Paros, part II

Our time in Greece was the calm before the storm. We had thought to spend our August vacation there, but this was before we knew that Roberts wouldn’t have such a vacation, as we were headed back to the US. Upon finding out, we attempted to cram those three weeks into one, and despite the busy days overflowing with sightseeing, beaches, white and blue, we managed to rest and restore before the whirlwind of packing and final preparations started.

white and blue, white and blue

If planning a visit to Greece, I wholeheartedly recommend a similar approach to ours as it was a perfect combination of historic, beach and island life. Fly into Athens and stay a few days, visit the Acropolis and sample the nightlife. But then board a ferry headed for an island, Santorini or Mykonos if you wish to join the thousands of others with the same idea, or Paros and Antiparos if you wish a more exclusive experience. Book a quiet room in Parikia and spend your days on one of the many beaches, dining on fresh seafood, shopping in the stores of local artisians and joining the locals in the evenings for a drink in one of the many ocean-side restaurants. The Argonauta hotel is ideal, whether you are visiting for a few nights and wish a hotel room in the very center of town, or a few weeks and need an apartment with a kitchen. A wonderful value, the service was impeccable, the rooms clean and comfortable, and the restaurant serving fresh local food. Our experience there was perfect, although we left the island one or two days to take a ferry to another island, we returned each night to our little home away from home. Discovering that each island has its individual character, feel, architecture and history only added to the experience, and I would suggest adding these side trips to your itinerary. But most of all, forget the everyday and switch to “island time” – you will remember your days in the Greek islands forever.

One of the many shops luring you with open doors and charming displays

Our last day on Paros was spent sampling everything the island had to offer. We caught the early morning light to take a few more photographs and visit the remains of the Parikia castle. Built with the temple pieces from the site, the columns and even inscriptions were easily identifiable in the walls. I took the same route the next morning as well, weaving through the streets until I reached the bay, again sneaking out before the heat to snap those last pictures.

The original recycling, with Paros marble

Then up into the hills in the center of the island with Evdoxia, to visit her relative’s ceramics studio YRIA. The china lining the shelves, waiting to be painted. The tiles yet to be put into the kiln, the coffee cups sitting in a row, maybe you can imagine the scene through the eyes of both two year olds? Luckily we escaped with only minor damage, and a bag full of goodies to bring with us to the US.

Another day at the office

Then lunch, once more the freshest seafood with a cool white wine to combat the heat of the day. Followed by our last trip to the beach, this time a wide stretch of sand on the bluest bay. Hiding from the sun under beach umbrellas we took repeated trips out into the blue to cool down, and the afternoon passed unnoticed.

Had to sneak this in here... do you think he'll notice?

We all headed to Naoussa (Νάουσα) that last evening. Another port on the north end of Paros, it is well known for the nightlife and dining options. As the sun set we strolled the streets, people watching and sightseeing, later eating a meal of seafood pasta that I will have to search long and hard to match. One by one the children fell asleep, in strollers and carriers. The adults eventually tired as well and so we left the nightclubs to the single crowd and returned to Parikia to rest before our early morning departure by ferry to the Athens airport.
   

Antiparos, Greece

We returned to Paros from our day cruise to Santorini tired, but hungry, and so along with Evdoxia, Marina and Stephan we headed out for souvlaki. The gyros just added evidence to my theory that the favorite of all the food I have sampled while living in Europe is Greek food. I could have eaten a dozen, as it stands I believe I had two and also polished off what Lauris could not eat! Souvlaki could be termed fast food, but the pork served was probably healthier than any fast food you’ll find in the US, and the combination of meat, pita and tzatziki beats a burger in my book. Anyone have a tzatziki recipe they are willing to share with me?

The following morning Lauris got a haircut, because the poor guy was overheating in this weather with his long locks. As the last real haircut had been kind of disastrous, I was very happy to let a professional handle the job. Lauris wasn’t quite as calm as with his first haircut, but while sitting in my lap things went pretty smoothly and now he has a great hot-weather do!

