Biarritz

From Amsterdam we took a bus to Paris, where we had just enough time to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower before catching our overnight train to Biarritz, France.  Brenda had suggested Biarritz and it worked out well with the overnight train (skipping an expensive night in Paris).

When we arrived in the morning we were able to check in immediately (at 830 am!).  They also allowed us to have free breakfast of cereal and baguettes.  We napped for a couple hours then headed to the beach closer to the hostel.  It was a nice walk through a park with trees and a lake.

The beach was gorgeous.  Huge rocks off the coast and blue water as far as the eye can see.  We spent several hours just soaking up the sun.  On the way back to the hostel we stopped at the grocery store to make tortellini with a red sauce for dinner.  We hung out in the bar area and talked with fellow travelers before heading to bed.

Obligatory ice cream cone

The next morning we had more free breakfast and did laundry.  For lunch we made a pizza in a large fry pan because there were no ovens (didn't think to check before buying the pizza).  We took the bus to the main beach area, where we ran into Dan and Kate, two travelers we talked with the night before in our hostel.  The ocean water was cold and refreshing due to how hot is was outside.  We bought a cone of chocolate ice cream and walked along a path that went up the coast for a ways.

On our way back to the bus stop, we ran into Dan and Kate, again, and they pointed us in the direction of a closer grocery store.  We picked up supplies for dinner and our train ride the next day.  For dinner we heated up some frozen vegetables and added couscous.  We headed back out in time to see the sunset over the ocean with a bottle of wine.

Surfers at sunset

On our way back to the hostel we ran into Dan and Kate yet again, drinking in the park close to the hostel.  So we stopped and drank and chatted about life until midnight and then went to bed.

The lake at night, Jupiter on the left