High speed rail is really fabulous when it all goes to plan. I made it from Central Bordeaux to Central Paris in a few minutes over 2 hours. 584km/363miles which would have taken 6 hours by car. That’s and average speed over 180mph! This was a non stop so no fooling around. Then out of Montparnasse to my favorite 96 bus which goes straight to my Apartment. All good with the apartment, and I immediately got a load of wash going, picked up some things to eat and went out for a crepe. After regrouping, headed over to Ile St. Louis and walked around a bit before taking the bus towards St. Germain for some tasty snacks at L’Avant Comptoir du Terre. After that, a quick walk around St. Germain and then a bus back to the Marais.

Started the day with heading to a cafe on the other side of town recommended by the “Lost in Bordeaux site” called Cafe Eriu. Had a good chat with the Barista who is from London and had some good restaurant recommendations. After headed into the spectacular public gardens. Large and nicely done. From there headed over to the wine negotiants museum. This was a well curated series of cellars followed by a nicely explained tasting of only 2 different wines, but the explanations were interesting. From there a lunch at Les Valliants recommend by the barista. Then it was off to the Musee d’Aquitaine, which does Bordeaux history pretty much from the Stone Age. I skipped up to more modern times but was interested in their rather forthright treatment of the slave trade. Nantes seemed to be a bigger transhipment point, but Bordeaux was definitely in the midst of it. After that it was off to the Ecole du Vin for a tasting, and luckily I got a waitress who was an enthusiast and happy to do small pours for me so I could taste some different things.

Took the bus out to Pessac this morning for a 10:0am tour of Chateau Pape Clement. This was the usual tour of the premises, which were spectacular, and then I had paid for the fancier tasting, and so myself and 2 others were taken aside for a more detailed tasting of various wines. Nicely done and found my way back to the center fairly easily via bus and tram. Managed to fine a Korean place for Bibimbap for lunch. Then did some walking around and found some of the wine bars I had hunted out yesterday to be open. My favorite being one in the St.Michel neighborhood called Julo, where the owner was happy to pour some tastes of different things. Never did manage to eat dinner as the charcuterie plate had me sufficiently full that nothing more felt needed. Nightcap at the usual Le Regent on the main square where I met 3 guys from Abu Dahbi who keep BMW motorcycles in France and come over and ride a few times per year. Usual off and on rain showers, but today at least it was predominantly not raining!

In spite of solid rain all day, it was a smooth trip from San Sebastián to Bordeaux. In this case the official ways that I found were not what I used. I knew from previous visits that there is something called Euskotren that runs from San Sebastián to Hendaye. When you are trying to go from Spain to France it doesn’t work very well because the train tracks are off different gauges. So, Euskotren is your basic local commuter train that runs along the Basque coast. For 2.75 it take 37 minutes to get from San Sebastián to Hendaye where the train ends right next to the SNCF station from there it is about 2 hours on the TGV to Bordeaux. I bought a 3 day tram pass for 12 euros immediately on arrival and headed from my hotel on Rue St. Catherine, one of the main shopping streets. Rain continued and it is some kind of holiday and a Monday so my attempt to find some new wine bars was largely thwarted. Tomorrow I’ve got a tasting scheduled in Pessac at Chateau Pape Clement. Will take the bus out there and see how it goes. Forecast is for rain for the next few days. I did end up at one of my favorite wine bars, which is near my hotel for a plate of Charcuterie.

San Sebastián has a big hill at the top of the old town with a fort, museum and chapel on the top. So, for today, decided to climb to the top. First headed to Simona a nice coffee shop and when I came out there was huge running race going on with 1000s of people running by. Managed to skirt that and make the climb. After descending it was time for a lunch snack, the place I ended up near my hotel had Albariño for 2.40 a glass and a free serving of paella came with it. Can’t really argue with that. Took some down time this afternoon as was dragging a little, then out for a few pinxtos for dinner. As usual, started raining late evening, but it does seem to pass in about an hour. Off to Bordeaux in the morning.

After walking around a bit in the morning, I rented an e-bike with the intention of heading to Astigarraga, the home of the Cider houses. E-bikes are quite a nice thing as they pull some of the weight for you while you still get to bicycle. There are protected bike paths the whole 10km to the town. I ended up at a Cider museum which wasn’t much, but then had lunch at a ciderie. These places are like massive dinning halls. Apparently in the old days, they provided a place to cook and sold the cider, the fishermen brought their fresh catch and cooked it. Now it is clearly an industry with many hundreds showing up for lunch. Basque cider is dispensed from a keg at quite a distance, you hold your cup out and someone turns the tap on. Luckily I headed back and returned the e-bike before massive rain showers hit. A quick but interesting cocktail at the fancy Maria Cristina hotel and then some tapas for dinner.

Started the morning with a walk to the Magdalena Bridge, where pilgrims cross to enter Pamplona. Rainy morning, but eventually abated. Bus to San Sebastián, this one an express. Driver maintained high rate of speed in spite of fairly heavy rain. Arrived to the minute on time, and then taxi to hotel at the top end of the old town. 4 star hotel but I’m in tiny singe twin bed room. Out for a walk and the little train tour. Then Tapas around town. Lovely happening place with a big Long Beach. Met a nice couple from London who are motorcyclists and have a place in southern Spain.

Spent the day walking around Pamplona. Lovely city. It was a walled city and so I was able to walk a good part of it up on the city walls. The modern city has expanded way beyond the original footprint, but most tourist stay in the old town, as I am doing. This is quite nice because it is largely car free. I walked the walls and then retraced the Camino as it goes through the city. Managed a good lunch, although here lunch starts at 1:30pm. Had a small world moment when I noticed a group leaving the hotel this morning and enquired about their itinerary, turns out they were an Australian tour group doing select sections of the camino. Then it turned out that the lady I was talking to was from Hawaii and married to an Aussie, then it further turned out that we were classmates at Punahou! What are the chances! 15,500 steps.

Got quite the early start today as I wanted to leave the AirBnb in pristine condition. Although it was small, it was very well done and the Murphy bed with integrated couch worked well. Probably would have been a little tight with two of us, but for a solo traveler it was perfect and very economical. I drag my stuff down to the Halte Routiere, the bus stop and got on the Blabla bus to San Sebastián. Fortunately there was plenty of time to make the connection as we were a good 25 minutes late on a 40 minute trip. Switched to another bus and then about and hour and half to Pamplona through the most beautiful country of rolling hills. Looked almost like Vermont. Hopped a taxi out of the Bus station to my hotel. Let me say that I’m not really a 5 star hotel guy, but this one was on sale for a great price, was right on the main square and Hemingway used to stay here. I think the shower stall is almost as big as the apartment I was staying in last night. Anyway, room not ready, but they took my stuff and I immediately launched into a basic tapas crawl, eat a few things, drink a glass of red and then move on the next place. Spain is so much more relaxed around food and food culture than France. Pamplona has a wonderful feel of vibrancy, but is car free in the center. Spent most of the afternoon walking around and revisiting where I came into Pamplona for the first time through the French gate, on my camino in 2014. By some odd coincidence, Nancy Reynolds, who at the time ran an outfit called “Just Get Me Started” is here guiding a group. We had plans to Tapas crawl later, but she has too many moving parts, so will visit I tomorrow.