A rare picture of Lauris after haircut without his hat on

La coupe de cheveux finished, we once again headed for a destination off-island, but this time Evdoxia and Stephan were coming with. There is a ferry to Antiparos from Parikia, but as the island is located less than a mile from Paros at closest point we headed south to Pounta, where the ferry is more of a hop across a channel instead of a longer ride like our ferry rides until now. The car ferry docked in Antiparos and we were off, headed to the biggest tourist destination on the island, σπήλαιο Αντπάρον. The Cave of Antiparos is in the southeast part of the island at the top of Ai Yiannis Hill. Residents have known about the cave for a long time, but the interior wasn’t documented until 1673 when the French ambassador of Constantinople paid a visit. A large stalagmite at the entrance is 45 million years old and supposedly the oldest in Europe, and there are 411 steps leading to the bottom of the cave. The number 411 is from a little informational brochure, we didn’t count as we were all too busy hauling the three kids up and down… But please do not misunderstand; the cave was worth the climb especially as the temperature within was about 60° F compared to the 100° temperatures outside. There was also a most beautiful little church at the entrance, this one dedicated to Saint John (Agios Ioannis Spiliotis).

With Evdoxia, Stephan and Mikus in the cave of Antiparos

Then, my favorite time of day, time to eat! We chose a restaurant on the sea in Agio Georgios, with a view across a channel to the Despotiko. As Evdoxia explained it, the more ferries one has to take to reach an island/beach, the less tourists and more exclusive. Antiparos is already two ferries removed; Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis and Pierce Brosnan have vacation homes there and other celebrities such as Brangelina and Prince Albert supposedly visit on a regular basis, but the Despotiko beaches are considered even more select, as the island is uninhabited and three ferries removed. Our meal was fantastic; freshly caught red snapper and other fish, delicious yet light on a hot summer day.

Another fish on the menu was this catch, dried in the sun along with the octopus... maybe next time?

It wouldn’t be a visit to Antiparos without a trip to the beach, and so we left the car on a dusty side road and walked along a well-worn path to the ocean. A narrow strip of beach with shade trees provided a perfect spot for us, and we splashed around in the surf, hunted for pumice in the sand and enjoyed the cool water and hot sun.

We drove back to the Antiparos port and took a walk to enjoy the bougainvillea covered white houses with the traditional blue shutters and doors. Roberts ate another gyros pita and we took a tour of the 1440 castle. To protect the inhabitants from pirates, many islands have similar complexes, this one with over twenty two-story houses, three churches and aqueduct.

The churches were added in later centuries

As the sun fell lower in the sky we returned to the car to catch the return ferry to Paros, and before too long we were back in Parikia eating another delicious meal of seafood. The days were passing much too quickly for my liking, but we had another full day in Paros to enjoy the Greek islands.

Santorini, Greece

Waking up to the early morning alarm in our cool island apartment I was wondering why we even thought to leave Paros to see another island; we had explored very little of the island we were on and there were still dozens of beaches and towns we could visit. But our local guide and friend Evdoxia had recommended a day cruise to Santorini and described it as incredible, so it was with our boys still half-asleep, daypacks and stroller that we headed for the harbor before the sun had warmed the cool white walls.

The heat just meant this guy got to go naked half the time

We had bought tickets on the Naxos Star the previous day and arranged to board a minibus in Parikia to take us across-island to catch the ferry. Piso Livadi is the port closest to Marpissa, a town on the east coast of Paros. No sooner had the ferry appeared than passengers streamed from all sides to board, and not long after the last person had climbed aboard the boat gunned its engines and headed south to Santorini. Smaller than the ferry that broughtus to Paros, the rocking of the boat was more pronounced and the time to reach our destination a little longer. We relaxed the best we could taking frequent walks around the boat to see what could be seen and to get some fresh air, and 2 hours later we entered the Santorini archipelago.



Lauris has got the

Pūliņš sea-legs



The southernmost Cyclades island as well as the most active volcano in the Agean, it is actually composed of several islands that are the remnants of a volcanic caldera. Originally a single island, there was an enormous volcanic explosion 3600 years ago which formed the caldera surrounded by cliffs and open to the sea in the northwest and southwest. On the outside of the islands the land sloped down to beaches, but the area is most famous for the towns and villages lining the clifftops. It is sometimes thought that the Thera (or Minoan) eruption was the source of the legend of Atlantis as the eruption and following ash cloud may have been the cause of the collapse of the Minoan civilization on Crete merely 68 miles south.

