I am now in San Sebastián, one of the famous playgrounds of Europe.
In my spare time I checked out who the City of San Sebastián’s sister city was in the United States.
Are you ready for this? Really?
It is Reno Nevada.
This will be a test as to whether anyone is even reading my blog. Please email me or post a comment on the blog as to what possible reason would there be for these two cities to be sister cities.
I have not been able to come up with even one reason.
Hi Neil,
I'm just taking a guess, but San Sebastian is apparently the principal tourist destination for the Spanish – so perhaps these two cities share the entertainment attraction (is there gambling in SS?). Digging a little deeper however, it would appear that there is a cultural link as well, as there is the Centre for Basque Studies at the University of Nevada – Reno (http://basque.unr.edu/). Not sure which came first – the chicken or the egg (twin city affiliation or an interest / cultural connection to the Basque area). In any case, I also think that it is interesting that these two cities are paired… Am curious how this liaison came about!
Cheers,
Jason
Goes back to the 60s. Came out of interest in supporting the sheep industry in Nevada. According to their site.
Here's what I found on the history of the relationship between Reno and San Sebastian:
“During the darkest day of the Franco era when we were denied our language, our culture, and our identity, we were consoled by the knowledge that an American university in Nevada had lit one small candle in the night.” —Basque President Jose Antonio Ardanza
In 1967 a small Basque studies program was established within the social sciences division of the Great Basin Institute. Originally established to study the Basques as an integral part of the sheep industry that had so influenced the development of the Intermountain West, over time (and since incorporated officially into the University of Nevada, Reno), the Center for Basque Studies has become the leading research and educational institute of its kind outside the European Basque homeland. Denise
Very cool! Who knew ?! ; )
Jason