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June 23, 2013 - Spain and France
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Am writing from our window-side desk in our hotel room in Beziers France now. After yesterday's gasolina spill we found the source when we went to catch our 8:30 bus to Figueras. A burned out hulk of a SARFA bus was sitting in the bus terminal. The bus terminal roof was charred black and another bus was heat-damaged with a burned up windshield and melted plastic parts. Must have been a hell of a fire. Another hair raising bus ride over the winding road to Roses, then on to Figueras. Arrived there at about 9:30 AM and had until 5:20 PM before our train left to France. Found that the train station where we'd leave from was a half hour walk to the other side of the town. The guy at the tourist info desk circled a section of town on the way on our map and warned us not to go there because of gypsies! Wow! We had visions of wagons with camp fires and people trying to sell us their daughters, but it turned out to be a bunch of apartment buildings when we finally walked by there.
The burned out bus.
Walked into the old town area and had pastries and cafe con leche. Then through the Rambla that was much more mellow than Barcelona's Las Ramblas. Found the Salvidore Dali museum and walked around it, admiring the large eggs on the roof perimeter and the things that looked like baked bread all over the outside. There were 4 floors of works, only a few of which were recognizable. Many pen and ink sketches. One can't but help wonder if he was playing a joke on the art world with many of his pieces (this from a fine arts major). I mean really, a work titled "Gala contemplating the Corpus Hypercubicus". Evan was a good sport in hanging with me as I insisted on seeing every work.
Dali museum exterior.
Dali museum exterior.
Dali museum exterior.
Dali museum exterior.
Dali museum interior.
Dali sketch.
Dali ???.
Dali painting.
Mae West sculpture.
Mae West sculpture.
Dali museum interior.
Dali museum interior.
Dali museum ceiling.
After the museum we went to a big park in the center of town and played some disc golf, picking trees and benches as targets. Then hiked up the hill past the stadium to the Sant Ferran Castle. So much of it was blocked off from tourists that it was a disappointment. Back down the hill to town for more pastries and cafe con leche, where we lingered at a cafe and read for a while.
Gatehouse to Sant Ferran Castle.
Inside Sant Ferran Castle.
Eventually the time came to head to the train station past the gypsies. We were expecting a layover in Perpignan, but the ticket guy said there's no need to get off the train there. We subsequently arrived in Bezier a couple of hours earlier than expected. We're at the Hotel Alma, and they're super nice people here. Only a 5 minute walk to the old town area. After dinner at a brasserie we walked through the town and found a seriously beautiful viewpoint overlooking the countryside to the west and north at the base of a giant cathedral. Spectacular. France is much greener than Spain, and it's nice to see rivers with actual flowing water. To bed now, in anticipation of a 7:30 french breakfast (oh boy).
Train station at the west end of Figueras.
Hotel Alma in Beziers.
The Hotel Alma's rooftop terrace.
Beziers.
Dinner. Chicken for me, pizza for Evan.
Beziers streets.
Cathedral in Beziers.
Cathedral in Beziers.
The river L'Orb.
Evan overlooking the countryside to the southwest of Beziers.
Beziers.
My sunburn from the hide to the lighthouse at Cap de Creus.
The Hotel Alma in Beziers.
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