Espot and The Aiguestortes National Park - Pyrenees

We arrived in Espot on a sunny Friday afternoon at the end of August. Espot is a pleasant, bustling town where locals and tourists mingle.   It is here that you take a 4x4 taxi into the Aiguestortes national park (you are not allowed to take your own car) – of course, you could walk the 8km up the road if you wished.  We stayed in the comfortable Apartments Les Picardes.  From our apartment we looked out at lovingly-tended allotments and up to the mountains.  Each evening we would wander back to the apartment passing old barns reeking of sheep and groups of elderly men and women chatting in the sun outside their ancient stone houses.      

Walk 1

  

Estany de Ratera

We took a taxi to Estany de St Maurici.  The lake is a popular destination and starting point for many walks.  It felt strange arriving in a taxi and I wondered where all the people being dropped off would go.  We began our assent up the track and the going was tough, made tougher by the fact that a taxi passed us on its way to the refuge d’Amitges, our destination, with six smiling passengers on board.  We stopped for a snack break  – it helped.  The air grew noticeably thinner.  We reached Estany de Ratera – a wilder, pretty lake with a waterfall.  

We left a lot of people behind at this point. Now the going got really tough and, as we plodded uphill, more 4x4s drove by, their tyres slipping on the rocky track, as they made their way to the refuge.  I got second wind at this point, especially when I glimpsed the refuge.  Refuge D’Amitiges is a great place with good facilities.  We ate our lunch there (melon chunks make great trekking food) and restocked with water.  Lunch tasted better due to the fact we had walked and I was pleased we hadn’t taken a taxi.  We continued up and the path grew narrower (impossible for 4X4s to make it this far) with stunning views of the lakes, which got better and better.

We arrived at Port de Ratera.  The original plan had been to climb Pic De Ratera, but time was short so we had to content ourselves with reaching the pass at 2,550 mtrs.  We took the GR11 (the long distance path that runs along the Pyrenees) – the sign close to the pass said 1.5 hours back to Estany de St Maurici – it’s wrong and should say 2.5 hours as the sign an hour along the path reads 1.5 hours!  It was a long slog down, but great scenery and we heard the high pitch warning cry of a Marmot – we didn’t spot him though.    

Walk 2

This walk was a recommendation from the friendly staff in the visitors’ centre in Espot.  Again, the starting point was Estany De St Maurici where we followed a track passing the refuge Ernest Mallafre and up to Monestero.  The scenery was spectacular as the path, which hugs a gurgling stream for most of the way, took us through meadows, woods and over boulders to arrive at Estany de Monestero where we sat and ate our lunch surrounded by high peaks.  We chatted to two Spanish walkers who were heading up to the pass and beyond.  It would have been nice to continue, but we were heading back down. 

Walk 3

Today storms were forecast, but the clouds didn’t look too ominous so we decided to head up to the mountains.  Again, the starting point was Estany De St Maurici, but the weekend crowds had departed and the lake was peaceful.  The path was mostly up, but after two days of walking I felt fairly fit.  It was another beautiful, walk with different scenery and we only saw a handful of people.  Estany de Subenuix at the top was stunning and deserted.  But we didn’t linger as it was becoming increasingly cloudy.  We were nearly down when the heavens opened, but a mountain ash provided good shelter from the rain.  We finished off the day with a walk to the cascade at Maurici, stopping to take in the view.  

On our way back to Espot the taxi driver pointed out a herd of deer.  We arrived in Espot at the same time as a thunderstorm.  It was a violent one with lots of thunder and lightning. We felt lucky to be safely indoors!   

Estany de St Maurici

Nantes in 24 Hours

Back in July I had the chance for a very quick visit to the city of Nantes.  In my 24 hours there I saw Abolition Esclavage ( a memorial to the abolishment of slavery), the Jardin des Plantes, the Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne and watch a mechanical elephant in action at Les Machines De L’Ile, although I didn’t have time for a ride.  I ate lunch at the Creperie Ker Breizh, where local cider was served up in mugs and I tucked into the best galettes and crepes (chocolate with orange confit) I have ever tasted!  During my walk through the city I saw some incredible modern art in surprising places.  24 hours in Nantes is not nearly enough time and I will have to go back!  

