All the Things
This week we felt like true locals. It started with an outing to Sare. Our plan included the Zohalmendi hike followed by exploring the Grottes de Sare. According to Komoot, the hike was categorized as intermediate, tailored for hikers with good fitness and sure-footedness with an estimated three hours. The terrain proved more challenging, with muddy paths and steep inclines. Nevertheless, overlooking the ocean and the distant St. Jean de Luz was special. Also we saw many Pottok, an endangered, semi-feral breed of pony native to the Pyrenees.
After our hike, we headed to the grottes, and it was truly amazing. Our guide shared interesting facts. We saw gours – natural pools made of calcite. Picture this: layers of calcite stacked horizontally, like a geological staircase. The cave was quiet, dark, and beautiful, with interesting formations in every corner. Before making our way back to Biarritz, we stopped in the village of Sare to buy a gateau basque. Why? Well, according to Cecile and Romain, it's the absolute best you can find anywhere. And who can resist a recommendation like that? They were right, by the way!
That night, Gabe and I were invited to Bruno's place – Emile's dad. Bruno and his girlfriend, Vanessa made a delicious meal, and their friend, Pascal, joined as well. The entire conversation was in French, covering topics from food and politics to medicine. While I may not have understood everything, being able to interject with comments felt so good. After dinner, we made our way to Atabal for Dub Greetings. Equal Brothers and Kara'Basse Sound System were merging, creating a Jamaican-style sound wall experience. DJs were taking turns, and bass frequencies were so powerful that even our arm hairs were grooving. The crowd, a mix of French surfer types, danced facing the sound walls, and I'm pretty sure everyone had earplugs in. It was a room full of people vibing to reggae, sipping on beers – just pure fun!
On Sunday, we met up with Emile and his mom, Caroline, at Parlementia, a surf spot in Guetary usually reserved for the more skilled surfers. The conditions were just right for beginners. Having overstretched my psoas on Friday while surfing, I needed to take it easy. So, Charlie and I chilled on the beach while Luke, Emile, and Ezra paddled out. The weather was perfect – sunny and relatively warm. I was a bit bummed about missing out on the waves, but better to rest up than risk overdoing it and being out of the water for good. The guys, on the other hand, had an absolute blast! Après le surf, Caroline had hot tea and crepes ready for everyone. Merci, Caroline!
Things settled into a bit of a routine on Monday and Tuesday. Charlie had basketball practice on Monday night, and I'm glad we forced him to go because he really enjoys it. Now, he's practicing with the JAB club on Monday and Wednesday evenings. I went to my pilates class. Luke had his tutor session with Florence and then came Wednesday – a day packed with activities.
Gabe and I left Ezra with the boys overnight while we headed to La Rochelle with Stacey and Bryan. I had to map out a schedule, considering it was a non-school day for Charlie and a short day for Luke. There were a lot of places to go to and return home. Charlie had a tutor session with Florence at 2:30, then needed to get ready for basketball. Francesca, Alfi's mom, was scheduled to pick him up at 4:00 and drop him back around 6:00. Meanwhile, Luke had to go to school from 9 - 11 am and then get to Sauvetage Cotier at 2:30. As we discussed all these plans, we realized it was a lot of responsibility for Ezra, especially given the language barrier and unfamiliar surroundings. So, we arranged for Lula, our tutor from the summer, to come over at 6 pm to hang out with the guys until lights out at 10. They made crepes, she helped them with their homework, and everything worked out. The next challenge? Getting themselves up in the morning and off to school. They managed it, and I think Ezra had a great time exploring Biarritz solo. Now, what were Gabe and I up to during all this? Well, we drove four hours north to La Rochelle to see Moon Hooch. We strolled down to the port, had an Apero, ate dinner near the venue, and danced for a few hours to two saxophonists and a drummer. We had a fantastic time. The next day, we enjoyed a terrific lunch in Bordeaux at La Tupina and arrived home a little after 6 pm. They all survived, made it to all the things, and we had such a great time!
To end the week, we hosted Cécile, Romain, and their kids for dinner. Gabe pulled off homemade lasagna with veal and bechamel. He even handmade the pasta. It was another fun evening filled with good company and delicious food.
