Biarritz is a town famous for its surf, but my feet never touched the water. I can, however, assure you that the soft sand cushions for a good nap. It's also famous for its casino, but we didn't get much further than its market. The cheeses, veggies, shrimp, fresh fish, and chocolate mousse cake were all fantastic. And we found the stuff for one mean (read: fantastic) sangria.
The next day we discovered that we'd poorly planned: Bayonne, our Sunday destination, was recovering from the massive festival it had hosted while we lounged on Biarritz's beaches on Saturday. The remnants could be seen in the brightly colored confetti between the cracks in the pavement. Though the town was quiet, we found a very friendly (and French-- yes, it turns out they're nice once you leave Paris!) server who kept us happy with several rounds of regular and finally dessert tapas along the Bayonne riverfront. The city is rich in history, having changed hands over the centuries from the Romans to the Vikings to the English to the French, but we didn't spend so much time learning about the culture as just enjoying the scenery. And no regrets there.
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| A lazy Saturday in Biarritz |
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| Sunday afternoon along the riverbanks and through the city of Bayonne |
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| Sunday afternoon tapas |
The weekend was over far too soon, but not before we packed more party (and people) into one night-train car than I'd ever seen, making this a strong contestant for best birthday weekend ever.
To leave you on a tasty note, here is our killer sangria recipe:
Ingredients (for 15 people)
- 150 cl red wine
- 20 cl Porto
- 20 cl Cognac
- 5 oranges
- 1/2 liter of lemon-lime soda
- 15 ice cubes
-optional: bananas/apples/pears/peaches/strawberries
- 20 cl Porto
- 20 cl Cognac
- 5 oranges
- 1/2 liter of lemon-lime soda
- 15 ice cubes
-optional: bananas/apples/pears/peaches/strawberries
Instructions
Mix the wine, porto, cognac, and the freshly squeezed juice of 1-2 oranges
Wash and dry the rest of the oranges and cut them into very small wedges
Add the fruit to the mix
Right before serving, add the lemon-lime soda and ice cubes
If you choose to use additional fruits, add these now
Serve
Enjoy!
Stay tuned for my next installment of funemployment in Southern Spain!
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