What a lot of pots - Le Jardin des plantes

Les Machines De L'Ile

Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne - with 'Undercurrent' art by HEHE

Four Diverse Events That Exemplify Summer In La France Profonde

Summer in south west France means a social time with so many local events that sometimes it’s hard to fit them all in!  Four events were particularly memorable in the month of July.  

Exhibits by Thomas Lasbouygues

The first was the opening of Exoplanet Lot – a contemporary art exhibition set in the Lot Valley, between Cajarc and St Cirq Lapopie.  Author Tracey Warr was writer in residence for the project and it was to support her that we went along.  We had met the artists six week’s previously at an open evening where they explained their ideas and plans for the exhibits.  They spoke with so much passion and enthusiasm that we were looking forward to seeing the finished results.  The evening began with an opening ceremony at the Maison des Arts in Cajarc.  A coach was provided to ferry people between exhibits.  A small group was chosen to cycle some of the route - I declined!  Blue Exoplanet Lot signs guide you to the various sites.  To see the installations in such a stunning, natural environment certainly got people talking.  For me, it was made more interesting by having met the young artists and to have an insight into their vision.  The exhibition is on until the 4^th September and, if you are in the area, is well worth a visit.  Tracey wrote a future fiction novella, Meanda, as part of Exoplanet Lot, which is available from Amazon.

Flying Boat by Tania Candiani

Le Tour de France passed close to where we live so I went along to watch it at the village of Memer.  The atmosphere was buzzing.  The day began with the caravan going through lugging freebies into the crowd.  There was a carnival atmosphere and, as the time approached for the cyclists to arrive, the excitement was tangible.   I was intent on taking photos so I didn’t see very much, but I was aware of the speed and power as the riders whizzed through.  It was a hot day though – 31 degrees and it was enough to be a spectator, let alone having to cycle in such heat.  I even managed to capture the yellow jersey in my photo – more luck than judgement!

On a Sunday evening in mid July we went to hear a scratch choir singing Mozart’s Requiem.  The event was to raise funds for the restoration of the Abbey at Marcillac Sur Cele.  Our friend, Vanessa Couchman, was singing in the choir and it was through her that we heard about the evening.  It had been a sweltering day and so, it was with relief, we took our seats in the cool interior of the Abbey.  Another friend, Evelyn, explained how Father Guillaume Soury-Lavergne has been busy raising funds for the Abbey, even doing a skydive – he seems quite a character and has even set up a Facebook page.  The singing was atmospheric, the voices of the four soloists incredible and it was an honour to be there. 

   

Sora Yaa Band

AFRICAJARC – a rhythmic beat in La France profond.  Once a year, for a weekend in mid-summer, the town of Cajarc on the Lot River becomes Africajarc.  We wandered the narrow lanes to the sound of bongo drums and stopped to browse at stalls selling African trinkets.  Along the way we met the odd bewildered pilgrim (Cajarc is on the GR65 – St Jacques de Compostelle route) who no doubt wondered what they had stumbled upon. We watched three great bands – our favourite was the Sora Yaa Band.

Two Walks on The Causse

Last weekend we parked the car at the pretty village of Loze for a four hour circular walk.  It took us up onto the causse. Much of this area is owned by the military and we passed many signs warning us to keep out.  The walk should have been straightforward and, for the most part it was until we got distracted by a local cycling race close to the village of St Project.  So engrossed were we in encouraging the last rider (who incidentally did not seem impressed by our cries of “Aller, Aller”) we missed our path.  But this was ok as our water supply was getting low and we thought we would take a detour to stop at the chateau in St Project for refreshments.  No tea rooms here, but a small cabinet containing luke-warm fizzy drinks – but they did go down well, we were parched!  It was just as well we had stocked up on liquid, as several detours later we still hadn’t found the correct path.  In the end we decided to walk back along the road (D19) to Loze.  It proved to be the right decision as the afternoon had turned hot and the road was gloriously shady.

