanish name) or Fontarabie ( French name) is the 1st coastal town on the Spanish side after you leave France. Ideally you get there via a 7minute boat ride from the town of Hendaye on the French side to maximize the charm of the experience. The New York Times showcases the town and its gastronomy. Hondarribia have been a favourite outing  for vacationers and locals residing on the French side of the Basque country for many years now. Most of the people working in its bars and restaurants are bilingual ( Spanish & French speaking) or trilingual  ( Basque speaking for the younger generations schooled in Basque) as many went to school in France or deal daily with French clients. Indeed as the article points it out, it is great to enjoy a variety of gastronomical experiences bundled with lively small town atmosphere without the inconvenients of big city logistics. Aim for 1PM pre-Lunch tour for tapas on pintxos like we call them in Basque or  after 6.30PM and late into the evening. If returning  to France by boat, always find out before you leave the boat how late the boat operates as the schedule varies with the seasons and days of the week. Once we got caught and missed the last boat but were saved after our 8 yr old son waved to a fishing boat in the harbour begging for a ride home.
A 10 minute care ride from Hondarribia will take you to the church of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe from where you can enjoy a very scenic coastal hike along the Jaizkibel mountain, overlooking the ocean, following the coastal  pilgrimage path leading to St James of Compostela. Very easy to enjoy as a half day outing from St Jean de Luz or Biarritz if vacationing in France. The most courageous will make it a full day outing and walk to Pasai ( Pasajes in Spanish), another interesting coastal town that used to be a hang out of Victor Hugo. Pintxos always taste best after a great hike!

When Paris Chefs, not Prices, rise: NY Times article in April 2010

Reviews of new Paris restaurants opened by young chefs under 40. The focus is on quality food in your plate and less on decor and glamour, at attractive prices for Paris.  Written by the food editor of The New York Times Magazine. Bon appétit!

Globe & Mail articles on Paris for a stay in an apartment rental

Check out these two  April 10-2010 Globe and Mail articles

"Live and eat like a true Parisian" at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/live-and-eat-like-a-true-parisian/article1529155/?service=email.


and
 
"When in Paris, you really must ...¦" at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/when-in-paris-you-really-must/article1529260/?service=email.


I might have some good appartment suggestions for you in Paris as well. I know both  appartments and owners well for added peace of mind.

Ventas in the Basque country: hike, eat and relax in the Pyrénées mountains

When vacationing in the French Basque country, consider having a simple meal in one of the many casual inns located in the Pyrénées mountains on the Spanish border , at the start, middle or end of a hike. Some can be reached by cars. Called VENTAS, they have an interesting history.


In the mid 1800s, a few Spaniards obtained rights to set up shops and inns on the French-Spanish border where they were able to sell goods to French people at the same lower prices as in Spain. To be easy to access, they were located in farms and sheepfolds along popular paths and roads that linked the two countries. Most ventas were set up after the 2nd world war. Since Spain was not actively engaged in WWII, it was easier to source specific products from the ventas than it was in France where quotas and shortages were common. Growing up in the 60s-70s, I remember our trips to the ventas that we would take once in a while with my family to shop for wine and liquors. My brother and I would get salty sunflower seeds to keep us occupied in the shop and on the drive back. I also remember the excitement of driving through French customs with the hope we would not get caught as there was a strict limit of bottles per person that of course most French people never respected. The ventas offered the French people the convenience of lower prices without having to drive further into Spain while still being serviced in French . I remember Spain as an austere country back then, during the Franco years, with fewer smiles on faces, dark clothes, and an omni-present police. The appeal of going into San Sebastian back then for the French was moderate, such a contrast with the exuberance found in the streets of Spanish city streets these days that the French are so fond of.

