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.

France, part II – the journey in Toulouse continues

Toulouse’s old city centre and most of its sightseeing spots are located in their downtown district. It’s easy to get around by foot, which is what I did. I did rent a bike for a day, which was SUPER cheap – 1.20 euros for 24 hours, using the Velo Toulouse scheme, which has kiosks all over town (and one right outside my hotel). Toulouse – well, actually, all of France – is a great place to bike, with well-planned and comfortable bicycle trails running alongside their famous rivers and canals. The intrepid traveller can pick up a detailed bike trail map for free at the Tourist Office, located in the Capitolium.

One of my friends goes to the University of Toulouse, although unfortunately he was working near Paris at the time and was unable to leave. He was kind enough, however, write me a VERY comprehensive guide to the city, which was extremely helpful.

I started from the city centre, the famous Capitole/Capitolium.

The Capitole

Splurged on a French crepe. After enduring 7 months of decidedly British food, this was bliss.

Yum, though not that cheap at 4 euros

I then walked to the Église des Jacobins nearby, which was a beautiful, serene place. Admission was free.

The next place I went to was the Basilique of Saint-Sernin. I didn’t manage to get in since I couldn’t find the entrance, and there were gaggles of jaded-looking teenagers lolling about, smoking and drinking, so I didn’t stay in the neighbourhood long. My friend had also warned me that it was a bit dodgier than most of other places in Toulouse, and advised me to steer clear of it.

 

Saint-Sernin

Back to the Capitole.

There’s a very nice memorial of Charles de Gaulle in Jean-Jaurès.

After going back to the hotel to eat and rest (got some sandwiches from the nearby Carrefour), I went over to Pont-Neuf, the only old bridge across La Garonne, which was built between 1544 and 1626. My friend told me that the holes carved into it were made to reduce the pressure on the bridge during river floods.

A lovely stroll along the Garonne.

As I walked along the Quai Lucien Lombard, I had a splendid view of the Place de la Daurade and Place Saint Pierre. According to my friend, the homogeneity of the block was due to the fact that it had been planned by the government just before the outbreak of the French Revolution. In the aftermath of the Revolution, the houses were completed by various different private owners, hence the wide variety of style and technique.

A closer look

I really HAVE to write my holiday diaries right after I get back. I’m looking at these pictures right now and remembering snippets of my thoughts when I took them, but that’s all they are: fragments and bits of a much bigger picture that’s all but lost to me now. Photographs are all very good, but the emotional aspect of travelling is just as important as the travelling itself. I do remember taking numerous strolls along the Garonne, buying a chocolatine at a shop my friend recommended, and eating it by the riverbank and napping in the green shade of the weeping willows. A dog came up and practically breathed down my neck, so I ended up giving him my chocolatine, which he wolfed down eagerly before loping away. It wasn’t till much later that I remembered belatedly that dogs aren’t supposed to eat chocolate. The late afternoon sun filtering through the trees, the wind ruffling the grass and teasing out my hair – that’s what I do remember, and listening to Hotel California on replay.

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
'Relax,'said the night man,
'We are programmed to receive.
You can checkout any time you like,
but you can never leave!'

and I look up into the blue skies