Source: Wikipedia

We docked in the port of Santorini where a coach bus was waiting to take us to Oia, the northwest-most town on the cliffside of the largest of the islands, Thíra. The whole drive was spent entranced by not just the views, but also the lore, history and facts told to us by our tour guide. As the giant coach couldn’t navigate the tiny paths trhough town, it parked, and our guide then led us by foot to the center of town before leaving us to our own devices. We spent our two hours in Oia taking photos of the grand view and sampling the Santorini salad, named after the cherry tomatoes bursting with flavor, grown right there on the island. Due to the heat and the stroller, exploring the dozens of winding stairways down the side of the cliff was impossible, but there were plenty of views to be had along the main drag.

Oia is famous for its sunsets, but also known for the traditional architecture. Only parts of the houses are visible, the rest reach into the volcanic rock on the sides of the cliff. The mix of churches, Venetian houses and small “incave” village homes can be attributed to the large Catholic population, the Venetian rule over the island, the history of the island as a home to rich, sea-faring captains and the original medieval fortifications that protected the population from pirates. Our two hours were up much too quickly.

Back on the air-conditioned coach to our next destination, Fira, actually just a different pronunciation of the ancient name of the island, Thíra. Also built on the edge of the cliff, the town is famous for the quintessentially “Greek island” white-washed houses. Our guide led us to the White Orthodox Cathedral and then we were once again free to explore. Ice cream, snacks, postcards, photographs and attempts to find shade sum up this part of the day well. Both Oia and Fira were filled to the brim with tourists, but by exploring the passageways just off the main drag one can leave the hordes behind. We immediately understood why the town is so popular with tourists; the view was breathtaking. It spans the entire caldera, Cape Akrotiri to the south all the way north to Cape Ag. Nikolaos, plus the central volcanic island Nea Kameni.

The benefit to taking a day cruise was that we were able to see quite a bit without having to coordinate any of the transportation ourselves. The downside was that we were on someone else’s schedule and itinerary. We spent the hottest hours of the day trying to enjoy this picturesque island, all the while worrying about the well-being of the two children. I longed to check out the famous  black beach or enjoy the sunset while dining cliffside in Oia, but as I decided on the ferry ride back, we’ll just have to return someday. In the meantime we should better explore Paros and surrounding area, beginning with a visit to the closest island, Antiparos.

 

 

Paros I, Greece

Once we had gotten from Athens to the port city of Piraeus the rest of the journey to the island of Paros was relatively easy – board the ferry and enjoy the ride. There are dozens of daily ferry boat departures leaving from the port. We had pre-booked tickets to ensure a spot, and although this turned out to be unnecessary as it was a very large boat, the advance research was helpful as there are different companies and different speed boats operating. The Greek ferries database website suggested by my friend was a great help in understanding the options, as most ferries also stop at more than one island.

Upon arrival we disembarked in the town of Parikia, on the west coast of the island of Paros, an island of the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea. Known for its flawless white marble, the term “Parian” is now used to describe marble or china of this translucent, high quality. Our first impression of Parikia was of whitewashed walls, blue windows and doors, flowering vines and a sparkling blue bay. The houses are built and decorated in the traditional Cycladic style: flat roofs, the white walls and blue-painted doors and shutters. We followed Evdoxia through alleyways painted white to our apartment, cool and calm with a courtyard that looked straight out of a magazine. Orange trees shading a hammock with white walls creating an oasis within the town, I had a fleeting thought that perhaps I wouldn’t have to leave this very spot the whole time we would be here…

Lauris had his own tour guide, Marina

We dined at the restaurant of the Argonauta hotel, fresh seafood paired with a refreshing white wine. Lauris must have been exhausted, but his excitement of being reunited with his friend Stephan in addition to a plate of a favorite food (fries) kept him awake and smiling; the giggles continued late that evening as we enjoyed the company of good friends in a setting worthy of the cover of a travel magazine.

