16 & 17 September, Light rain all day; cool for a pleasant change

Easy, maybe too easy, ride into this market town. Nothing to see on the road – the only real road was a largish one with lots of trucks and a very good surface. Covered the short distance very quickly.

Decent if a bit eccentric two star French hotel; at least a good shower. Our standards have slipped quite a bit, France does that to travelers.

Laundry day, wandering the town, looking at the main cathedral, one started in the 11th century but renovated many times. Walls have been well painted as has the cupola. Other than the church, some shopping and an interesting frites/sausage stand, not much else here. That said, the town, situated on the river Adour, is very pleasant to wander.

Lunch included a beer called Desperado. 5.7% alcohol with some tequila in it. Served with lime (pretending to be Mexican, I guess). Very easy to drink. Later learned it was designed to get kids used to drinking beer; a marketing ploy. Nothing said about pigs, black or white, consuming beer.

If we have peanut fed pigs in the US, do we also have massaged pigs like Kobe beef? A missed marketing opportunity?

We are spending two days here before starting our final French section, ending in St. Jean Pied de Port, before crossing the Pyrenees. This last French stage will be the foothills.

Out for a walk and the post office – shopping and other stuff sent home. Back to hotel and found that the electricity is turned off during the day as “no one” would be in the hotel or swimming pool during that time. It is lunch time as I write this. QB had long siesta, KB ate frites by the Adour, then enjoyed a small siesta also. Clean socks tomorrow!