Monday 21 September: Basque Country and Bayonne

Four of us went shopping early on Monday morning. Mum, dad, me and my id. My id made all the decisions about what to buy. Eight bottles of wine, spanning the local Jurançon, burgundy, Vacqueyras, Pomerol, Chateauneuf-de-Pape & Cahors; a whole foie gras liver, and a can of terrine to foie gras in case the whole liver wasn’t enough. Five blocks of cheese, including local Basque variants – none of the five of which I’ve heard of, and four very large duck breasts. Perigoux is nearby so presumably once the foie gras livers have been used there is a large amount of duck meat to go around. Basically, I had my orgy of shopping.

Half and hour later on, and the a knowing grimace from Pat later we set off for the day’s journey. We kind of made it up on the fly, but we made for the steppes of the French Pyrenees, to the villages of Ascain then Sare.

This ended up being idyllic country, the charismatic provincial architecture and sleepiness amongst the steppe. It struck me how lush this area was, how full of plant life; and how much water there was available. The contrast with my home could not have been greater. Even in the cobble strewn twisting streets the silence reigned supreme. It was delicious.

Of the two we stayed longer in Sare, where almost everything was written neither in French or Spanish, but the local Euskadi. We ate in a Basque restaurant, my family sipping from the local cider. I drank the local apple juice, so full of rounded flavour. We dined on local hams, pates and fresh salads. We were surrounded by local Basque adverts which decorated the joint along with blackened dried pimientos hung from the ceiling in bunches. Amongst the adverts was included one for Basque ‘Bob’s Beer’.

Outside I took some photos of the Pyrenees, then noted the Basque flag flying outside. The adjoining wall was daubed in the graffiti supporting the terrorist organisation ETA. Heaven was not without its imperfections. Indigo joined me and I tried to explain what we were looking at. Yet another occasion when I ended up explaining murder and war in Europe, reminding me how lucky I am as an Australian, and how much I accepted these things as part of my day to day when I was a European.

Pat, having been suffering from hay fever all morning was feeling better now as we drive north again the Bayonne. We really liked Bayonne, and its medieval streets around the cathedral. In fact, a second shopping spree for the day started, with Pat seeing some jewellery she liked, and my seeing some exceptional coats that I hoped Pat would like – which she did. We simply don’t see design like this in Melbourne or Hong Kong. We toured the ancient streets and enjoyed every second.

A thoroughly enjoyable day.