Protests in Barcelona on Sunday October 1st, 2017. Karen's son Victor and his wife Lee Ann were invited to a medical conference in Barcelona. Their flight arrived the eve of October 1st, 2017. For those of you who don't know the significance of that date, this was the day that Catalonia, the northeastern-most province of Spain, voted to secede from Spain. There were violent demonstrations, clashes with police and the Guardia Civil, and general strikes as Spain tried to stop the vote. Fortunately, Victor and Lee Ann caught a pre-dawn flight to San Sebastian to spend a few days with us in the Basque country of France before we drove them back to Barcelona for the conference. We hoped things would settle down by then.
After two weeks of gorgeous weather here in the Pays Basque, that Sunday morning dawned cool, cloudy and drizzly. Of course! I had told them not to bring rain gear since the forecast was for continued beautiful weather. Luckily, they were wise enough to ignore my advice. We had reserved a room for them in a hotel near our apartment with spectacular ocean views and views of the Trois Couronnes and La Rhune. I think they caught a brief glimpse of the Pyrenees just before they left.
After we showed them around our little village, they took a quick jet-lagged induced nap before we headed for dinner at the always wonderful Txamarra near the port and Les Alcyons here in Guethary.
We had originally planned to take them to the Guggenheim in Bilbao on Tuesday, but with heavy rain forecast, we decided to visit Bilbao on Monday in spite of the fact that the museum was closed. Actually, it wasn't so much Bilbao they wanted to see, it was San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. They're both Game of Thrones fanatics and wanted to see the location that was a big part of this past season.
After two weeks of gorgeous weather here in the Pays Basque, that Sunday morning dawned cool, cloudy and drizzly. Of course! I had told them not to bring rain gear since the forecast was for continued beautiful weather. Luckily, they were wise enough to ignore my advice. We had reserved a room for them in a hotel near our apartment with spectacular ocean views and views of the Trois Couronnes and La Rhune. I think they caught a brief glimpse of the Pyrenees just before they left.
After we showed them around our little village, they took a quick jet-lagged induced nap before we headed for dinner at the always wonderful Txamarra near the port and Les Alcyons here in Guethary.
We had originally planned to take them to the Guggenheim in Bilbao on Tuesday, but with heavy rain forecast, we decided to visit Bilbao on Monday in spite of the fact that the museum was closed. Actually, it wasn't so much Bilbao they wanted to see, it was San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. They're both Game of Thrones fanatics and wanted to see the location that was a big part of this past season.
 The famous flowered dog at the entrance to the Guggenheim.  A scary spider wandering the grounds. |  A sculpture behind the museum.  View of the Guggenheim and Bilbao from a nearby bridge. |
After touring the outside of the museum, we walked along the river and found a nice bar for lunch. Then we made our way to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe for the arduous hike from the mainland to the island and then back. We had warned them that the hermitage at the top was not Dragonstone; that Dragonstone was a CGI enhancement. But even with the missing castle, they appreciated the beauty of this part of the Spanish coastline. See my previous post on San Juan de Gaztelugatxe for more.
As the rain broke up on Tuesday, we did a hike along the Sentier Littoral into Saint Jean de Luz and back. Wednesday morning, it was raining again but it started to clear a bit by the afternoon, so we decided to show them a bit of Biarritz on their last day in the the Pays Basque. We walked along the Grande Plage, then made our way to Rocher de la Vierge.
With the sun finally out, we caught the sunset (but no green flash) just before dinner at Tantina de la Playa in Bidart. Victor commented that it was one of the best meals he'd ever had.
As the rain broke up on Tuesday, we did a hike along the Sentier Littoral into Saint Jean de Luz and back. Wednesday morning, it was raining again but it started to clear a bit by the afternoon, so we decided to show them a bit of Biarritz on their last day in the the Pays Basque. We walked along the Grande Plage, then made our way to Rocher de la Vierge.
With the sun finally out, we caught the sunset (but no green flash) just before dinner at Tantina de la Playa in Bidart. Victor commented that it was one of the best meals he'd ever had.