The Argonauta hotel

Breakfast was had in the courtyard of the apartment after which we received our first tour of the town. In the main square is the largest church, the Panagia Ekatontapiliani, which means "church of the hundred doors". These "doors" include windows, and 99 of them have been discovered/uncovered. It is said to have been founded by the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, Saint Helen, during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land and possibly dates back to 390 AD. Evdoxia’s brother had been married here just two nights previous and I could imagine the hundreds of guests gathering to partake in this family honor.

"The church of the hundred doors"

We also stopped at the archaeological museum housing some of local finds such as the Gorgo statue from 580 BC and the figure of a Nike from around 480 BC. There was a piece present from the Parian Chronicle, a marble-chronology of ancient Greece describing events from 1500 BC to 264 BC, which seems like a short time ago upon learning the earliest traces of habitation in the area (islet of Saliagos) date to the Late Neolithic period (5300-4500 BC).

By the way, this is PH... PRE haircut

As the sun reached its peak and the heat became unbearable we retreated to our oasis to rest. Later, refreshed, we departed for the beach opposite the town across the bay, a thin strip of sand with a wall of rocks providing shade from the still-hot sun. Even with Mikus in my arms I could have spent days lounging in that beach chair, reading a book, or maybe borrowing goggles and a snorkel to explore the rockier shore a little farther down. The afternoon passed in a flash, as Mikus swam in the Mediterranean for the first time and Lauris learned to float with the aid of little floaties encircling his upper arms. The soft white sand and fresh cobalt waters provided us a respite from all the traveling, planning, and chaos of the transition period we’re in that we had not been able to find in Clermont-Ferrand.

And for dinner? Again, fresh seafood. Catch of the day, calamari and shrimp with Greek salads and fried cheese appetizers once more served with a local white wine brought me to the realization that I love Greek cuisine more than any other I’ve had the luck to sample in my time in Europe. The feta and honey, the seafood and olives, many of my favorite ingredients were presented in endless variations on this trip, and the only thing that prevented me from ordering more and more was two little children whose patience for dining extends only as long as iPad battery life.

Our evening ended with a stroll along the main drag next to the bay, teeming with tourists enjoying the food, wines and cool breeze off the sea. It was tempting to put the boys to bed and return to sample the nightlife ourselves, but once the two finally closed their eyes the fatigue from the sea and the sun caught up to us as well. We crawled into bed and dreamed of blue sea and white walls, of which there would be plenty more of in Santorini, our next destination.

Athens, Greece

And still, I dream of Greece. With 95° + days here in South Carolina and added humidity that brings heat indexes comparable to our days spent in Athens, I dream of the blue waters and dry landscapes. After returning from a trip to the grocery store covered in a film of sweat I dream of returning from the beach with a film of salt covering my swim after a dip in the clear, cool sea. Surrounded by fast food and chain restaurants I dream of the fresh seafood and crisp local wines enjoyed with the sound of the waves as backdrop. And as our weeks fill with the tasks required of us to find a place to live and a car, I can’t help but dream of the hours spent lounging in the shade, doing nothing more than hiding from the heat.

Our first day in Greece brought none of lounging and dining, as it was mostly spent traveling. Finding acceptable airline rates to Athens only from Lyon, we packed up the car and headed the two hours east to LYS airport. Car, the first of many forms of transportation we would take in the next days, followed shortly by bus, the shuttle that took us from long-term parking to the terminal. Then a plane, to Zurich, where despite our delayed arrival we still arrived in time to board our connecting flight. And finally, a taxi taking us from ATH to downtown Athens. We should have joined the locals enjoying the coolness sunset brings grabbing a bite to eat at one of the outdoor cafes; instead we opted to try getting some rest in exchange for an early start the following morning.

Roberts and Lauris in front of the Temple of Hephaestus

With temperatures in excess of 100° at 10am, we discarded plans to visit the Acropolis and instead headed to the Athenian Agora, where we hoped there still might be some shade from the midday sun. The best-known example of an ancient Greek agora, it is northwest of the Acropolis and accessible by foot from our hotel on the east side of the central downtown Plaka neighborhood.