Mouillac PR1 – this was supposed to be a short walk of 5 kms.  The original route was out and back on the same path, but the parish council (or French equivalent) had re-routed the path and it was now a longer circular walk, which was good as I find circular walks more satisfying.  This was an area we had never visited before despite only being 30 minutes from home.  The book describes it as a magnificent wild walk and it lived up to this description.  It felt so remote and we had the path to ourselves.  The land on the causse is poor and scrubby and we imagined how hard it must have been for past inhabitants to scratch a living and survive on such rough terrain.  The walk was, for the most part, on shady paths through a pretty valley and around the village of Pech.  We passed various ancient water sources – a lifeline for these rural communities years ago.  It was necessary to take a short detour to see the church and windmill at Mouillac before retracing our footsteps to a path opposite the Maire to continue our journey.  Later, we found a forlorn bench in an overgrown field with a long forgotten basketball net – it felt surreal as if the world had ended without our knowing it.  Despite the sense of surrealism and remoteness it was only a short walk back to civilisation and the car.    

The walks were taken from this book

Pacific Grove

After the highs of Yosemite I didn’t mind where we went for our final two days in Northern California as I thought it would be an anti-climax.  Pacific Grove, a chilling, laid-back town on the Monterey Peninsula exceeded my expectations and proved to be the perfect choice.  We stayed at The Old St Angela Inn in a room called the Crow’s Nest from which it was possible to glimpse the sea.  

We drove along the famous Seventeen Mile Drive, marveling not at the mansions, but at the marine life and vast seascapes.  We bypassed the busy town of Carmel and instead headed to the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve.  It was a popular spot, but there were numerous walking tracks to absorb the weekend crowds. The sea views were dazzling and in the distance we could hear the bark of sea lions.  The reserve is staffed by knowledgeable volunteers (docents).  One volunteer had set up his telescope on the cliff edge in the direction of seal rock.  One look showed us a magnificent seal lion -the culprit behind the barking.  We asked if he had seen any sea otters and he quickly adjusted his telescope, inviting us to peer through it again. His joy and passion were infections.  There among the kelp was a family (or raft) of sea otters.  It was hard to relinquish the telescope, so ecstatic were we at seeing our first sea otter.   

  

Our first sea otter!

We stopped by the information hut to buy postcards (of sea otters!)  We were just in time to join a wild flower tour on the Cypress Grove Trail – I’m not normally one for “tours,” but again, the volunteers, Ann and Art, were knowledgeable and enthusiastic, opening our eyes to all the different plant varieties.  Ann was also a poet and she started and ended the walk by reading one of her poems, which were inspired by her love for Point Lobos.  It was hard to leave this beautiful place and once again I was both surprised and impressed with the commitment America and Americans have to their national parks.

  

Seals!

China Cove

Northern California

My first trip to San Francisco didn’t disappoint.  We managed to cover a lot in the 10 days we were there – a cable car ride to downtown San Francisco, a ferry ride to Sausalito, getting lost in Golden Gate Park, the huge redwoods in Muir Woods, the beautiful scenery of the Napa Valley, the friendly town of Nevada City, stunning Yosemite, chilling in Pacific Grove and seeing our first sea otters.  We stayed in some great B&Bs and made new friends.  We learnt more about American culture and the flora and fauna.  The highlight for me was Yosemite, which I guess proves I’m a country girl at heart, although I grew up in a town!  And Yosemite is where I will begin my blog post.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

My first view of Yosemite was from the roadside as we joined all the other motorists who had stopped to take photos of El Capitan.  We descended to the valley floor where the visitor centre is located.  This is where the problems started – there were so many people doing the same thing that it was impossible to park the car.  This seemed odd given that we were in an area of outstanding natural beauty.  As the temperature rose so did tempers!  Finally we found a parking space and waited at the bus stop for one of the many shuttle buses that transport visitors around the park. As the bus overtook the line of traffic we felt quite smug!