Biarrritz from the path approaching Rocher de la Vierge.
 Victor and Lee Ann on the bridge to Rocher de la Vierge. |  Finally a sunset - taken above Tantina de la Playa with Guethary and Les Trois Couronnes in the background. |
Thursday morning we got up early for our drive to Barcelona. From everything we had read and heard on the news, things were relatively calm there. Still, we were a bit nervous.
We headed south and followed the Bidasoa river as we entered Spain. Karen and I have gone stand up paddling in its spectacular river canyon just below the French village of Biriatou. We'd occasionally caught sight of a highway far above us, but this was the first time we'd driven along the river that serves as the border between France and Spain near the Basque coast.
As we reached the south side of the Pyrenees, the terrain and weather changed. Low clouds and drizzle gave way to sunshine, and the lush green of the Basque coast became dry high plains, much like you'd see in eastern Colorado or Wyoming.
We skirted Pamplona, and continued through the uniformly flat and dry plains on our way to Zaragoza, Victor's birthplace. Karen, her children, and their father spent four years there as part of an Air Force assignment nearly forty years ago. Karen wanted to visit their former home and see how the city had changed. Of course, it's much bigger now. The population was 150,000 when they lived there and is now nearly 700,000.
We headed south and followed the Bidasoa river as we entered Spain. Karen and I have gone stand up paddling in its spectacular river canyon just below the French village of Biriatou. We'd occasionally caught sight of a highway far above us, but this was the first time we'd driven along the river that serves as the border between France and Spain near the Basque coast.
As we reached the south side of the Pyrenees, the terrain and weather changed. Low clouds and drizzle gave way to sunshine, and the lush green of the Basque coast became dry high plains, much like you'd see in eastern Colorado or Wyoming.
We skirted Pamplona, and continued through the uniformly flat and dry plains on our way to Zaragoza, Victor's birthplace. Karen, her children, and their father spent four years there as part of an Air Force assignment nearly forty years ago. Karen wanted to visit their former home and see how the city had changed. Of course, it's much bigger now. The population was 150,000 when they lived there and is now nearly 700,000.
The cathedral where Karen's daughter Sabrina was baptized.
Entering the grand plaza in front of the spectacular cathedral downtown, we discovered a pro-Spain Unity demonstration just breaking up. In spite of major police, army, Guardia Civil, and ambulance presence, it was apparently a peaceful demonstration.
We strolled the plaza and then had an excellent lunch at Asador La Forja, not far from the Cathedral.
After lunch we managed to find their former home, but not after a bit of confusion because they'd changed the house numbers on the street. The home is located in a well-developed area of walled and gated homes which now includes elegant hotels and apartments nearby. Apparently the surrounding areas were quite rural years before.
We got back on the road heading east and three hours later faced tremendous traffic jams as we entered downtown Barcelona.
After checking into our hotel, not far from the conference center, we made our way down the Carrer de Blai, a pedestrian mall with dozens of excellent restaurants. We picked Boca Oreja (word of mouth) and had a sumptuous meal that began with my first patatas bravas (roasted potatoes with a mayonnaise and pepper sauce) and included the best octopus dish I've ever eaten.
Over the next few days, we visited many of the tourist sites in Barcelona - the Palau National art museum with its commanding views of the city, the botanical gardens, the Gothic quarter, the Picasso Museum - if ever you had a doubt about Picasso being a genius, just check out some of the work he did as a young teenager - and countless other places that we could reach on foot. We also encountered some demonstrations - crowded but peaceful. Of course that would change soon after our departure from Barcelona.
 Looking down at Barcelona and the fountains from the Palau National. |  Demonstrators for 'dialogue' heading to the Parliament building. |
Sunset from the Palau National.
We also found some notable restaurants: the Juice House with great organic and vegetarian dishes - super lunch; Mino in the Gothic quarter where I had my first paella - loaded with scallops and seafood; and the Restaurant Amfora where we had a grilled vegetable appetizer followed by sea bass smothered in cepes (exotic mushrooms now in season in Europe).