Today you find two types of ventas on the border. The 1st type looks like a grocery store where French people shop for lower priced Spanish goods, with the most popular ones being alcohol and tobacco, which are heavily taxed in France. With the development of car transportation, they have developed into little shopping plazas located on main roads on border crossing points, with various ventas competing next to each other. French locals and tourists shop there, with Irun, Behobie, Ibardin and Dancharia being the main destinations. There is no more stop nor anxiety at customs, and no Francs or Pesetas to convert, compliments of the European economic union. The second type of ventas, and the one I am personally very fond of are the ones still located along old hiking paths that were used by shepherds and smugglers. The fare served is casual and simple as in many cases supplies cannot be brought up by car. A typical menu would consist of salads, omelets, cured ham, may be a thick beef rib on the barbecue or some roasted lamb with fries, and of course ewe cheese with black cherry jam and rosé or red wine. This food of course tastes like a feast up in the mountain after a hike. Do not be surprised to share your table with other guests. Among my favourites ventas: Loretxoa in Sare by the grottos, Yasola on the Rhune, and the ventas on the way to the Penas d’Ichusi because of the spectacular hikes, all easy half day outings from the coast. Best to book in advance by phone as the owners might not work that day or they might be full. You can buy in the French Basque country a French guidebook dedicated to most ventas, GUIDE des VENTAS, with detailed hike info, contact info, prices and menus. Also bring cash as credit card payments might not be possible. Indeed French urbanites have developed a strong craving for this kind of experience and I fully understand why. Hope you give it a try.

Advice when renting a vacation home in France

Define the vacation experience that you are after
The most important step is to first define the vacation experience you are looking for. For most of us, you also need to establish a budget. Then you can narrow down on the French region, the city-town-village, and finally the vacation home that will deliver the vacation experience you are looking for. The most beautiful villa in the middle of gorgeous countryside but a long car ride away from lots of things might be good for a few days but not deliver on what France might be all about: the sense of living in a quality French community with lots happening. This is true when vacationing as a family and even more important when vacationing with a group of friends or extended family: having things to do under walking distance might be important to provide enough independence to everyone without the need to secure transportation and activities for everyone. It is your vacation, you do not want to be a host all the time.


What affects the cost:
- Timing for a rental is an important factor as prices vary greatly with the season. For instance in the French Basque country, early Spring- late Fall villa rental prices can be half of the cost of July and August. Schooled-aged children in North America tend to finish school earlier than French kids, therefore the late June early July timeframe offers some good savings. Paris hotels on the other hand are at their cheapest point in late July to late August when the European business crowd is on vacation.
- The old adage location, location, location also applies to the vacation rental market and is very much a reflection of property values in France and the region you are targeting. Renting in the proximity of the centers of St Jean de Luz or Biarritz in the Southwest of France, where beaches, markets and cultural activities are available under walking distance, commands premium prices.
- With comparable locations, pay attention to: overall exterior and interior surface area, distinguishing what matters to you: more common living space vs more bedrooms and bathrooms? State of maintenance, especially kitchen, bathrooms, and mattresses? Swimming pool (off season, when most pools are not heated in France should not lead to a premium)? Privacy from neighbours? Quality of furnishings and appliances? Availability of parking spaces for homes in center of town? Is cleaning at check out or during the stay included?


Why a good country-region vacation rental specialist matters to find and book your vacation rental:
- (S)he will consult you on the merits of one region vs the other and will match your expectations with the right French region, down to a town and the shops and facilities of the neighbourhood.
- As long as (s)he has done regular house inspections, (s)he will be able to compare various properties with objectivity vs dealing directly with an owner over the internet who is by nature biased on the merits of his/her property. The specialist can also filter out for you the owners you do not want to deal with.
- A specialist will put together a proper rental contract in English and facilitate all of the back and forth and payment with the French speaking owner in a transparent fashion for you.
- Also, a good specialist will offer concierge services ( ie a welcome and orientation in town, a stocked fridge upon arrival, etc…), and à la carte activities (guided tours of towns and markets, cooking class, wine & cheese tasting, visits of artisan workshops etc…) or logistical services ( babysitter, catering service, yoga, summer camp for kids etc…) for you to further immerse yourself and relax.
- You should receive some detailed information on the region, suggestions of outings, shops and restaurant recommendations, a calendar of cultural events scheduled during your stay

By following these tips and working with a professional with true local knowledge and who has done the demanding on-site research work, you can enjoy peace of mind and the vacation your dreamt about.