ABA Journal The digital English academy
Every year in the month of July, the city of Bilbao is filled with music-lovers from all over Europe who are there to attend one of the most interesting musical events of recent years: the BBK Festival. This year the festival will be held from 12 to 14 July and will have performances from Florence + The Machine, The Chemical Brothers, Jamie XX, among others.
This festival is a unique experience, a total immersion in the world of music that lasts for three whole days. Are you planning on attending? Before packing, read about Julie’s experience at BBK last year. She definitely has some advice for you.
The Ticket Office
At last, the long-awaited moment has arrived. We have set out for Bilbao! With Depeche Mode headlining, this year really is a must-attend. It took Julie some time to convince Leonard. He does not like rock, preferring jazz instead. But love is like that: you have to meet halfway. They decided to do a three-day tour. Between the suitcases and the bulky tent, the car is full. This year they will be camping under the starry Bilbao sky! After several hours in the car, they have finally arrived! Leonard stretches out his legs, stiff from the trip, and immediately runs to the ticket office. The campsite opens at noon on Wednesday to allow guest plenty of time to set up their tents, rest, and prepare themselves for the next day’s emotions. Let’s look at the phrase book that Julie prepared with the help of her teacher, Robin.
Good morning, here are our tickets!
Good morning, we have a three-day pass plus camping.
Can we exchange our tickets for two wristbands?
How can I load money to my wristband?
Can I load 20€ to my wristband?
The Camping Area
The campsite is really beautiful. The view of the city from the hill is extraordinary! Julie brought a cooler and, after setting up the tent, hurries to fill it with drinks and sandwiches. The camping area is equipped with lockers for personal items, bathrooms, and a dining area.
Can I rent a locker?
Where are the lockers?
Where are the toilets?
My tent is torn. Can I rent one?
I am diabetic. This is my prescription medical kit.
Is there a cash point in the camping area? Where?
Where is the lost property office?
Food and Drink
Now that the tent is ready, it is time for a cold beer. Julie knows English well enough to order in the bar, but she prepared a few sentences in advance anyway.
Can we have two pints?
Can we have two hot dogs?
How much is it?
Bilbao
To get to Bilbao, Leonard decided not to use the car. Part of the services offered as part of the festival include an efficient transportation service to the city centre. After their afternoon snack, it is time for a trip to Bilbao, the beautiful Basque capital. Later, everyone will sleep to prepare for the next three days which promise to be intense!
Where does the shuttle stop?
What time is the shuttle service active until?
How often does the shuttle run?
Her phrase book with its selection of sentences turned out to be very useful to Julie. Otherwise, how could she have remembered how to say “wristband” in English? The Depeche Mode concert was unforgettable, as was the tour through the historic centre of Bilbao. The only problem they had was trying to request a refund of their wristband credit through the website, which could not be requested on site. Other than that, the experience had been truly magnificent!
If you are thinking about attending the 2018 BBK Festival, why not prepare yourself with an online English course? ABA English offers 144 free video classes and interesting short films to help you learn English naturally. They also offer highly-qualified native teachers who are always available to answer your questions. What are you waiting for? It is almost July!
