Morning walks

Guess who's on a health kick again? I'm just trying to get fitter for the onslaught of visitors who are very nicely booking in. So it's down to watching what I eat (and DRINK) and getting some exercise in. Don't worry, visitors, I'll still want to play out!

We're very lucky to have the coast and the forest nearby and here are recent photos taken on a couple of beach walks.

The first three photos were taken on La Grière beach, hardly a soul around. Here we can see the bouchots on which mussels grow.

View across the bay

My only company: a seagull!

The next three were taken on La Terrière beach. Here we can see how the waves are attacking the 'stockade'.

There is normally access to the beach here!

My starfish friend on this beach, more dead than alive I think!

You wouldn't know that the footpath on the top of the dunes near us nearly washed away recently, would you?

Belated birthday presents

Matt isn't the easiest to buy birthday presents for but this idea seemed right up his street: a sand yachting lesson. So, six months later, and a similar present for Cynthia in October, we got the phone call last week - we're doing our sand yachting lesson in twenty minutes.

Don't be fooled by the blue skies, there was a bitterly cold wind so we only stayed for a part of the time but one thing was sure, they had great fun!

I'll let the pictures tell the story...

JP&C's new kitchen

With our recent travels to Anglet and Tunisia (don't forget www.tunisiandelights.blogspot.fr) we hadn't seen the cousins' finished kitchen. We had the perfect reason to visit when cousins Annie & Christian came down from Paris for the weekend. The girls sorted everything out so that we all ate at J&M's on Friday, ours on Saturday lunchtime and JP&C's on Saturday evening. Needless to say we've been eating light since!

Lunch at ours - there's never enough to drink chez nous!

JP in full action, champagne bottles to the ready 

Double fridge with double freezer beneath, not to mention a mega wine rack!

The room has really opened out

Stephen's ingenious extras: a spice rack to hide the fuse box...

...and a hidden breakfast bar

C&JP are VERY happy with the transformation...

...as is Tine, licking out the bowl!

Visit to the Basque Country (5)

We didn't hesitate long when our lovely hosts asked us to stay an extra day, particularly as Daniel had the day off PLUS we could share their new passion: borderstone spotting on the French/Spanish border.

About to set off on our adventures, in the car park at Ibardin, just inside Spain

A cromlech (an ancient stone circle)...

...and another

Your faithful blogger, Daniel & Nicole: intrepid explorers!

And here we are, a borderstone. Nicole would tell you instantly what number it was!

One of us in France, the other in Spain. Can't remember which!

This one is clearly No. 9

Although not the best of weather we still enjoyed amazing hazy views over the Western Pyrenees

A mushroom peeping through the snow

Two horses enjoying a mutual scratch

Come on, Nicole, au secours!!!

Back to Ibardin for lunch. Tine chose a wonderful plate of serrano ham & chips...

...and we all chose rosé wine!

Merci, les copains, pour un excellent séjour and thank you for sharing your photos, Nicole.

Anyone interested in the borderstones? I discovered this fascinating website http://www.grpdesbf.nl/index.html

Have a look at this!

New holiday blog for your pleasure
http://tunisiandelights.blogspot.fr

Visit to the Basque Country (4)

Back into Spain again in the evening, this time to sample the delights of a cidrerie, a Basque restaurant with a set meal accompanied by cider.

The owners were proud to display trophies for their brews

School dinner style, the food was served to share with your group. No plates, just knives and forks.

The star of the show: huge casks of cider

The trick is not to spill a drop...

...and only serve yourself a small amount at a time. It's all good exercise back and forth from benches to casks!

On the menu? Smoked cod omelette and fried smoked cod for starters, followed by côte de boeuf, very rarely done. For pud, cheese served with pâte de coings (a solid quince jelly) and walnuts. Hope you're impressed by my sampling everything! 

Much quieter now as we finish our ciders before the return journey

Visit to the Basque Country (3)

Getaria has a 'presque-ile', a rocky headland attached to the mainland at the port.

Tine captured this great zoomed shot of a group of fishermen tending their nets...

...whilst Nicole & I hit the long & winding road!

Along the way, fantastic carvings in the rocks

Finally, the summit and the lighthouse...

...with a few feathered friends for company.

In a clearing on the way down an old steam engine!

Back to the port and it's still all systems go,

this trawler nuzzling its way between two others

and two of its workers with a great way of disembarking!