After eating what seemed like all the cheese in Paris, we headed south to begin of our pilgrimage. Southern France has this allure to it, and we soon discovered why the Basque region has so much pride.
The first stop was Bayonne which happens to be the chocolate capital of France. After the Spanish brought cocoa back from the new world, it made its way north during the inquisition, and the French did what they do best. Add cream until a smooth, dreamy perfection was created. And then the Amundsons did what we do best and partook. You know it is only polite when you travel to eat the local cuisine.
Claire certainly did her part in not offending any of the locals.
We used the Euro Rail to travel. It was as fast (300 km/hour) and smooth as their chocolate. Our favorite part was that the signs and tickets were absolutely clear that one must arrive at a minimum of 2 minutes before the train departed.
One of the best parts about traveling to a new region is that just exploring is enough to keep everyone moving. We walked for hours around the town with Abby and Alex, doing our best Beauty and the Beast impressions. It feels great to get a sense of place and recognize that what we have been waiting for and planning for is here. Plus walking, fueled by chocolate, is a great day.
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