BIARRITZ TO L'ESPAGNE

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10th September - Biarritz.

Here we are in sunny Biarritz-ish, we are actually about 1.5km south of the town between Biarritz and Bidart. The campsite is called the Royal Pavilion its right on the beach with its own access to a wonderful stretch of beach. Golden sand and azure sea all the way north to the rocky Biarritz coast and as far south as you can sea towards St.Jèan De Luz and the Spanish Coast. You can clearly see the blue mountains above San Sebastian our next port of call, probably on Wednesday. We drove here more or less direct from St Emilion on Sunday. We took the scenic route down over the mountains into Langon and south past Mont De Marsan and Dax and over to Bayonne and then here. It was national roads all the way through little towns and sleepy villages, a really lovely drive to be recommended to anyone likes to look at rolling vine packed hills in the wonderful September sunshine. Noticeably warmer here up to 28 degrees. Sunday is a great day to travel here as nothing is open and trucks are not allowed to drive on a Sunday so the roads are nearly empty. I do mean nothing is open with the exception of maybe one open bar/ tabac per town we passed through everything else village shops, Le Clerc stores etc all closed and rightly so never understood why we need to go shopping for groceries on a Sunday.
We were sad leaving our last place it was lovely. A perfect place for a holiday, lots to do and see. Again they only charged €120 for the five nights including all activities. I reckon Karl you could have a look at this one not far from Cognac for Mary, St Emilion for the Vino and loads for the troops during the day. By the way you were right Karl, its great !!
Saw the match on the TV when we got here, could have missed it and missed nothing ! But at least everyone stayed fit or did they ?? See a camper load arriving on site earlier today with a big tricolour flying out the back. Believe there was a big contingent in Biarritz on Saturday and might cycle in there later and see what’s stirring.
Must say September is a good time to travel in France, everything is quieter, the sites are available, there is no way you could drive up and get this place in July and August.
We drove through Biarritz on Sunday, right down the coast road, they don’t really warn you about how small that road is and how many people are out strutting their stuff on it. Am sure some of the cool folk were loosing it at the sight of the gob daw in the Irish campervan taking up all their road and wondering how he was going to get it through the tunnel at the harbour entrance where you would think twice about the height of a fiesta. To say it was a case of steady as she goes and just hoping is not a lie. But out the other side we came and not like some deformed sausage thank god.
The two grannies are hoping to meet us when we get to Portugal, it will be great to see Evans face when they arrive. We gat a call from nana today to say she might have a problem due to some health issues, hopefully all will be resolved in time to make it south. There is no truth that it is due to peroxide poisoning, that is her natural colour, just look at Evan.!!
Orla is really cranking up the sun tan work now, she has had enough of all this factor 207 crap. She is going for the burn.

Tuesday 11th September, 2007

Orla logging on for the next session! Today I think Howie is really trying to kill me off. ‘We’ decided to go off on the bikes today so packed up a few nappies, boppies and su-su’s and off we went. Now, I knew there was a steep enough drive down to the campsite, and I was aware that Biarritz is practically built on a cliff edge, but there had been no plan to go to Biarritz that I was aware of when I took to the saddle. It was difficult enough to cycle out of the campsite and then we had a fantastic freewheel downhill for about 500 meters. I did try to communicate to the Captain that this meant an uphill climb on the return journey, but either he didn’t hear me, or chose not to; I don’t know which. Anyway, it was fantastic. We reached our first stop; a top of the range, designer playground. Evan had a ball. Off we went again but this time it was up a cliff face. Down to the very lowest gear and cycling my now little legs (I wish!) like 90, I was determined to get to the top without having to resort to getting off the bike and pushing it uphill. Success! I was very proud of myself and thought what a wonderful cycle home this could be but, looked beyond the top of the hill and stared at another freewheeling downhill glide. I could go on, but I am so out of breath even typing about it…

Enough of that. We reached Biarritz and had a lovely day there. Had lunch in a beautiful square overlooking the bay. There was a team of lovely young tanned rugby players sitting right between ourselves and the fantastic view!!! But never mind!! Now, I must be getting old, but the small coves around Biarritz were squished with the body beautifuls and not so beautifuls. There were thousands of people in Biarritz and traffic! I had forgotten about traffic.