Temple of Hephaestus

The central Athenian government in the 6^th century BC, there were temples to Hephaestus, Zeus and Apollo as well as law courts, the stoas housing the markets, and many other public buildings. Framed by hills to the south and west, the Temple of Hephaistos is at the top of the hill of Kolonos Agoraios at the very west edge of the Agora, and  was our first stop. While Roberts hid with the boys in the shade of a tree to cool down from our walk, I ran around taking some quick photos before rejoining them to empty another water bottle and make the call that we would have to return to the hotel as it was just too hot.

Temple of Hephaestus

We did walk through the rest of the Agora, passing the Middle Stoa to reach the Stoa of Attalos from 159-138 BC, constructed from Pentelic marble with an impressive Doric columnade. It houses the Museum of the Ancient Agora that just wasn’t in our cards with the two mini-travelers, and so we continued through the Plaka until we found a quiet restaurant perfectly suited for lunch and a cool-down before naptime at the hotel. The Melina Café – friendly people, delicious food, refreshing cold drinks and a great atmosphere make this a great choice. Skip the tourist traps for this quiet corner of the Plaka and enjoy the décor honoring the late Melina Mercouri, according to the café owners “the last Greek Goddess,” famous Greek actress, singer and politician.  

Melina Cafe in the Plaka

As it was still quite hot in late afternoon when we ventured out again, we opted to try the Athens Happy Train, a little tourist train that took us on a loop around downtown. Lauris is absolutely mad about trains; he was content to cruise around waving at anyone who looked our way. Roberts and I were happy to have an informative commentary describing the sights we saw, but the best part was being able to see the city without walking in the heat. We passed Parliament and the National Gardens, where next to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier a traditional honor guard stands dressed in traditional costume. Then past the Presidential Palace and the Panathenaic Stadium, everywhere a police presence obvious. After passing the Temple of Zeus and the Hadrian Arch we looped through the Plaka to reach the Ancient Roman Market in Monastiraki and the Agora we had already visited in the morning. Finally we cruised past the entry to the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum.

The train made a stop in the Plaka for a chance to shop

By this point we were a bit hungry, so we found the restaurant our cabbie from the previous evening had declared as having the best moussaka in town. Funny thing – they didn’t have moussaka. But our meal was delicious, my grilled feta was heavenly. With sesame seeds and honey, the result was a refreshing combination on a hot Athens night. Tzitzikaskai Mermigkas, I believe it was on Mitropoleos street…

We could have walked to the next destination now that things had cooled down, but with the two kids we decided to save our feet the climb up Lycabettus Hill and take a taxi instead. He dropped us off at the base of a long set of stairs that weren’t compatible with the stroller we had with. Once at the top however our persistence paid off, the nighttime view over all of Athens was unbeatable!

We enjoyed a glass of wine with dessert at the hilltop restaurant while gazing out over the Acropolis and enjoyed a peaceful, comfortable moment . But soon it was time to return to the hotel, as we hoped to get an earlier start the following morning. There is a funicular running up and down the side of the hill, and we paid for one-way tickets assuming we could walk from there. I would suggest either taking a taxi or walking the whole way, as the tickets were expensive, the hours erratic and the distance short. Maybe worth it on the trip up the hill, certainly not on the way down. At the bottom we also had our learning experience with the taxis. Once we discovered we were not any closer to the hotel and realized we would have to take a taxi, they knew they had us. Charging us the night rate even it was an hour before the deadline, the resulting fare was more than double what it should have been. Lesson learned – stick to your guns, agree on a fare beforehand and if something seems wrong, it probably is. The driver dropped us off around the corner from the hotel, probably to avoid being seen by our concierge, as well as to force us to pay up quicker as we were being dumped on a busy intersection with a stroller and two kids. It was hard not to let the experience ruin our evening, but soon showered and snug in a comfy bed it was easier to remember the fresh breeze on my skin overlooking the lights of Athens.

