Place Louis XIV is the largest and nicest square in St. Jean de Luz. Cities all over France have squares named in honor of a king. This square in St. Jean de Luz is named after the Sun King because he put St. Jean de Luz on the map – by getting married here. Continue reading “St. Jean de Luz and the Sun King”
Let’s Explore St. Jean de Luz
“Basqueland” straddles the border between Spain and France on the Atlantic side, where they meet at the Bay of Biscay. We’re staying on the French side, but so far on this trip, we’ve spent most of our time in Spain. We’ve been on the move. Now it’s time to relax, kick back, and explore St. Jean de Luz. Continue reading “Let’s Explore St. Jean de Luz”
Le Marais – Revisited
Today we’re going on a foodie tour. We’ll meet up with a guide and a handful of other “foodiphiles,” then walk to wherever our guide takes us, tasting what Paris has to offer along the way. Guides on these tours usually know their stuff, so we’ll probably learn a lot, too. We opted for a tour that takes place in one of our favorite Parisian neighborhoods: Le Marais. Continue reading “Le Marais – Revisited”
Le Foodie Tour – Revisited
It’s 10:00 AM in Paris. We’re in a coffee shop in the Marais district called Café de la Poste. This is the meeting point for “Le Foodie Tour”. We’ve arrived early, so we have time to have coffees before starting the tour. Continue reading “Le Foodie Tour – Revisited”
The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Revisited
We’re in Paris, gazing up at “la Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris.” It’s been a month since the fire. If you’re a fan of Victor Hugo’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” you can’t walk by the great church in its current state without thinking of poor old Quasimodo, the hunchback himself. In the story, it’s he who starts the church on fire. OK, that was a bad thing to do, but he had his reasons… Continue reading “The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Revisited”
San Sebastián Foodie Tour – Hold onto Your Pintxos!
Tonight we’re going on a foodie tour in one of the foodie capitals of the world – San Sebastián. It’s not just a foodie tour, though. It’s a pintxos tour. Vamos amigos! Continue reading “San Sebastián Foodie Tour – Hold onto Your Pintxos!”
The Basque Autonomous Region Explained (Finally!)
There’s an area in Spain that is officially called the Basque Autonomous Region. We’ve almost finished the story of how such a thing came to be. Let’s finish it now. Continue reading “The Basque Autonomous Region Explained (Finally!)”
Beautiful San Sebastián
For the past 100 years or so, San Sebastián has been a beautiful place for the beautiful people to come for a little rest and relaxation. We’re not part of the “beautiful people” crowd, but we’re headed to San Sebastián, anyway. Why should they have all the fun? Continue reading “Beautiful San Sebastián”
Let’s Figure this Basque Thing Out
We’re on our way to the Basque city of San Sebastián, Spain. Lunch in Bilbao was great, but it’s San Sebastián that has the reputation of being a food-lover’s destination. Before we get there, though, we still don’t really know much about the Basques. Let’s keep trying to figure this Basque thing out. Continue reading “Let’s Figure this Basque Thing Out”
The Basques – A Riddle Wrapped in a Mystery?
In 1939, Winston Churchill famously said, “It’s a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” He was referring to pre-WWII Russia. But it’s also a pretty good description of what many people think of the Basques today. Continue reading “The Basques – A Riddle Wrapped in a Mystery?”