The trip home has been lost from my memory. All I know is I am in one piece. We headed down to the beach after recovering and the Atlantic ocean was belting in, smashing onto the sand. It was glorious. I like it here! On the way back from the beach, looking like drowned rats, met a girl from England who was all dollied up going into Biarritz for the night with her hubby. I started to envy her, but no, I would so much rather the time we have had today and bringing my shivering little bundle down (or up!!! How could I forget!) to give him a lovely warm bath, put him to bed and settle down for the night with a few nightcaps outside the ven!! Evan was really upset this evening when he discovered that his pal, Zowie and gone back to Denmark with her parents!! He’s fine now, all tucked up nice and cozy. Getting set for the trip to San Sebastian tomorrow and who knows where after that!! Got the knack of how to upload photos so hope ye enjoy them. Talk soon, Orly.

Thursday 13th September, 2007

Orla here again: We’re in the Basque Country now for the last two days. Left sunny France on Wednesday morning and went food shopping and got diesel for the campervan and set off to make San Sebastian in Spain. You could immediately see the difference when we crossed the border from France to Spain. The mountains sprung up before us and as Evan said, like on a trampoline!!!! They were so high up in the sky!!! Bless him. It was an amazing sight to see. I have never seen a landscape like it before. Now, I admired it, but poor Howie had to drive it. Luckily (or not for some people) we went right through the middle of most of the mountains. One of the tunnels was 1km 300 meters long. Incredible. We got to the exit for San Sebastian in no time at all and for some reason, were surprised at how huge a town it seemed from the motorway. We spoke about it and decided to go on as far as we could as we could probably take in San Seb on the way back. Drove on past Bilbao and reached the port town of Castro Urdiales where we stopped for a couple of hours for lunch and a walk by the port. It was very picture skew. Then on for a couple of hours and pulled into a seaside town called Noja for the next two nights, just short of Santander. We have 1300km done now!

Howie went in to register and get our pitch organised and who came up to the van only the couple that we had bumped into in Port Punay near Chatelaillon!! We had spent an afternoon at the pool there, with Evan, their 2 year old little boy, Alexander, and two German kids having high jinx in the paddling pool. When Howie got back to the campervan with the pitch number, it was practically beside this couple and their little boy!!! We have had a fantastic couple of days with them. The weather has been beautiful ,so last night and again tonight we were able to sit outside having a couple of drinks with our nearly new amigos!!! We spent a lovely time on the beach this afternoon and the boys got on like a house on fire. They are thinking about heading to either Spain or Portugal in a couple of days, so who knows, we may meet them on route again! Anyway, Ros and Eddie, if you’re reading this, hope to meet you again on route! We went into the centra villa of Noja this evening There is a huge amount of building going on. Any amount of apartment blocks being erected and the huge pedestrianised square is nearly finished with the final touch of a bandstand being built at the church end. We had some tapas in a bar on the corner of the square but I think we may have been a little late for tapas as there wasn’t much of a selection. Back to the ‘ven’ for a stir-fry. Nice.

A bit of disappointing news from home when we got back. Seems as if Mam won’t be making the trip after all due to dates clashing. Busy lady!!! If you’re reading this Mam, we’ll be home before you know it. Wasn’t missing you before this news if I was to be honest, but sure as hell am now. Anyway, I suppose I must suffer on. Onwards and upwards (but hopefully not too upwards in our very heavy machine!).

So, we’re practically packed up ready to leave early tomorrow. Another load of washing done and dusted. I’m getting very used to not having to iron things, its fantastic!!! I haven’t even ironed my hair!!! That’s not so good - hence, not many pics of me!!! Loving living in a box….

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Comments

[Maurice]

Have a nice trip. You are all looking well. Alex Muriel and Maurice.

[Paddy Connie & Charlotte]

You all look so happy!
Boy, you guys cheer me up. I don't think I've ever seen a family look so completely and utterly happy. It warms the heart. Mind you, France, and the south of France, always makes me happy and I can't wait to get there, next year hopefully, with Connie and Charlotte who is coming on in leaps and bounds and who we will permit to marry Evan if, of course, he is stinking rich. Hope you watch the match tonight. Hope we win. Pity you won't still be in France if we do. Looking forward to seeing you when you get home. Great thing about that is, you won't be boring us with the holiday snaps. We've seen them already!