Paris Revisited

This leg of the trip is nerve racking. The big picture is that we need to put the campervan in storage in Bristol then fly from London to Shannon, Ireland. The wild card is always the campervan. Since we’ve had mechanical issues that ranged from a few days to months it’s always in the back of our minds. God hates a coward. We eventually found a way to make our way from Spain to Calais with a five night stay in Paris!

Our photos here

There’s a special feeling of freedom when you’ve visited Paris multiple times. You don’t need to fit in all the big sights, you can slow down, relax and enjoy the less frequently visited places and events. Our first day in we had to relearn the extensive transportation system and took a bus, train, and the metro from Marville Paris Est campground to the Marais neighborhood. Rick Steves describes this neighborhood as having “. . . more pre-Revolutionary lanes and mansions than anywhere else in town.” We followed his walk and visited a museum we’d never been to: Carnavalet Museum. Even the walk there felt different. We took our time, checked out interesting architecture and enjoyed the scents wafting from one street where there were multiple perfumeries in very close proximity. 

Paris seemed even more charming than usual. The museum is housed in an impressive mansion and focuses on the history of Paris. The most interesting parts for me were the maps of old Paris, the information about the French Revolution and depictions of buildings that are no longer standing. For example, there was once a Tuileries Palace and Gardens but only the gardens remain. I didn’t even know guillotine earrings existed. 

We continued along one of Rick Steves’ walks to the Jewish quarter where we enjoyed one of the quintessential Paris pastimes - drinks at a cafe and people-watching. 

One woman walked by in a dress made of fabric that did not swing, it bounced up and down making we wonder how it was made. Tiny slinkies perhaps? I wish I’d gotten a picture of a man walking his dog but I was too fascinated by every detail of their coordinated red and black look that made them a joy to watch. The dog’s gait even seemed to match the flow of his owner’s wide-legged swingy pants. We had two disappointing meals this day, I wouldn’t mind it so much but I’d ordered classics.

We’d hoped to see Notre Dame but couldn’t get reserved entry online so we decided to go on a Rick Steves Audio App walk which included the outside of Notre Dame. We walked past the very long line of people without reservations hoping to get in. While listening and staring at the beautiful stone carvings surrounding the doors, the heavens opened up and we were among the many people running for cover. As the rain lessen, Dermot noted the line had shrunk and we scurried to join. We were inside only 10 minutes later, making him hero for the day. 

The Notre Dame fire in 2019 dominated world news. It’s literally astounding how this beloved cathedral has risen from the ashes. According to Wikipedia, by September, 2021 at least 320,000 donors had contributed over €840 million to the reconstruction efforts and it reopened in 2024. The interior virtually glistens with light and color. Taking a few moments to focus on other visitors, I was moved by the expanse of humanity all converging on this one place to gaze around in wonder. I loved the stained glass and the works by Matisse. Afterwards, we continued following Rick Steves walk taking in a medieval Orthodox Church, the narrowest house in Paris (currently under renovation) and another Irish pub. That night we had a wonderful dinner in a RS recommended restaurant at a communal table in an elegant, reasonably-priced restaurant. 

The following day we took in the Tuileries Gardens which now features a giant orb lit by a flameless fire featured in the 2024 Olympics. The Musée D’Orsay is a favorite of ours but we didn’t love how crowded it was. We followed RS’s audio tour of the museum which is exceptionally well done. It allowed us to learn more and savor the highlights without leaving us exhausted at the end. The Impressionism rooms were the most packed and we had to wait and shuffle our way up to see some of the most famous works. Completely worth it for time near great art.

Google maps found us the closest Irish Pub which was called the James Joyce Bar - it was a very chic bar in a chic hotel. Definitely not much of an Irish Pub vibe here but we enjoyed our drinks and found a good spot for dinner. 

The highlight of our Paris trip was the David Hockney 2025 Exhibition in the Foundation Louis Vuitton. I’ve always liked David Hockney and this was his biggest exhibition. There were over 400 works representing his entire artistic career from both institutional and private collections.

I hope this app works for you.

 The downloadable app (in the photo) was extremely well done. It’s incredibly inspiring that he’s in his late eighties and is still making art in multiple media including digital art on an iPad. The Foundation Louis Vuitton building is also an incredible piece of architecture.

That night we had a wonderful dinner at Café du Marché which is sentimental for me because I recall going there on a trip with my children when they were young many years ago.

I can’t really express how much gratitude I felt for days after this leg of the trip. 

Spain’s Basque Region

 

The moment you enter the Basque region you sense the change. We were here for less than a week so what we notice are surface things such as the dual languages on places and businesses of the practical things we experience. Lots more x’s and k’s, for example. But there’s also a sense that natives of the region have a feeling of otherness that runs much deeper. Our guide book gives a taste of the meaning of it, but the graffiti makes it palpable. 

