Monty and Wilbur Thinking About Things

Sometimes one needs a bear hug to get through the day!

Peace my friends!

My Wild Irish Rose

je t'aimais, je t'aime, et je t'aimerai toujours

until our paths cross again...

 

My View From The Lanai Has Changed

Truth be told, not actually the view from my lanai. Rather the view from the ferry landing I use to get off Lummi Island. Big changes have come about in my life. Not sure where I am going with this now, but will have a think and then post. Or not.

Peace 

Living in the Rainbow State

 

Looking north from our lanai. 

Peace my friends!

Not A Big Surprise, Is it?

We flew back to Hawaii this month and are back to our favorite place, Kauna'oa beach. What can I say?

Moonset.

Monty is digging it too.

Peace my friends.

The Pyrenees, Cauterets and the Spanish Bridge

 The wonder of Lourdes faded away as we took the bus up into the Pyrenees to Cauterets, a spa and ski town. Beautiful views and not too many people as it was between seasons. Lots of trails and waterfalls around the town.

Monty checking out another bear.

From Cauterets we took a gondola and then this ski chair to the top of Col du Lys.

We hiked down from Col du Lys to Gaube Lake:

We also went to the Spanish Bridge, a point that used to connect France and Spain. It was used by merchants on both sides as a place sell and exchange goods. It meets at the confluence of the Gave de Marcadau and the Gave de Gaube:

Peace my friends!

Praise the Lourdes

We stopped briefly in Lourdes on our way to Cauterets. Because we had to as the train stopped there for a few hours. It was everything we feared, but luckily for us, the hordes had gone home for the season.

Reminded me of Disneyland for some reason. Usually there are about a gazillion people about. Not today! 

Apparently, in 1860ish, soon-to-be Saint Bernadette had apparitions of the Virgin Mary by a grotto. She also dug in the ground and water came up. All you see here (and indeed the city), was built on and around the grotto. The waters, it is believed, cure the sick. I myself rubbed the water they had available from a spigot on my face to see if I could be cured of my neuralgia. Alas, it was not to be!

Lourdes is the fourth most popular pilgrimage in the world (an estimated 200+ million since 1860). 

Inside the Basillica.

Bernadette the Musical if you are so inclined.

The Ousse River. Not the source of the miracle waters, but still cool. 

Fun Fact: The Apparthotel on the right is one of many hotels in Lourdes that make the city the second largest in France (after Paris) by number of hotel rooms. (Not hotels themselves though: Nice is 2nd and Lourdes is 3rd.)

The next four pictures illustrate the real reason for coming to Lourdes: souvenirs! St. Patrick's shop is first because I am biased that way.

My lovely bride on the bridge over the Ousse.

Pax my friends!