"T" is for Tuesday...

It's funny how your mind works. 

Last week I was bringing a couple of the grandchildren home for a sleepover and to keep them amused during the car ride we played some games.

First it was " I Spy" and then we tried the "Alphabet Game", you know where you say "A" is for apple and so on, this turned out to be the boys' favourite game.

So today that's how my title was arrived at ... 

"T" is for "Tuesday".

    A unisex hairdresser's shop in Duravel, France

Today started with Monsieur Honey visiting the local Barber Shop in our town... "Pour un coupe de cheveux bien nécessaire"... "for a much needed haircut".

He and I left at the same time, he travelling by horsepower from the car and I used my shanks' pony to walk downtown.

After our errands were done we ventured further south for a drive and lunch...ending up in Port Burwell.

We sat outside in the patio area at the Lighthouse Restaurant surrounded by Canadian flags and the oh so French geraniums reminiscing about our "French Rendezvous".

I asked Monsieur Honey... what the highlights of our French trip were for him.. so now here I am trying to remember what he said... the list is in no particular order.

The friendships ... catching up with old friends and cultivating new relationships.

Gardening at "Beaucaillou".

"Spannering" in Cazals

Oh yes "The Kiss" from Jenny!

The many Brocantes / Vide-Greniers and treasures we found...

                      

   

And some we didn't acquire...

All the different foods, wonderful meals and restaurants...and of course the wine both French and Italian.

The "yellow fleshed chickens" and the potatoes that taste like butter... and why can't we grow them here?

The pleasure of guiding our English friends "J & A" on their first visit to Southwest France.

The village resident with the birds who one day introduced himself to Monsieur Honey and shook his hand... not typical of the French.

The Italian themed soirée at Le Diabolo Fraise in Nabirat where we were treated to a feast prepared by Cathy and Fred, had fun with our "Belgian Connection" friends and made new friends with I & J.

The Rogues Concert in the vineyards at Le Caillau. 

An evening of great food, friendship and festivities with live music in the most perfect setting.

The getaway at "Chateau D'Ygrande" with our French Connection friends, B & C.

Fortuitously stumbling upon the Hotel in Bidart...that had it's own tropical oasis and provided the perfect base for our week's adventure along the Basque Coast.

...and as we continued to reminisce we realized the list was way too long.

My highlights closely mirrored Monsieur Honey's.

My new friendship with Madame M and our talks and walks was a wonderful part of this adventure for me.

Madame  M and I both think that Monsieur Honey and Monsieur Guy enjoyed their time doing "guy" things while we walked .... eg. concrete work and tiling of the terrace and of course sharing a cold one after a hard day's work.

After lunch we drove east along the Lakeshore ... 

    The Lighthouse...which houses the Tourist Office in Port Burwell.

    The Submarine Ojibwa...

    Everything you need for outdoor activities...

   The windmills along the lake...

Sailboats and soybeans... Can you see the boat? 

I know it's just a speck...this is why I need a camera with a better zoom feature.

   The Waterfowl Reserve... Long Point Conservation Authority

Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday...

Hotel in Bidart

I am not a travel writer.

When I write about a place, restaurant, hotel, gite or an event it is because I want to share my experience with you.

Last week Thursday, June 27th we left Dégagnac to spend our last few days of our time in France in the Biarritz area.

Enroute, I was able to get Monsieur Honey to make a quick stop at The Medieval Gardens in Salviac.

We had visited these early on in our stay, but today everything was in full bloom.

Prior to leaving Dégagnac, we attempted to make reservations at a Chambre d'hôtes in a small medieval village about 35 kilo-meters from the coast and the major areas such as Bayonne and Biarritz.

Unfortunately or maybe it was fate, they were unable to accommodate us for our first night.

So we ventured on with a wing and a prayer. 

Our prayers were answered when we found the "Hôtel Gochoki" in Bidart.

It was a perfect place to finish our three month stay in France.

When we checked in we only booked two nights but by time we went out for dinner the first evening, we asked to stay for five nights. 

Monsieur André the proprietor was able to accommodate us.

