New events calendar for March 2022!

After all the romance and festivity of February, we have now reached the month of March once again. And although it may be shocking to see how the year seems to be passing faster and faster, you can always rely on us to provide a new list of activities that will be available to all of our students of Spanish.

First of all, Wednesday the 2nd of March we will be passing through the Casco Viejo (Old Town) of Bilbao. We will visit various sites of interest, exploring the picturesque labyrinth also known as the Siete Calles (Seven Streets). Later on, we will visit the Mercado Ribera, a historic market where one can find various types of foods, such as pickled goods, fresh vegetables, and meats. For this visit we will be meeting at the Instituto a 16:30.

Following on, we will be having our first pintxos night on Friday the 4th of March. In fact, if you are a pintxos fan, this month will surely not disappoint - we have four pintxos nights planned for March, each one falling on a Friday: they will be Friday the 4th, the 11th, the 18th and the 25th of the month. For those unaware, pintxos are a typical food here in País Vasco, that generally consists of a piece of bread, that has a piece of food; cheese, meat, seafood etc, skewered into it with a small pointed stick.

After our first pintxos night, and a weekend of much-needed rest, we will be embarking on a more physically challenging activity. This day we have planned a fun hiking trip from the area of Algorta to the municipality of Sopelana, which will take around four hours in total. The excursion will give us the opportunity to walk along the coast and make the most of the natural beauty that surrounds us. The hiking trip will take place on Monday the 7th of March, and we will start our journey here at the Instituto at 16:00.

Afterwards, to cool off, we will have an ice cream afternoon on Wednesday the 9th, once again meeting up in the Instituto at around 16:00.

The following week we shall be taking on a more sophisticated air, with our first wine tasting of the month. It is said that the creation and appreciation of fine wine is an art for which one must acquire an adequate taste. For this reason, our esteemed Alfredo Orive will be teaching us the many secrets of quality bouquets, guiding us with his expertise through the tastes and scents that can be found in a choice red or white reserve. The tasting will take place on Monday the 14th of March at 19:30, with another on Thursday the 24th, at the same time.

While in the spirit of acting cultured, we will be making the most of Wednesday the 16th to make another trip through the Casco Viejo, this time going on to the Cathedral of Santiago. The Cathedral was constructed in the 14th century in the Gothic style, and then later reconstructed in with a neo-Gothic direction, taking its name from the patron saint of Bilbao, the apostle Saint James the Great. We will be leaving the instituto to make our way there at 16:30.

Then, on the 21st, we will be heading to Bilbobeer, here in Abando, near our school, to eat some delicious Tortillas de patata, and drinking some txakoli (a particular lightly sparkling white wine typical in País Vasco). We will be leaving the Instituto at 18:30, walk for around 10 minutes and we will already be there, with plenty of appetite and a taste for the culinary art for which this part of Spain is so well known.

Continuing past the aforementioned activities on the 23rd and 25th of the month, wine tasting and pintxos respectively, we will be paying a visit to the Museo de Bellas Artes (Musuem of Fine Arts) of Bilbao. This museum was founded over a hundred years ago, and nowadays houses a variety of exhibitions that cover a range of periods and that include all kinds of art, from the Antiquity to modernity. If you would like to join us, this activity will be on Monday the 28th of March, and we will be meeting at the school at 16:00.

To finish off the month, on Wednesday the 30th at 20:00 we will be having a go at some futbolín (foosball), one of the most played "bar sports" here in Spain, and one that can be deceivingly difficult. Join us for a match if you have never tried it!

If you are interested in participating in any activity here in Instituto Hemingway, all that is required is to be a student, either of our morning classes, or of the afternoon. These cultural activities have no cost, being included free-of-charge to all of those who study Spanish here with us.

We wish you a good March and hope to see you here with us very soon!