Our photos here (i for information)

Bilbao

The closest available campground was in the town of Sopela, over an hour from Bilbao by walking and public transportation, because the closer one had been taken over for a weekend music event that was still being dismantled. After driving into Sopela and settling into the campsite, we did chores and noted that the campground restaurant opened for lunch at 1:30, then closed at 4 and reopened at 8:30 for dinner.  Sigh. We ate our grocery store finds for dinner, then walked steeply down to the beach. Even after 8 pm, there were lots of surfers catching good waves and families enjoying the beautiful ocean, sand and great weather. 

The trip into Bilboa took us over an hour but we were instantly greeted by a city pulsing with energy and presided over by impressive architecture. We had timed entry tickets for the Guggenheim Museum for 1 pm but I couldn’t help being stopped in my tracks by the gorgeous festooned facades of belle epoch buildings and equally arresting structures of various styles with elegant balconies. We got a light lunch at a vegetarian/coffee shop, but this being Spain, they had a ham option for Dermot. 

Museo Guggenheim Bilbao is an incredible building designed by Frank Gehry. The exterior soars and dips with twisting planes of gleaming silver scales. My photos and words, of course, don’t do it justice. A video in the museum shows how this site, that used to be an industrial wasteland, was transformed into a beautiful architectural showpiece. The exterior even has many sculptures, one is covered in blossoms and known as “Puppy.”

The whole museum is designed to provide expansive spaces required by modern installation art as well as more blocky traditional spaces. The permanent collection is filled with wonderful, thought-provoking art. There are pictures in the album and here’s the QR code for those who want more. 

I’ve also included a brief video of the immersive audiovisual installation called “Living Architecture: Gehry.” The installation had the biggest audience in the whole museum. People were sitting on couches and even lying on the floor watching. I’ve also including a photo of the explanation. I was mesmerized. Based on the viewers’ expressions of both wonderment and zen, I’d say it’s either mind control, or the favored place to go when you’re stoned or maybe it’s both.

We then strolled along the river which was thirsty work on this warm day so we headed for an Irish pub that Google maps said was open. Yet again, the Irish will not be dictated to by posted hours and it was closed. So we found another bar on a crowded street for our rest. While sipping on cider and beer we consulted our guide books and maps for the best places for pintxos (like tapas) - many of which are in a square in the historic part of town.

The plan was to go to several places ordering a small drink and two pintxos at each. Calamari was the speciality recommended by the guide at the first place we visited so we got that and one which was a quiche base. The calamari was perfect and such a large serving that we were too full for more! 

All roads in the historic area seem to lead to the cathedral. The buildings around it were in various styles but many were beautiful. Just check out the pictures!

Though we’d looked some time ago we missed out on booking a ferry straight from Spain to the U.K. which meant this last bit of the trip went from a smooth sail to a crush of planning.  Note that it’s the highest part of the high season, so our travel style of no reservations proved to be a detriment. We searched for a campsite in the recommended town of Donostia-San Sebastián (two names, one is Basque) and several alternatives without success until we found one outside the fishing village of Lekeito.

The drive there was through a winding road.  Instead of touring the pretty town we ended up spending the day doing more research and making reservations but we did get a picture of it as we drove through and from high above.

The rest of the pictures in the album were of small Basque towns taken drive-by style from the passenger seat. 

Spain’s North Coast

 

Gijón

When we reentered Spain, we found ourselves in a new time zone where it was still twilight at 10 pm. Spaniards are known for their late dining habits, and we’ve been struggling to adjust. Restaurants in these cities are more than happy to serve you a variety of alcoholic drinks pretty much anytime, but the kitchen doesn’t open until 8 pm. Well played, Spain.

Our photos here

Gijón (Pronounced “hee-HON,” like the old comedy show or a donkey bray)

With its miles of promenades stretching both west and east of the city and a vast bay surrounded by beaches, locals and tourists alike are out enjoying this lovely city. The coast near our campground was a rocky cliff right on the promenade, offering us a view of the water and beautiful sunsets. We saw people climbing on the rocks, snorkeling, and a few paddle boarders. Bathing suit tops seem to be optional, so if you don’t want to see nudity, don’t zoom in on the beach/cliff photos.

We toured the museum of the excavated Roman baths and had a nice relaxing lunch in a restaurant overlooking the water. The region is famous for its cider, and I got a bottle labeled “natural,” which was definitely on the dry side with a hint of vinegar.

The old town has lots of beautiful old buildings and the ruins of what were once Roman defense walls, with a few dragons thrown in for fun. With lots of green spaces, wonderful public art, and great weather, this looks like a fun city to live in.

San Vicente de la Barquera

Tower top with seagull

The water, beaches, boats, town, and mountains combine into a postcard-worthy setting. Unfortunately, the town is so tourist-oriented that the few truly historical sights we saw didn’t redeem it for us. We had a nice walk into town from the packed campsite and then killed some time in a bar until the fort reopened at 5:30. From the top of the fort tower, we watched seagulls use the air currents to rise quickly up the steep ascent from the water level along the town and fort walls to gain altitude for their next dive. This place is a better fit for those wanting to learn to surf or enjoy the beaches in the protected bay than for us.

