Well, time to abandon the Mediterranean coast for the Atlantic. Before we left we said goodbye to our friend Jacque. Jacque had come to us before Halloween in St. Raphael and we had intended to make him into a pie. He protested strongly and said he wanted to travel some more before passing on. So, we dragged him around, but now he has a little mold, it is time to for him to leave. All most immediately he continued on his travels as a big white truck stopped and picked him up
We had made a side trip to Barcelona for the day to visit friends Paul and Maria. Paul is in the yacht business and Maria, well, we don't know what she does but whatever it is she really likes it and gets lots of time off. They live in Barcelonita an old tenement neighborhood near the water. It is an area of four story identical apartment buildings covering about a 5 block area. It has come from a slum to a trendy place to live, but not for yuppies as the apartments are very tiny and the stairwells are even tinier. They have to use a block and tackle off the balcony to bring up their luggage and large items. We went to lunch in a great little locals place in Barcelonita, La Graza , that we had eaten with them before. It is great!. So small and crowded I could not even get a good picture. While eating, three strolling minstrels playing a guitar, violin and accordion came in and never missed a beat as they lifted their instruments as the waiter squeezed by. Though it was a bit chilly in Barcelona, the skies where a deep blue and no wind.
The planned route to the Atlantic was through the lower part of the Pyrenees mountain range dividing France and Spain. We wanted to meander through the upper mountains, but there was already snow on the ground and more to come so we planned to stay in the lower section and traveled through Foix, Lourdes to Biarritz on the Cote de Basque. We left the Mediterrian coast at Perpignon and headed west. The first part was as we had seen for most of the coast, vineyards with the addition of steep rocky mountains. Not much going on in the fields now but pruning the vines. All over the hills in the distance you see the little Renault trucks parked and usually just one man pruning. Most are using electric pruners now that run off a battery pack. Some use tractors with attachments, but not in the "real vineyards".
A lot of the mountains had chateau, forts, or castles depending on what you want to call them. We drove up to a few not to see them but for the view we got. These type of pictures only show well in full sunlight which we did not have. We spent the night in Foix at the Hotel Lons (http://www.hotel-lons-foix.com/) a nice place right on the river with much larger than usual rooms. It was your typical small town, of course with a château, castle, fort.
Of course, there is always OS and wonderful scenery.
The second night we spent in Lourdes and in the morning the skies where clear and blue. So, I decided on a little deviation in the route down south through the higher mountain, sort of making a U and coming back to our route a little further west. After about 25 minutes of travel we came to signs telling of 2 passes, one OVERT (open) and one FERME (closed). About 25 minutes later we came to another sign repeating the information. This time we able to pull off and study the map and yes FERME was on our route. So, we reversed course and headed back toward Lourdes.
We have a tendency to stay off major highways and take the route less traveled and continued this thought out of Lourdes. So, as we where cutting across country we came to a sign saying the bridge ahead was out. We looked at the map and saw lots of ways they could detour us, so we pressed on. Almost immediately we came to the DEVIATION sign and away we went. This is the type of thing that brings the adventures. We meandered one lane tracks out through the hilly rural country following the "deviation" signs and met some nice people along the way.
Back on the main road we where on our way to Biarritz on the Cote de Basque. The weatherman had said it would be rainy and windy. This time he was right. The closer we got the harder it rained. In town we begin a search for the hotel we had chosen, but not written down the address. Not that it would matter as we did not have a map of the city. We roamed centre ville some, which was not big, and then stopped at the Saphir Hotel. They lady was very nice and it was an attractive place but no internet and we needed internet. She sent me on to our chosen hotel the Hotel Argi Eder (http://www.hotel-argieder.fr/) just around the corner. Our timing was good as the owner and family where just about to leave. After a rest Vicki says, "looks like the rain has let up lets go for a walk". I had learned to say nothing and dressed for the inclimate weather and in fact I was ready for a walk. We headed down hill and there was nothing but rain and wind. We went up the hill and there was nothing but rain and wind. I said lets walk over to the ocean. When we got close to the ocean I came to a dead stop. The wind was blowing so hard, 130 km/h (80 mph), I could go no further. I wanted to get Vicki to take a picture of me in the wind, but when I looked for her she was beating a retreat or being blown back to the hotel.
We checked the weather on the internet and it forecast the same for at least 4 more days. We left Biarritz the next day at 9AM.
When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.
ps: If I have given the impression that the weather has been bad most of the time that is incorrect. We have had far more good days than bad. The comments on weather is because that is what people talk about. These have been the normal weather patterns for this time of year, just some of it, like the heavy rain in St. Raphael, the wind in Bages and the rain and wind in Biarritz, the 4th worst flooding of Venice have been to the extreme.
--Susan Heller
When we moved from the higher up areas the grapes gave way to your normal farm animal