“If you only have one day in Yosemite” the guidebooks say, “then you must visit Vernal Falls.”  So we did; along with many other people who were obviously following the same advice!  Still, the crowds did not detract from the beauty of the place and, because of the many warnings about bears and mountain cats; I had a feeling of safety in numbers!  

We were short of time, but also decided to take the track to Mirror lake.  There were a few people (it is on the bus route) but nothing like the crowds we had seen previously and we wished we had had more time to walk around the whole lake. But it was nice to sit and ponder on a rock. 

Catching the bus back to our car was no mean feat.  Everyone was doing the same.  All the buses were full and the valley floor was one big traffic jam.  In the end, we decided to grab a bite to eat and then walk back to the car, feeling slightly disconcerted by the sign saying we were in a mountain cat area! Earlier, we had seen Chinook helicopters whizzing overhead and heard rumours that President Obama and his family were due to visit Yosemite that weekend to mark its 100^th anniversary.  Having finally left the traffic behind, we made it back to our B&B, the delightful Blackberry Inn, just before dark!  

The next day we decided to steer clear of the visitor centre and instead go even higher.

Following the windy, but good road we were soon above the snow line.  There were no crowds here.  This is what I had imagined Yosemite to be.

We parked the car at Tuolumne Meadows, the trailhead for several walks.  Tuolumne Meadows is a sub-alpine meadow and is a contrasting lush green, against the rocky landscape.  At 9,000 feet the air was thinner and fresher.  We did two spectacular walks - Dog Lake and Lembert Dome – and hardly saw a soul.

Our visit to Yosemite was far too short and one day we hope to return.  

The Costa Brava (again) in May

Beautiful Begur

Last month we made our regular weekend trip to Begur.  We ate boquerones in a bar on Sa Tuna beach, washed down with a huge Campari overlooking the sea.  We did our usual walk to Sa Riera.  We took time out to visit some of the historical buildings in Begur and I thought this blog post would be about that, but having sampled our most memorable meals of all our visits to the area this post will be about food!

We tend to eat at Pizzeta – an Italian restaurant in Begur (I know not very Spanish, but it has a lively atmosphere eating outside in a courtyard.)  That’s what we did on the Friday we arrived, having booked up a new restaurant experience at Platillos for the following night. The food at Pizzeta is always good and it is always popular.  On this particular evening they had the huge patio heaters on as it was unseasonably chilly.  The next evening we made our way to Platillos.  Having read the reviews on Trip Advisor we were looking forward to sampling the tapas style food.  At first there was confusion about our booking and we thought we were going to have to go hungry. It is a tiny establishment and we were advised that they would squeeze us in, if we could be through by 9.30pm – the Spanish eat very late so this wasn’t a problem for us.  We sampled exquisite tuna, seared on the outside and salmon with wasabi ice cream.  I had a dessert called Dracula, which was different – a concoction of red berries floating in Coca-Cola with vanilla ice cream.    All the tables were taken and people were being turned away.  The wine was good too.  The waitress seemed relieved when we had finished as their next guests had arrived for our table.

Peratallada

Friends had recommended we visit the town of Peratallada – a 20 minute drive from Begur.  We booked a table at Candelaria for Sunday lunch.  Again, this restaurant had rave reviews.  Parking the car easily, we entered Peratallada through an ancient gateway and wandered the cobbled streets.  There were a few tourist shops and I’m sure it gets crowded in high season, but on this particular Sunday morning it seemed unspoilt and peaceful.  We enjoyed sitting in the main square soaking up the colourful atmosphere.  

