In Basque mythology, Basajaun (Lord of the Woods) is a huge, hairy hominid dwelling in the woods. They were thought to build megaliths, protect flocks of livestock, and teach skills such as agriculture and ironworking to humans.
A chanchigorri cake is a Spanish pastry, very common in the cuisine of Navarre. These round-shaped desserts are traditionally made at the time of pig slaughter. Their main ingredients are fried pork, lard, bread dough, and sugar. [ Spanish: torta de chanchigorri. Basque: txantxigorri opila. Also spelled txantxigorri or chalchigorri. ]
Navarre is a region in the north to northeast part of Spain, with a climate antithetical to what most think of when they think of sunny, "Costa del Sol" Spain. The town of Elizondo averages 11 days of precipitation in the rainiest month, November, for example. This explains the constant, relentless, chilly downpour throughout every outdoor scene.
Benn Northover, who plays Amaia's American boyfriend, James, is actually from Suffolk, England. This explains why American viewers find his delivery a bit off-putting, his word choice slightly peculiar, and his cadence peculiar.