07-19 Back to France – Busy Biarritz

[8 vs. 16]
Second trip to a sacred water spring 
Start driving from monastery in Yesa
Cross back into France
Quick stop at sea resort of Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Tricky parking at Biarritz
Hotel at the center of the city
Walking, raining and eating – no swimming?

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Overview

08:00 Wake up in Yesa (Spain)

09:26 – 10:14 – second hike to a sacred water spring – Fuente de San Virila . Yesterday I somehow missed the clearly marked trail.  Return with a bottle of water. Meanwhile, Lira was listening to Gregorian chant at the  Monasterio de Leire during mesa.

11:00 – Just before leaving I realized that Bilbao is just too big of a circle.   Instead, I cut the big chunk of the circle,  and decided to go directly to France.  We will be staying at a very busy resort town of Biarritz.  I made the most expensive reservation of the trip at the hotel Le Caritz for €130.

11:45 check out (€70 +10 tax + €32 dinner = €112 AmEx)

13:00 Stop at Spanish rest stop on a highway (Google coordinates 43 3′ 31.57″ N 1 57′ 22.16″ W).  Parking is on both sides of the highway, but for facilities and shops you have to cross the highway over a bridge. I bought an outdated map of just visited area.  I love maps, but they are definitely going away 

Pictures on a highway taken – GPS location N 43.3563367   W 1.7159282.

13:45 Cross the border back into France with multiple tall points

14:19 Pay a hour of parking till 15:30 (€1.50) at Saint-Jean-de-Luz.  We entered a mayhem of a resort town, with crazy mix of cars and vacationers.

Witness revival of an elderly man, who suddenly collapsed on the street.  Police only can talk to a victim, while waiting for paramedics.

Take pictures of the church where Louis XIV was marries to infanta Austrian Mary Augusta in 1660

15:30 Continue driving to Biarritz

16:30 Arrived at crowded center of Biaritz – check in and unload bags.  Lira was in change of checking in. 

17:00 Alex to find car parking – eventually did find a spot on a tiny Rue Raymond Weil.  This is about 8 minutes walk from the hotel to color preferences.

18:00 Walk on the streets – find a juice place at 31 Boulevard General de Gaulle (€5 + €4.50 cash)

19:30 Lira’s shoes (flip-flops) are finally failed – near casino. But we were prepared and just extracted the next set from backpack.  Weather suddenly turned dark and cold. Go back to the car for umbrellas and warm clothes. Spot an Indian restaurant. 

20:30 dinner at Indian Restaurant Vishnu (62 Rue Gambetta).  While we  ate, the rain finally really started to go down.

Walk back under umbrellas.

21:30 Pictures of a sunset from the room – good good day

RE:

Fuente de San Virila
Monasterio de Leire
Navarra
Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Biarritz

Hotel – Le Caritz 
14 Rue du Port Vieux
64200 Biarritz

Parking – Rue Raymond Weil
Restaurant – Vishnu
62 Rue Gambetta

Navigate through the List

1. 07-04 First Steps in Paris (Friday, July 4, 2014) (2014/07/04)
2. 07-05 Paris - View from a sharp angle (July 5-6, 2014) (2014/07/05)
3. 07-07 Paris - Père Lachaise and Saint Denis (July 7-8, 2014) (2014/07/07)
4. 07-09 From Paris to Beaugency [bo:zhensi:] (Wednesday, July 09, 2014) (2014/07/09)
5. 07-10 Beaugency to Uzerche (Thursday, July 10, 2014) (2014/07/10)
6. 07-11 Uzerche to Montignac and to Sarlat (Friday, July 11, 2014) (2014/07/11)
7. 07-12 Sarlat, Rocamadour, Figeac and Bouziès (Saturday, July 12, 2014) (2014/07/12)
8. 07-13 From Bouziès to Albi (Sunday, July 13 2014) (2014/07/13)
9. 07-14 From Albi to Toulouse and to Auch (Monday, July 14 2014) (2014/07/14)
10. 07-15 From Auch to Lupiac (birthplace of D'Artagnan) to Tabres (2014/07/15)
11. 07-16 From Tabres into Spain and Pyrenees (2014/07/16)
12. 07-17 Reaching for the highest point in Pyrenees (2014/07/17)
13. 07-18 Monastery in Yesa, Navarra (Spain) (2014/07/18)
14. 07-19 Back to France - Busy Biarritz (2014/07/19)
15. 07-20 SUN - Bordeaux - city with large squares (2014/07/20)