Looking forward to eating at Candelaria

We turned up at the restaurant at 1pm and were the first clients – there were people turning up to eath when we left at 3.30pm!  Candelaria is quirky with bright blue walls, odd chairs, floral tablecloths, a floral toilet seat in the ladies and tasteful line drawings of nude women in the men’s toilet (so I’m told!)  They served a complimentary glass of vermouth and olives.  Then followed potato foam with paprika served in a Kilner jar, a prawn risotto with pea foam and, for the main course, the choice of stir fried pork or cod.  The dessert was blood orange foam, layered with natural yoghurt and fresh melon (typing this makes my mouth water!) There was homemade bread with olive oil.  Coffee was served with mini muffins. The adventurous cuisine was beautifully presented, delicious and a bargain at 22 Euros for lunch.  It was a memorable meal and we vowed to make it a regular stop on future trips to Begur.       

Varen – PR2 Le Chemin de Cadies

Cowslips

An easy walk, made all the more easier by missing the path and thereby missing a couple of kilometres, which was a shame as we were enjoying ourselves.  The walk (if you do it properly) is 10kms in total and should take 3 hours.  It is a circular walk.  Parking in the car park by the school it is easy to pick out the PR2 signs.  It begins with a gradual climb up a road.  A lot of the walk is on roads, but these were quiet and the views stunning.  It seemed we had the countryside to ourselves – mind you it was Sunday lunchtime! The route goes past Les Jardins de Quercy.  We wanted to have a look around, but the gardens are closed until 13^th May.  We picnicked sat on a dry stone wall overlooking the gardens.  It was a beautiful spring day and the fields were full of cowslips.  All too soon we could see the spire of the church at Varen and that’s when we realised we had missed the path!  Still it meant we spent a pleasant half hour sat in the sun by the river.  The walk was taken from 38 Randonees – Tarn &Garonne, which we bought from the library in Varen.

Washington DC

The Capitol

Cherry blossom and panoramic vistas with striking monuments will be my abiding impression of Washington.  It’s not what I had expected.

On Easter Sunday we watched people rushing to church, young and old, all dressed in their Sunday best.  The neighbourhood we wandered through looked surprisingly English with Victorian type houses and neat front gardens.  

Downtown was different.  Here you felt the hustle and bustle of city life.  The roads were still wide and the buildings not overly tall so you weren’t hemmed in.  The pavements were busy though and I nearly went flying when I got between a lady and her lunch venue. She yelled "excuse me Ma'am," as she walked into me.

Food is important.  It came in different varieties and sizes to fit all budgets.  There were eateries everywhere, fast food vans, salads, sushi, Mexican, lobster and of course hamburgers. Each morning we went for breakfast at The Corner Café Bakery.  We thought this would be straightforward, but we were always bewildered by the choice. Making ourselves understood was difficult and we never understood their replies.  In the end, I ordered the same thing every morning - a fresh berry yoghurt parfait, which was delicious.   We would sit in the same seats at the window and watch people hurrying from Union Station to work with their take-out coffee.  The homeless would scurry in, furtively looking over their shoulder as they helped themselves to drinks, filling up whatever receptacles they had to last them through the day.   The managers of the establishment turned a blind eye, which seemed the charitable thing to do.  

The Washington Monument

It's a very walkable city and on our first day we walked about twenty miles.  We started from Capitol Hill and walked down The National Mall, taking in The Washington Monument, a towering 555ft pinnacle stark white against the blue sky.  The World War II Memorial had a huge water feature and was a popular place to sit.

The Lincoln Memorial in the distance

The Lincoln Memorial was crowded, but provided a good view of the Mall and the Reflecting Pool.  The Vietnam Memorial seemed understated yet extremely moving.  The volunteers answered questions with patience and sensitivity. We walked across the border to Virginia and wandered around Arlington Cemetery, which was so vast that we missed J F Kennedy's grave with its eternal flame.  We walked to Georgetown – a lovely neighbourhood with Victorian houses and a happening vibe.  Then it was on to the White House, where we joined the crowds gazing across the rear lawn while a security man with a gun patrolled the roof.  I was sure the President was going to appear, but our feet ached so we didn’t wait. 

