March 23-26:
Happily back to home-base in Anderlecht (Brussels) with Kristin, Benny, Korcho, Sinta and the cats.
Flixbus made the 2 ½ hour hop from Utrecht to Brussels comfortable and easy. After our self-imposed COVID-absence of nearly 3 years, we arrived at the Sintobin home via taxi from Brussels North Station.
Astrid Park, across the street is a pleasant way to walk to the old center of Anderlecht, Across the street from our cappuccino stop, we visited the restored home where Erasmus (a 15th century Dutch Renaissance humanist, theologian and writer) lived in 1521 while working on the translation of the New Testament from Greek to Latin. Behind the museum, we found expansive, peaceful gardens.
March 27 - 28:
To the southwest of France- 740 miles
Due to the increase in Omnicron-Covid cases, Benny and Kristin substituted their Tesla for the planned fast train (our first Tesla road trip). Benny was happy to do the driving and to patiently explain all the bells and whistles of this car. The beautiful weather continues. The freeway miles passed quickly with books on tape: A humorous novel about a Brit moving to a small Pyrenees town and chapters from History of Spain: Land on a Crossroads.
The town of Cahors
About 70 miles north of Toulouse, we took a longer break for coffee and ice cream in Cahors, a town known for robust, red wines (must be at least 70% Malbec) and the Pont Valentre, the medieval bridge with 3 towers built in the 14th century which crosses the Lot River. This attractive area with nicely developed walking, cycling paths along both sides of the river that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site is located on one branch of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Bob spotted the scallop shell symbol on the path, indicating the direction the pilgrims follow on their journeys to Spain.
Continuing to the southwest, near Toulouse we saw the sign for the Canal du Midi as we passed over it--good memories of having cycled below on our trip along the canal from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean 3 years ago.
March 28 - 30:
We arrived in the evening in Laroque des Alberes at the vacation home of a former colleague of Kristin. The town is at the foot of the Pyrenees Orientales in southwest France, a short distance from the Mediterranean. We let ourselves in and enjoyed the local red wine with dinner.
We stayed up late to watch the first half of a "March Madness" basketball game, as the University of North Carolina (where Kristin and Benny attended graduate school) ended the Cinderella run of St. Peters.
Over the next two-plus days Kristin and Benny worked while we relaxed. They had sufficient break time to help us explore the town and the coast. We walked up into village center, built in the 11th century around the castle whose tower is prominent on the hillside. The 360 degree view from the tower gives captures the snow capped Pyrenees and--over tiled rooftops-- the Mediterranean Sea. We love the glazed clay down spouts we came across.
And, of course, we found a place to enjoy our daily cappuccino.
The lemon and orange trees in the area are laden with fruit, other fruit trees are flowering.
Collioure
Monday afternoon: We took a short drive with Benny to Collioure, passing hillsides of pruned grapevines on terraces stabilized by rock walls. Collioure is a seaside village on the Mediterranean whose colors and light inspired Matisse and other painters in the early 1900s. The medieval Chateau Royal de Collioure right at the sea, vibrant-pastel-colored houses, plants, narrow medieval alley-walkways, and promenades make a walk about town delightful.
We are just 25 miles from Spain,
but we are already in the extensive region that is Catalan.
If you must know, the region of Catalan (when we cross the border it will be Catalunya or Catalonia) was divided between France and Spain by the Treaty of the Pyrenees signed on Pheasant Island in 1659 as Europe wound down from the Thirty Years' War. Do remember this!
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