Toulouse, part IV - Le Bibent and wrapup

Fine dining!

Capitolium

I went off to Zara and HM to do some shopping, and ended up getting a nice new blouse from Zara. I know, I know - going to France and ending up in Zara - but I did have a look at almost all the shops in the Capitole area, including some ridiculously expensive Parisian brands that I most certainly could not afford (350 euro for a dress, really?) and all I really needed was a new blouse as I'd accidentally ruined my old one, so Zara it was.

After that I went to Le Bibent, which was pretty highly rated on Tripadvisor and was a Michelin starred restaurant. It was full of Asian tourists, most of them either couples on their honeymoon or elderly businessmen, and I felt like just another Asian tourist as I walked in. I guess one day I will be tired of this lifestyle, but for now, it'll do.

The food was really good and the prices weren't as high as I was expecting, but I think I still prefer Evangelina. Vastly so, in fact.

After that, I walked around the city some more, not thinking about anything in particular, and then it was back to the hotel, where I watched some football matches - this is not by design, but for the two most recent World Cups, I have always been on the continent.

Next day I got up pretty early to catch my Ouibus to Biarritz, where I had a flight back to Dublin. I've never taken Ouibus before, but it proved to be a most enjoyable ride. I approve.

Hostel breakfast, which cost 5 euros. I didn't buy, but it was nice to look at

Off to Biarritz

There's not much else to say about this trip. Maybe I'm too old and jaded now to have very much to say per se (that rhymes), but it did what it was supposed to do - I had loads of remarkably good food and got to spoil myself a bit, had a change of scenery, and gave myself a bit of a break, and atop of all that the weather was quite nice. What's not to like?

A self-serving coffee machine

I'm not sure where my next holiday will be but I would like to see the Balkans again.

And what I want, I usually get.

Bosnia i Herzegovina, part II - Mostar (ii) and on the bus to Sarajevo through the Dinaric Alps

The gorgeous old town of Mostar, lovely even through the rain

The restaurant served amazingly good food. I will come again to Mostar because I didn't catch it at a very good time, but also - the food. This. Yum. Hands down my favourite food here - it really agreed with me, and I agreed with it. Extra bonus for the cute waiters, but I think it's been established that I think Bosnian guys are.. well, let's just say that I don't find them ugly. Anyway, I got free rakija from the restaurant as well, so double bonus!

Rakija on the house

After I finished the extremely delicious dinner, I walked back to the hostel, and was soaked to the skin in the process. Good thing no one else was staying in the hostel, well apart from this Hungarian guy in my room and a Turk in the adjacent room, who were both absent when I returned. It is very uncomfortable to have loads of heavy wet clothing stuck to your skin. I peeled off my clothes and turned on the heater full wattage and draped my garments all over the heaters, then dashed into the hostel and turned on the water to full heat. Annoyingly, the hot water only lasted for 10 minutes, but it was enough. The Hungarian guy had come back by this point, also soaked to the skin, and I was deeply amused when he did the exact same thing as I had an hour ago - ie hung out all of his clothes on the heaters and proceeded to the shower.

In the hostel

There wasn't really anything to do, plus the weather was getting progressively worse, so I sat around, did some background reading on Mostar, which depressed me, and then I decided to go out and get something to drink. I wasn't keen on getting wet again, so I borrowed an umbrella from the stand and went out to the nearest supermarket, which was still a good 15 minute walk. When I got back the Hungarian dude was in a chatty mood, so I talked back to him, but, you know - footnote friends.

The supermarket

Outside the supermarket

Next morning, the weather was as dire as ever, but I was in a good mood because Sarajevo, and also because my AccuWeather app promised loads of snow there, and it had been a long time since I'd seen snow, and I'd forgotten how deathly cold the snow can be.
The bus ride was very comfy, and I put my feet on the heaters and enjoyed the view as we progressed into the Dinarics. My heart was singing and it was all I could do not to burst into actual song there.

In the autobusna stanica

More to come!

Into the Dinaric Alps