Lucky that we did this because on Saturday night the "complet" sign was out... there was no more room in the Inn.

The 3 star hotel was bright, comfortable and spotlessly clean with helpful proprietors and staff.

The garden area is beautifully landscaped with many different flowers, palm trees and tropical plants.

It has a heated pool with plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas where you can spend the day sunbathing, swimming or just relaxing with a good book.

Traditional  "petite déjeuner" was served in the charmingly decorated breakfast room or outside in the terrace. 

What is traditional... Choice of fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit juice, coffee or hot chocolate, basket of fresh baguettes and croissants, homemade jams ... Strawberry  and/or watermelon.

They call these "confiture de Maison".

Absolutely delicious and the watermelon jam was a whole new culinary experience.

The hotel is a 5 minute walk from the Center of Bidart which has many restaurants, some shops and several "Coiffures".

I thought we would make back home without another visit to the Hairdressers but Monsieur Honey was in dire need of a cut ... And so here he is getting a second French salon treatment...

he was in a much "lighter" mood after his visit to the Coiffures.

The beaches are also an easy walk or at most a 5 minute drive.

This location is central to Biarritz to north and St. Jean de Luz and Hendaye to the South.

So if you are heading to the west coast in the South of France, you may want to try the 

"Hotel Gochoki" and I don't think you will be dissappointed!

Hotel Gochoki

Can She Surf... Rays and Waves in Biarritz!

Our travels into Biarritz was easy today...without too much traffic and a prime parking spot found in Centre-ville.

Biarritz is a luxurious seaside resort town on the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic coast). 

It is only 18 kilometers from the Spanish border.

With it's casinos and beaches it is a major tourist destination.

 Beautiful hydrangeas in multiple colours were everywhere.

The promenade along the beach front...

The Casino...

Oh yes please, one of each! 

La Grande Plage..chairs, umbrellas and cabanas for rent.

   Hotel du Palais ( formerly Villa Eugenie)

In 1854 Empress Eugenie,wife of Napoleon III built a palace on the beach now a luxurious Hotel.

                        

Biarritz was a popular holiday destination for the Royal family and other dignitaries such as Winston Churchill and has been a playground for the rich and famous for over a 100 years.

Today, it is a popular tourist spot and a haven for surfers with many surfing competitions held here. 

The rock tunnel underneath the Hotel du Palais.

The park overlooking the promenade...

Sometimes instead of stopping to smell the roses, a park bench is all that is needed and is just as good to enjoy some people watching and a view of the azure ocean.

Monsieur Honey is enjoying the view and activities.

And as he often says, "Even if we weren't here, all of this would still be happening!" 

It is like the "Sliding Doors" analogy.

                      

When this guy found out it was our last day on the Basque Coast he suggested we head to the beach to ...

                                     "Catch some rays and waves!"

                      

Next stop the Beach in Bidart for a seafood lunch at the seaside and an afternoon of sunshine!

Icy cold "Sangria de la Maison"... La Tantina de la Playa. Plage du Centre 64210 Bidart

Shrimp in a creamy garlic sauce.

A plate of seafood... "Crevettes, huîtres et bulots".

I knew what everything was except for the "bulots" ... even looking at them in the seafood counter I still wasn't sure what they were?

When we got back to our room, I did some research ... Bulots = seasnails! 

They were cooked in a spicy seasoning and served with garlic mayonnaise.

I love escargot but these things although very flavourfully seasoned were very chewy.

Do you think anyone else was people watching today?

All I needed was my sister and grandchildren to play "jump the waves"! 

Can you imagine how much fun that would be, just like when we were kids?

Surfing school ...lessons about to begin. 

Limbering up...

Hitting the water first without the boards...

An hour later finally on the boards...

What time is my lesson?

Okay, maybe for now this is how close I'll get... It's pretty rough water today!

At least I got my feet wet in the waters of the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean.

The water was clean and not as cold as the Med...in Collioure.

My first foot in the Med ...ten years ago!

     A great way to spend our last day on the Basque Coast.