A Sunday Postcard

   " The 3D wall art at the airport ... Charles DeGaule Paris "

Dear Family and Friends,

We arrived home safely this past Wednesday evening and we are getting back into our daily routines and life in Canada.

The rest of our week consisted of unpacking, laundry, sorting through the three month's mail that was waiting for us, getting groceries, the beginnings of yard maintenance and trying to remember where things are located in our home vs. at Beaucaillou; i.e. Monsieur Honey asks... "okay, now where are the pots and pans?" 

This week's plans are to catch up with and see the family and grandchildren.

It's been very hot and humid making it difficult to get much done in the gardens... they are so lush and in need of major hair cuts!

                              

Everyday there seems to be a new colour in the garden from our perennials which keep adding splashes of colour throughout the season, everything seems so early this year...the bear paws, false sunflowers, hollyhocks are in full bloom and the Hostas are already in flower!

We've missed the flowering of the daffodils, tulips, iris's, Japanese irises, rhodedendrums, peonies and poppies... but there are still so many more to make an appearance... 

                

                      

We were lucky to find some potting plants left at several area garden centres.

Some were yearning to be taken to a good home to be cared for and in need of food and water, and more importantly at this time of year being saved from becoming part of he Garden Centre's compost heap.

So I've been able to fill a few containers/ planters to add some colour in the yard until the next of the perennials bloom and burst into living colour. 

Monsieur Honey has retrieved his little red beauty from storage and is anxious to take his daily drives.

And for those of you who know Monsieur Honey... check out the coordinating red and white socks!

I have continued with my walking regime.

                        

This week my backpack and I trekked to the local Supermarket to do the daily shopping.

If the heat keeps up I may have to set the alarm clock for the middle of the night... and walk and shop in the cool of the night.

Unlike the store hours in France our local Supermarket is open 24/7 ... I don't believe they need to be open for 24 hours/ 7 days a week... it's all what you get accustomed to and make that work in your schedule.

I still have a few "French" postcards to write and will post them soon!

Bon Dimanche!  Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

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

"Le Chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostelle".

It's Tuesday morning (July 2nd), we are leaving the Basque coast and starting our travels back home to Canada with our first scheduled flight leaving Toulouse tomorrow morning at 10:20AM to Paris, departing at 1:55PM and if all goes as planned we should be "Home" by 8 o'clock PM local time or 2AM France time.

For a more relaxed day of travel on departure day to which we have given the nickname of "Hurry Up and Wait Day", we always stay the night before in a hotel near the airport.

Last year someone recommended we try the "Fast Hotel" and it was perfect...comfortable bed, modern walk-in shower, wi-Fi in the room, and a pub to get a cold glass of wine or beer if desired and  the traditional "petit déjeuner" in the morning. 

The hotel is 3 minutes from the airport and 10 minutes from Downtown (Center) Toulouse.

I had made a reservation and this was our destination today.

If you need a room near the Toulouse airport, try Fasthôtel  ... Email blagnac@fasthotel.com

I had hoped that we would take an off the beaten track route to Toulouse to possibly catch a few more  unexpected sights however Monsieur Honey was already in the "Hurry up and wait" mode and the Motorway was his route of choice.

As we were driving along the motorway, I saw a sign that said something about St. Jacques de Compostelle at the next "Aire".

Aire (French noun) ... area.

Motor way "aires" are similar to the service/ rest areas on our highways in Canada, a place to rest and relax when on long journeys. 

Some "aires" are very basic and others may have everything from restaurants, fuel stations, picnic areas, children's playgrounds, or even a special attraction.

Since Monsieur Honey is aware of my goal to someday to walk parts of the pilgrimage route, he willingly made a stop at this "Aire".

This "Aire" on the western end of the A64 near Hastingues has an exhibition centre which is all about the "Saint James Pilgrimage to Compostelle".

Depending on what language or country you are in, the pilgrimage route has different names... since we are in France I will use the French name of "Le Chemin de St. Jacques de Compostelle".

When I'm in Spain hopefully next year I will refer to it by it's Spanish name "El Camino de Santiago del Compostella".

              

A large bronze statue of Saint Jacques (Santiago) (Saint James/ James the Greater who was Jesus's companion)  greets you as you walk the paths inlayed with engraved granite stones that lead you to the Exhibition Centre.

Engraved granite slabs with the names of various starting points on the route.

The Centre houses many displays about the pilgrims' route.

The displays range from mosaic tile depictions, stained glass windows, historical artifacts and replica exhibits with statues in glass cases.

                        

This photo is part of a 3D map of the the pilgrimage routes from various locations in Europe to St. Jacques de Compostelle in Galicia, Spain under glass on the floor.

The pilgrim routes start from many locations in Europe ending at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostella.

According to legend the pilgrims found their way by following the Milky Way, there are stars painted on the ceiling of the Exhibiton Center to show you "the way".

                                       

                 

                                       

                                                                   

                         

 

So was it fate that we took the Autoroute (motorway) and discovered the "Aire d'Hastingues"? 

 I'm not sure but it was an interesting addition / attraction to our last day of travels in France.

So, next year will I be writing "Postcards from Spain"?         

We arrived in Toulouse mid afternoon without incidence and later in the evening we walked to a local restaurant ..." L'Espirit du Sud Ouest"  where we enjoyed some delicious wine and food.

On our walk to the restaurant, the air was full of a wonderful fragrance from this tree, one we were not familiar with...does anyone know what it is? 

    It was a great way to spend our last day in France!