And then, it was time. Early morning, and already hot, we got the earliest start to the Acropolis that we could but by the time we reached the entry the crowds had as well. It was extremely hard to enjoy the Parthenon and other magnificent ruins when we were fretting about the kids overheating, whether their sunscreen had melted off and why we were the only people with children under 12 in the 105°+ temperatures. So after fighting our way through the crowds past the Theatre of Dionysos and Odion Herodes Atticus to the top of the Acropolis, we found a rare spot of shade to regroup and change gameplans. While Roberts stayed with Lauris and Mikus I raced around to see all that I could see before replacing Roberts while he took a quick loop. Perhaps not the best way to enjoy an UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates back to the 6^th century BC?

The Parthenon

I had studied the Parthenon and the Erechtheum back in my freshman year when I thought I would be an architect – the study of these magnificent cultural monuments left a lasting impression on me, and seeing them in person was a tremendous privilege. To see and photograph the southern "Porch of the Maidens", was a highlight for me of our entire time in Europe. Although not the original sculptures (5 of which are on display in the Acropolis Museum while they are being restored), the engineering that enables the caryatids to support the heavy weight of the porch roof while retaining feminine proportions is just unbelievable. I wish I could see them in first light of morning,  sunset and night, to see the light play across the porch in every season…

The Porch of Maidens

As the Acropolis Museum is closed on Mondays we headed back to the hotel, to cool down and take our naps before taking a taxi to the port of Pireas on the Saronic Gulf. The port is located on the west coast, southwest of Athens, while the airport is located between Athens and the east coast. We would not be passing through Athens again as we would be completing our return trip through the port of Rafina on the east coast. It was with sadness that I watched the Acropolis disappear from view out the back window as the taxi sped through heavy afternoon traffic  to take us to our next mode of transportation, the ferry we would take to Paros.

The Languedoc-Roussillon

To the southwest of the rounded hills of the Auvergne where we live and to the west of the famous Provence is the Languedoc-Roussillon. The region has a wide range of topography, from the plateaux of the Margeride, checkered with pastureland and forests, to the sheer limestone cliffs and deep river gorges of the Causses. To the east of the Lot river and the gorges are the rugged Cévenne mountains with their complex network of ridges and gullies. The Cévennes were impenetrable for centuries partially due to the impressive fortifications along the ridges.

On our recent trip south we witnessed the changes in topography farther to the west, where soft hills and fertile valleys sport the ségalas, the rye fields (although we saw more rapeseed fields, noticeable because of the striking yellow blossoms). Between the Causses and the Cévennes are the limestone hills of the Garrigues and the wine-growing plains of the Bas Languedoc.

Once we entered the Garrigues, the scenery dramatically changed; the white rocks, olive trees, vines and clumps of oaks, broom and aromatic wild thyme and rosemary resembled a truly Mediterranean landscape. Between the Garrigues and the coast vineyards seem to stretch as far as the eye can see. Summer brings the tourist crowds, and fall brings the bustle of the grape harvest. And since the Languedoc c'est le pays du vent (is the land of the wind), in addition to the five winds, Le Vent Tramontane, Le Vent Cers (and the prenom, is it Edgars?), Le Vent Scirocco, Le Vent Autan and Le Vent Marin, there are windfarms everywhere.

And finally at the southern edge the Pyrenees make a natural border between Spain and France. The slopes on the French side are incredibly steep, and are scored by valleys and high ridges. These link the Pyrenees to the inland plains and the coastal lagoons.

Sète

We had spent the morning and afternoon in Barcelona, at Park Güell, so our arrival in the French coastal town of Sète took place after sunset. We arrived from the northeast (a quicker route than the smaller roads connecting from the southwest), passing through industrial areas, shipping and train yards. In the darkness we saw groups of younger men hanging out under the streetlights, and I wondered out loud if I had made a mistake in scheduling our homeward bound trip through Sète. We checked into our hotel which was completely normal, but upon exiting for dinner the eerie feeling returned as the streets were deserted, the storefronts dark and our stomachs empty.

Both restaurants I had taken note of in the Michelin Guide had since publication closed their doors, so we quickly abandoned the vacant Grande Rue Mario Rouston for the supposedly more touristy Quai Général Durand and picked one of the almost empty seafood restaurants facing the water. The food was good, the return to the hotel furtive, and the thought that we might shorten our stay front most in our minds.