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

The Reynolds Centre, which houses the American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, was one of my favourite places - paintings by David Hockney, Picasso and an Andy Warhol, all set in an historic building with cosy nooks where one could sit and contemplate.  In its centre is a vast atrium where I tucked into a delicious mandarin cheesecake.

The Smithsonian group of museums are all free.  There are so many that it could keep you occupied for days.  We went to the American Indian Museum, The Air and Space museum, The National Gallery of Art – both East and West Buildings.  The East Building is undergoing renovations, but even so, the space was full of light and felt exactly right for the modern art on display.  There is a moving walkway with twinkling lights linking the old building to the new. 

Alexander Calder's incredible mobile in the East Building

I spent a happy hour sitting in the Sculpture Garden in the sun, under the watchful gaze of one of Louise Bourgeois’s giant spiders.   

The Kennedy Centre hosts free concerts each day from 6pm.  We walked there – not to be recommended as we ended up on a freeway!  We eventually arrived just in time to see The Howard Gospel Choir.  It was standing room only and we happened to be standing next to a lovely lady who couldn’t believe we had arrived on foot.  She told us how lucky we were to be seeing such a good choir.  She also told us about the free shuttle bus running between the Centre and Foggy Bottom metro station - my feet breathed a sigh of relief! Part way through the concert some seats became free and we ended up in the second row so we were indeed lucky.  It was an experience I’ll never forget and one of the highlights of our stay. We went back to The Kennedy Centre on our last evening to see The National Symphony Orchestra with a solo performance of Brahms Violin Concerto by Nikolaj Znaider - a stellar performance in a stunning environment.    

Howard Gospel Choir

The cherry trees along the Tidal Basin were beautiful, (it was the National Cherry Blossom Festival) and the banks were packed with visitors posing for their cherry blossom photo.  The Martin Luther King Jr Memorial is located here among the cherry trees with the water sparkling in the distance.  It is the newest memorial on the Mall and the first one to honour an African American.

We took a tour of The Capitol – the Rotunda was undergoing renovations, but this didn’t detract from our experience made all the more interesting by our enthusiastic guide.  Afterwards we wandered through the botanical gardens admiring the exotic orchid exhibition.

Opposite The Capitol is The Library of Congress.  It is a spectacular building and I chose a quiet time to visit, which meant I didn’t need to queue to see the reading room – setting for the film All The Presidents Men apparently.

The Reading Room at The Library of Congress

Sadly we weren’t able to do a tour of the White House as it is necessary to book tours weeks, if not months, in advance.

Lunch on our last day was at Rosa Mexicana where they prepared guacamole at our table - delicious! After lunch we wandered through the cherry trees on the Mall.   They were past their best and we felt lucky to have seen them a week earlier.

Start of the week

End of the week

    

A Walk of Contrasts

Serra Segaria with Montgo in the distance

The instructions in the book were clear – head to the second square at the village of Benimeli for the start of the walk.  Having done two complete circuits of the village and tried our Spanish out on a young girl we were none the wiser as to where the walk started.  Luckily a local bar owner, seeing us for a second time, took pity on us and pointed out the route.  The walk followed an old mule track as it twisted its way up the hillside, through squat bushes of rosemary and lavender.  It was a steep ascent and we had 400 metres to climb.  We were heading for phone and aerial masts high on the ridge above us – ugly, but a necessity in this modern age.  I was amazed to arrive at a small car park and road, which was disappointing after all the effort.  Still, at least we had the satisfaction of arriving there on foot.  Soon we were overlooking the summit towers of the Serra Segaria.  This was the point where the book said we must turn back as to continue along the ridge needed climbing skills, so we sat for a while drinking in the view before retracing our steps. We followed the road downhill before picking up the path.  The northern side of the mountain was verdant, very different from the arid southern side.  Cutting through a col back to the southern side we saw the plain stretched out below us, a giant chequerboard of orange groves.  

Overlooking the coastal plain and rice-growing marshes

We headed back to the bar and rewarded ourselves with a Carajillo (strong coffee with brandy).  The bar tender seemed surprised to see us so soon - I’m guessing he thought we would get lost!