Hola from Spain!

We locked up the apt on Wed 2/3 and headed to Carcassone, driving on scenic roads with vineyards and little rivers.  As we approached, it looked like a magical land, awesome.  Unfortunately, it was pouring and windy, so we didn't get to walk around.  We drove on to Toulouse.  Oh my, we were really in a jam.  Following the GPS, we drove right into the center of town -- but the center of town is really for pedestrians, not cars.  Anne thinks it was a hoot, but I wasn't thrilled when we ended up in a spot where the only way out was by driving THROUGH an underground parking structure.  Cost us 2 Euros just to drive through.  Found the hotels in town all booked because of a pharmaceutical convention.  We spent the night in a hotel out by the airport.  We'll try to get there another time.  Thurs morning, a beautiful day, we drove to Lourdes, nestled in the Pyrenees.  It is a beautiful location on a river but the town is very touristy.  The grotto is at the bottom of a hill, and a huge church is built over it.  We walked right into the grotto to the spot where the virgin appeared.  The square can accommodate plenty of pilgrims.  We then drove to Biarritz on the Atlantic.  From our hotel, we walked down many stairs to a walkway along the coast.  Some surfers and swimmers were enjoying the water.  It is really a lovely place, and we watched the sun set behind mountains in Spain.  This morning we walked to the wonderful market, saw fish, fruits and veggies, all kinds of meats and much more.  We were admiring the display at a meat counter when a young man behind the counter asked us in English where we were from.  He had an American accent.  His family lived in Arkansas for two years while his father was a contractor for the military.  He told us the flesh and skin of the chickens are so yellow because of the amount of corn in their diet.  Lovely town in a lovely location.  We drove on to Bilbao, Spain, where we visited the Guggenheim Museum by Frank Geary (I believe).  If you aren't familiar with it, google it.  Quite unusual, on the Bilbao River.  There's a large terrier created by Jeff Koons, Anne says, sculpted from green bushes.  We traveled north a bit to Portugalete, also on the river.  We have a corner room at the Gran Hotel Puente Colgante, and the windows on three sides can be opened to look at the river and people watch; there's also a door to the outside balcony from the bathroom.  We can see the Atlantic to the north.  We really like this spot.  Another really long river walk right outside our door.  There's a most unusual conveyance structure just north of our hotel.  I will call it a suspension ferry.  Cars drive and people walk onto this enclosed ferry at either side of the river, then it is transported across the river from a permanent crane structure.  Pictures from the early 1900's show it in service.  This is a great location.  Wish you all were here with us right now.  Hope to follow some of St. James' walk tomorrow.  Fondly, A & M

Leaving Marseillan to visit Carcassone and Toulouse.

Rain heading to Carcassone

We will return to Carcassone and Toulouse another day.

Views of the Pyrennes heading to Lourdes.

Church built upon the grotto where Blessed Mother appeared to St. Bernadette.

Grotto where the Blessed Mother appeared.

View of the river in Lourdes.

Atlantic Ocean in Biaritz.

Small beach area in Biaritz near our hotel.

View of Biaritz from a walkway out to the Atlantic.

Sunset on the Atlantic from Biaritz.

Great market in Biaritz!

Cheese, pates, meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, just wonderful!

Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

Terrier sculpted from greenery in front of the museum.

Museum is next to the Bilbao River - lovely setting.

In Portugalete, Spain, a lovely town 20 minutes from Bilbao, is the Biscay Bridge, known as the hanging bridge, a Unesco World Heritage Site, carrying passengers and cars from Portugalete to Getxo, Spain.

Our hotel steps away from the hanging bridge along the river with a great promenade.

The upper walkway of the bridge is lit.   Goodnight until tomorrow in Santiago de Compostela.