Summer is Over
Summer is over! I mean, I know it's October 12th, but this weather is just refusing to let go. The forecast? 25 degrees (Celsius), sunny, and just a breeze here and there. I'm talking blue bird days for days. We've been going to the beach, surfing, soaking up those gorgeous sunsets, and thanking our lucky stars that the humidity is playing nice – well, sort of. It's down to a "low" 73%.
The weather has been perfect, and I couldn't be happier that it held up for the Curtis family's visit! We did our best to introduce them to our favorite hangouts: a Basque bistro, the Halles marché, Port Vieux and Grand Plage, la rocher de la Vierge, Etxola Bibi, Trallala pizza, the Halles 5 Cantons, and then some.
We had two beach days. The first one took us to Port Vieux (unfortunately, Luke and Charlie missed out on this beach adventure because they were in school). Camille and Archer had fun snorkeling. Lindsey and I decided to take a dip, swim around, and generally frolic in the sea. At one point, I jokingly said – "Hey, let's jump off the 'trampoline in the sea!'" Lindsey, without a second thought, goes, "Okay." So we swam to the steps and walked over to the endpoint, (which was locked, but everyone jumps off anyway). We walked on the outside of the railing and took the plunge. What a rush! It left us feeling alive and grinning from ear to ear.
On Tuesday, we all gathered at our place at 16h to walk to Charlie's school for pickup. Archer kept asking, "How much longer?" and marveling at the fact that Charlie had to do this walk every single day. Twice! I had to laugh because we are so used to it now. Charlie was stoked to have his own entourage at pickup. It's like he had his own cheering squad! We took the coastal route back to our street. The kids bought some ice cream and ended up leaving us as they bee-lined it back to our apartment. Meanwhile, Brian, Lindsey, and I enjoyed a leisurely stroll.
Lindsey had a classic French shopping experience! We found this adorable kids' store, and Lindsey was on a roll, picking up all sorts of stuff – apple lunch boxes, La Petite Prince sacs, and more. Each time Lindsey pointed at something, this shopkeeper, with a face that could sour milk, stomped off to fetch the item. And when she returned, she'd slam each item on the counter. Lindsey pointed and said, "I'd like this bag and..." but before she could even finish, whoosh, the shopkeeper was off to the back. It was funny, in that French 'je ne sais quoi' kinda way. But it was also a bit annoying. I mean, a little customer service never hurt anyone, right? I have a feeling that if this gal had been just a smidge more excited to be at work, Lindsey might've bought the whole store!
The kids were happy to see each other and explored town independently. Gabe and Brian squeezed in a surf session. Lindsey discovered the beach headrest. Lindsey and I enjoyed a coffee break while people-watching at the marché. All in all, a great time!
And there you have it – to wrap up what's officially been the longest and best summer ever, we gathered with our new friends for a picnic down at the Côtes des Basque for a sunset swim, delicious food, and good company. And just like that, as the sun dipped below the horizon, it marked the official end of summer 2023.