The view from Mont St-Clair to the north over the Thau lagoon

Sète is at the foot and climbing the slopes of  Mont St-Clair, a 541 foot limestone outcrop on the edge of the Thau lagoon. It was once an island, and today is linked to the mainland by two narrow sand spits, the one to the east we had come in on and the other to the southwest that stretches along the Plage de la Corniche, a 7.5 mile long sandy beach and conservation area. There are several canals cutting through the town and the old harbor, Vieux port, which is still used as a port for fishing boats and yachts. The town had caught our attention due to the famous joustes nautiques that take place on the day of St. Louis in August. I found it hard to believe that it was a Thursday during the holidays and the town was deserted.

The next morning we woke, enjoyed the breakfast buffet at the hotel and ventured out to see if first impressions would be corrected. Daylight made an enormous difference. The streets were filled with people - tourists shopping and strolling, fisherman having returned from the sea, locals with a coffee and paper. It was a different town than we had entered the previous night.

A fantastic octopus and fountain in a square on our hike

We set out for a hike up to Mont St-Clair, which is named after a saint who was venerated there sometime in the middle Ages. Once covered by pine forests and oaks, the hill is now swathed with summer houses and high, solid fences. I wouldn’t recommend this steep climb to others; take your car instead. Lacking pedestrian paths and utilizing roads with cars whizzing by around sharp curves, the way up has some nice views but isn’t worth the risk. However the view from the top made the whole stop in Sète worth it! From the esplanade with the large cross that is lit up every night there was a superb view of the town, the Thau lagoon and the coast. (The Bassin de Thau covers 19,768 acres and is the largest lagoon on the Languedoc coast. It is separated from the sea by the isthmus of Onglous, the beach to the south. The east shore is a busy industrial complex and the north shore villages specialize in oyster and mussel farming.) We could see the Pyrenees to the southwest and the Alpilles to the east!

On our hike down I was ready to jump a fence to get to this pool

On our descent we stopped at the museum dedicated to Paul Valéry, poet and singer-songwriter born in Sète. While Roberts explored the museum I took advantage of an extremely rare occurrence – both boys were asleep! I parked Lauris in the shade, transferred Mikus from the bjorn to a lounge chair, ordered a café and relaxed with a view of the sea, the town and the cemetery.

The final resting place of Valéry and Jean Vilar, the cliff top cemetery stretches across the side of the hill facing the sparkling Mediterranean with a sea of crosses. We stopped there too before continuing back down to the quay.

Lauris spotted a little tourist train making its way through town, and so we found the tourist office to find out where to hop aboard. The tourist center was helpful with brochures and information, as well as bins of toys Lauris could play with while we organized ourselves. Then, with tickets in hand, we set out on a little train ride around town, informing us of the history and landmarks of Sète.

The town developed in the 17^th century, although the harbor, rail lines and maritime canal were developed in the 19^th. Today the port ships bulk goods, passengers and containers to North and West Africa, South America, the French Caribbean and Australia. We were already familiar with Quai Général Durand, and after the little train ride we saw Quai de la Marine (but we missed the 3:30pm electronic auction or criée électronique!).

And finally, a stop at the park so that Lauris could expend some of that energy before dinner. As the sun was sinking in the sky, we noticed that the crowds of people were disappearing. Although nowhere as empty as the previous night, on Friday night the phenomenon was repeated; we once again felt very isolated after dark. There is a marked difference between daylight Sète and nighttime Sète.

The following morning we had only two destinations in mind. The first, Parc panoramique des Pierres Blanches, which is located at the top of Mont St-Clair (although this time we took the car). From a viewing table there is a wide view over the west end of the Thau lagoon, the lower Hérault plains, the sea and the beach, our second destination.

Free parking and an empty beach, what more can I ask for? While Lauris and Roberts chased the waves, my hunt for sea glass was on with Mikus dozing in the shade of our umbrella. It was with sand in our hair and salt on our feet that we packed up the car for the last time to head home.