Santander

Santander has seen its share of booms and busts, as we learned from the audio on our Hop-on-hop-off bus. It was ravaged by a massive fire in 1941. Lonely Planet states, “Tragic at the time, the disaster gave urban planners the rare opportunity of redesigning for a new era, ultimately raising the city to a level that provokes envy among the rest of the nation. Stroll more than 7km of oceanfront promenades, walk through the wealthy upper reach, or thread through bars of young entrepreneurs.”

Google Maps simply didn’t give us information on bus routes from our campsite, but the Hop on/off took us for spins around what it thought were the highlights with longish stops which made for slow progress. It was a different kind of exploring for us, but it worked okay. 

One of the most intriguing things about this city was the very graphic depiction of the city saints whose heads are shown alternately in a basket (carved in stone on the entrance) and encased in silver. 

In addition, there were carved stone heads looking down over the pews from the post capitals that are positively creepy. 

Why is this guy smirking and holding a knife?

Would having these guys staring down at you help you tap into your spirituality? Must have given the kids nightmares.

Here’s the Google translation of the information provided:

“The Arrival of the Martyrs’ Heads

Shortly after the Arab invasion in 711, people from the Riojan city of Calahorra came to Cantabria and brought, to the place that would later be called Santander, their most prized relics: the heads of Saints Emeterius and Celedonius, martyred there around the year 300. The movement responded to the widespread phenomenon of the population of the Meseta watered by the Duero and the lands of the Ebro being forced to retreat to the northern mountains, fleeing Muslim domination.

In 1533, as a reaction by the Catholic world to Protestantism, the martyrdom tomb in the church of Santander suffered a pious desecration, during which the remains of the saints were found under the altar located in the Gospel nave. The silver reliquaries in which the heads are preserved date from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Other relics preserved at the site correspond to the arm of Saint Germán, from the late 16th century, and a fragment of the Lignum Crucis.

Arrival of the Heads of the Holy Martyrs in Santander. Façade of the Upper Church. According to Casado Soto.”

You may have come to this blog looking for travel inspiration and instead I give you topless women and headless men.

North-West Spain: More than pilgrims.

Tower of Hercules

Santiago de Compostela 

I’ll admit, I didn’t expect much from Santiago de Compostela. It all starts with the story about how the apostle James’s remains were smuggled into Spain, hidden in a tomb, and then forgotten for nearly 800 years until a hermit found them right about the time when religious zeal was needed to defeat the Moors.  

Annunciation sculptures

Today, pilgrims come from all walks of life, each with their own reasons, but it was heartwarming to experience the applause and cheers as they entered the cathedral square. We could hear the festivities while exploring the cathedral museum—highly recommended, especially if you like a good historical mystery with a side of bagpipes.  The photo above features the angel telling Mary she is pregnant with the son of God. Is it just me or does the visibly pregnant Mary seem less than happy with the news and/or the timing of it? 

Our photos here (i for info)

Gaelic influence is strong. The main path to the cathedral leads through a tunnel that amplifies the sound of bagpipe buskers, making it feel like a mini-concert. Dermot even found an Irish connection: the Archbishop of Cashel Thomas Walsh is buried in the cathedral! 

The cathedral and its surroundings boast stunning stone facades that showcase various architectural styles, all harmoniously blended. We snapped some pics at the Cathedral Museum and visited the original 12th-century entrance, the “Portico of Glory,” which now resides inside to keep it safe from the elements. It’s a polychrome masterpiece that’s worth the timed entry ticket, even if you can’t take pictures.

Portico of Glory brochure photo

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed being a tourist here, despite the crowds of tourists and pilgrims. It’s like a pilgrimage of its own just to navigate the sea of people!

A Coruña

We checked out the Tower of Hercules, a Roman lighthouse from 2 AD that’s still standing tall. Inside, there’s a fascinating room about its history and construction, and the climb to the top is worth it for the views. The surrounding park is a sculpture lover’s dream, with extensive walkways to explore.

Our wander through the old town was a treasure trove of interesting architecture. The modest narrow home pictured is one of the last of its kind, built for fishermen. Many houses have glassed-in balconies, and the waterfront buildings are elegant, though they overlook a port with a cruise ship that’s as charming as a traffic jam.

We ventured into the town center to see City Hall and Maria Pita Square. Finally a city with a female heroine as its symbol! Having worked at City Hall in Orlando, I’m always in awe of the beauty of European city halls and envy those who work there. Then I tell myself their plumbing probably doesn’t work. That’s how I’m using my psychology degree in retirement.

All in all, this is a vibrant city with great weather, plenty of public art, fountains, excellent public transportation, bike paths, and large pedestrian areas. It’s like a utopia for city dwellers, minus the plumbing issues.