Before leaving Barcelona on Sunday, we had to see some of the Gaudi architecture. Our first stop was the Sagrada Familia. They began construction on this somewhat bizarre basilica in the 1880s and don't expect to complete it until 2026, the hundredth anniversary of Gaudi's death.
From there, we made our way to Park Guell, a fantastic park designed by Gaudi with unusual buildings, exotic structures, and great views of the city. Unfortunately, to get into most of the buildings and the most exotic parts of the park, you need to reserve (and pay) several days in advance, so we just toured this magical place.
Before leaving Barcelona on Sunday, we had to see some of the Gaudi architecture. Our first stop was the Sagrada Familia. They began construction on this somewhat bizarre basilica in the 1880s and don't expect to complete it until 2026, the hundredth anniversary of Gaudi's death.
From there, we made our way to Park Guell, a fantastic park designed by Gaudi with unusual buildings, exotic structures, and great views of the city. Unfortunately, to get into most of the buildings and the most exotic parts of the park, you need to reserve (and pay) several days in advance, so we just toured this magical place.
 Sangrada Familia.  A tunnel in the Park Guell. |  Sangrada Familia construction.  One of the entrances to the Park Guell. |
After strolling through the park, we dropped Victor and Lee Ann at the airport and started our six-hour drive back to Guethary. This time we decided to cross the high Pyrenees on a 'new' road. The somewhat mundane, barren flatlands of the Spanish plains gave way to rolling hills as we approached the Pyrenees. We stopped for lunch in the tiny town of Yequeda and had a superb meal at the Hotel Fetra.
 View into the garden from the dining room at the Hotel Fetra. |  Winding through the south side of the Pyrenees. |
Winding up into the Pyrenees, the south side was mostly dry and treeless. We passed through many tunnels, but I wasn't prepared for the 8 kilometer (5 mile) long Somport tunnel that joins Spain to France.
Exiting the tunnel, we found ourselves at 5300 feet of altitude in lush green France. The trip back to Guethary was uneventful but much more scenic than northern Spain.
Exiting the tunnel, we found ourselves at 5300 feet of altitude in lush green France. The trip back to Guethary was uneventful but much more scenic than northern Spain.
 Beginning of the descent from the Somport Tunnel into France. |  Back to lush, green France! |
There's apparently some controversy surrounding this pass through the Pyrenees. Spain is extending their Autoroute/Toll Roads in Spain to climb up the Spanish side of the pass into the Tunnel. But on the other side, as you can see above, the road narrows.
Overall, we enjoyed our trip to Barcelona. The politics are interesting if unstable. My personal belief, as a relatively uninformed foreigner, is that the independence movement was an attempt to negotiate to regain the autonomy that Catalonia experienced several years ago, to become an autonomous region within Spain, much like the Basque region is now.
From what I can see, Catalonia could never have stood on its own economically. They could never have become part of the EU and since most of their revenues come from Spain, losing that income with a separation could be fatal to the region. Unfortunately, it was a tough game of cat and mouse and as I write this, it's not looking good for Catalonia. Carles Puigdemont is under arrest in Belgium and Spain has charged him and his associates with treason. There is a lot of support for Catalonia's independence or perhaps autonomy here in the Pays Basque with demonstrations today. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail before something disastrous happens.
Overall, we enjoyed our trip to Barcelona. The politics are interesting if unstable. My personal belief, as a relatively uninformed foreigner, is that the independence movement was an attempt to negotiate to regain the autonomy that Catalonia experienced several years ago, to become an autonomous region within Spain, much like the Basque region is now.
From what I can see, Catalonia could never have stood on its own economically. They could never have become part of the EU and since most of their revenues come from Spain, losing that income with a separation could be fatal to the region. Unfortunately, it was a tough game of cat and mouse and as I write this, it's not looking good for Catalonia. Carles Puigdemont is under arrest in Belgium and Spain has charged him and his associates with treason. There is a lot of support for Catalonia's independence or perhaps autonomy here in the Pays Basque with demonstrations today. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail before something disastrous happens.
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