"I walk the line"

Barcelona

Even after a Gaudí day on our first day in Barcelona, there was still so much to do and see. It seemed overwhelming looking at the map, so instead of intensive scheduling we just headed south from our hotel towards Plaça de Catalunya with the thought to see what we could see. A hub that divides old and new Barcelona, four famous boulevards radiate out from the plaza; la Rambla, Passeig de Gràcia, Rambla de Catalunya and Avinguda Portal de l’Angel. We had spent some time on Passeig de Gràcia the previous day, as La Pedrera and Casa Batlló are both located on this boulevard, and so after a stop to harass the pigeons and bask in the sunshine we headed down Avinguda Portal de l’Angel. Named after the angel that crowned the gate in the medieval wall that once encircled the old town, it is today a pedestrian-only street that leads to the Cathedral.

On Plaça de Catalunya

A 14^th century Gothic construction, supposedly the Catedral was where the Native Americans Christopher Columbus brought to Spain were baptized. Weekly Catalan sardana dances occur in front of the cathedral, and the geese run the show in the cloisters.

The Catedral, note: Roberts is not the one in the Michael Jackson jacket

We cut across to la Rambla to find la Boquería, a produce market bursting with fragrant fresh fruit, strung up legs of ham, olive selections I couldn’t believe, fruit juice stands, little one-counter cafés, curtains of colorful peppers, spices with unpronounceable names, baskets of eggs all sizes and colors, fish and lobsters and crabs galore. More strawberries in our stomachs and fresh fruit juice in hand, we emerged back out onto la Rambla to find Plaça Reial.

A booth in la Boquería

Neoclassical buildings surround the square which is lined with cafés and outdoor seating. We found a spot for lunch and watched the show; it seemed the street artists/panhandlers had some sort of unwritten schedule; they rotated around the plaza, completed their act and then asked for money at all the nearby tables, but they rotated clockwise around the plaza stopping at almost identical locations. While we were seated an acrobatic group, an accordionist, a juggler (on stairs) and perhaps a few others performed, keeping Lauris well entertained.

All smiles in Plaça Reial

La Rambla is something else. One block with flower stands, one with newsstands, one with live animals, interspersed with tourist shops, tapas joints and benches, there is a never-ending parade of characters passing by. Keep your children close and your wallets closer (as advised everywhere in Barcelona), enjoy a coffee or a beer, ignore the continuous din from the men selling noisemakers, and stroll on south to the seafront.

La Rambla

Within Port Vell is a shopping center, aquarium, IMAX cinema, and a shopping center. We walked out past the Columbus monument (where Ferdinand and Isabel welcomed Columbus home after his first trip to America) onto La Rambla del Mar, a wooden pedestrian bridge linking the mall and other attractions, and enjoyed the people-watching. Once back on dry land we headed into the La Ribera district.

I travel light...

The centerpiece of La Ribera is Santa Maria del Mar, a Catalan Gothic church that took only 55 years to build. To the south is the monument to the September 11, 1714 massacre of Catalans by the Bourbon king: an eternal flame burns at the site of the mass burial.

Santa Maria del Mar

We still had some energy left, and so we headed northeast to the 70 acre Parc de la Ciutadella. Built by Philip V to control Barcelona, the citadel was demolished in 1868 and replaced by gardens. It hosted the 1888 World Fair and today is home to the Barcelona zoo and Parliament of Catalonia. I fell in love with the waterfall; designed by Josep Fontserè, it has a touch of Gaudí who was a student at the time.

Parc de la Ciutadella

We thoroughly enjoyed the various playgrounds, took a ride on the giant stone mammoth, and spent a relaxing couple of hours wandering the numerous pathways.

See, I told you there was a mammoth!

Our route home took us back out to la Rambla and through Plaça de Catalunya, which in the setting sun took on a completely different hue. And for dinner, what else than tapas at a tiny little corner restaurant? Twelve little dishes capped off with a dessert that left us feeling sated and happy, wishing for another week to explore the city further! However, after a trip to Parc Güell the next morning it was the start of our journey home, with a stop in coastal Séte…

MJK on La Rambla