Last Days

 I'm writing this with what is likely my last glass of local wine in my hand.  It's Friday afternoon and I have finished getting the house ready for me to leave.  Surprisingly, I haven't messed it up too much so the cleaning is easy.

Today is Bastille Day, like our 4th of July, though I haven't seen much celebrating around the neighborhood. Thank goodness the bakery was still open.  Can't leave without another baguette.

No one here to wish me bon voyage, except the sheep next door who ran to greet me as I got out of my car with the baguette.  Perhaps they smelled it?

I said goodbye but I guess they didn't speak English.

On Wednesday, I went back to Bassin d'Arcachon, but this time on the other side of the bay.  I made the trip at the recommendation of our guide at the Chateau Dauzac.  She said she was from Biarritz, so I figured she probably had good taste.

I stopped in Ares for lunch at this little cafe, where they were very surprised to see someone who spoke English.

Here's the view of the bay from there.

In Ares, I stopped by the tourist office and got a map.  The women there said it was definitely worth driving down the peninsula, so I did.

Suddenly, I was in a different world.  A world of the rich and famous.  It reminded me very much of the Hamptons, on Long Island.

There is one road that goes through the area and the traffic was horrible, so I didn't stop that often, but there were a few things that really caught my eye.  I don't believe I have ever seen so many boats in one place.

There were cute restaurants along the way and streets that looked like they could be in West Hampton, woody and purposefully rustic.

Even though I was driving, I had to get this shot of the Boat store.

I'll take two.  

I stopped for a glace (ice cream, sort of) which was colder than anything I've ever had in my mouth, and wondered who lived here or who visited.

Thursday, I was back in Bordeaux, shopping, looking for presents and souvenirs.  But here is the thing.  Bordeaux is not made for tourists.  There are very few shops that carry anything with the Bordeaux name.  You are much more likely to find something in English than French.  So finding something to bring back was challenging.  This is even though they have one of the longest shopping streets in Europe.

And everything was on sale.  Braderie means Clearance Sale.

There were some interesting stores but most of the merchandise was made in China or India.  I couldn't bring myself to buy it.  Even this gnome left me cold.

So I walked around Bordeaux a bit more 

and saw some of its great architechture and squares.

The last street is the one that Tourni redesigned in the 18th Century and was copied in the 19th Century by Housmann in Paris.  It is also the street where there is a place called the Wine Bar.  Here they sell local wines, and to promote the local winemaking industry, the wines are subsidized.  You can get a nice glass of red for about $4.

So that is my trip.  I leave this house tomorrow at about 4am, so it will be an early evening.   Thanks for reading.  See you soon.

Alice

PS: Was just notified that my flight from Bordeaux to Brussels where I catch the flight home has been cancelled.  Oh boy.