This morning, we set out on a 3 night trip to the deep south of France - specifically the Mediterranean very close to Spain. Our trip was going fine, until the turnoff from the highway that we needed, no longer existed and we ended up in significant congestion at a toll booth on the A9. It took a half hour to get through the station and after that the traffic was moving at a snail's pace. When it finally picked up we quickly found ourselves in Spain - oops! At the next toll booth we turned around and went back to catch the correct exchange to Port Vendres. This is a destination we remember fondly from a trip with our children in Europe in 1993. At that time we stayed for a week half way between Collioure and Port Vendres and enjoyed, as we did today, the harbour and restaurants of Port Vendres. We stopped for a snack here and took a stroll before headed to our hotel in Collioure. Just left of centre in the photo of the church - not the clock tower - is a German bunker we explored in '93.
We checked into the Hotel Madeloc in Collioure shortly after 4:00. This is a very well appointed hotel with a heated swimming pool, slightly uphill from the Chateau Royal and shopping district.
The day was heating up but we opted to walk down to the chateau area and harbour to see the sights. This is one extremely photogenic town.
As we walked, the day heated up and we found it necessary to return to the comfort of the hotel's pool.
We made a reservation at a restaurant just down from our hotel for dinner later this evening. Tonight La Frigate was not particularly busy, despite being a Friday night.
Apparently the rain earlier in the day had something to do with that. We had an excellent 3 course prix fixe (18.90) of shrimp salad, sea bream for the main and a chocolate molten cake for dessert. We had a different Collioure white wine tonight and it was a nice light, fruity quaff. Following dinner, we enjoyed the lights of Collioure.
By the time we got back to our hotel, we had learned that the Toronto Raptors brought the first NBA trophy north of the border. Congrats!
We checked into the Hotel Madeloc in Collioure shortly after 4:00. This is a very well appointed hotel with a heated swimming pool, slightly uphill from the Chateau Royal and shopping district.
The day was heating up but we opted to walk down to the chateau area and harbour to see the sights. This is one extremely photogenic town.
As we walked, the day heated up and we found it necessary to return to the comfort of the hotel's pool.
We made a reservation at a restaurant just down from our hotel for dinner later this evening. Tonight La Frigate was not particularly busy, despite being a Friday night.
Apparently the rain earlier in the day had something to do with that. We had an excellent 3 course prix fixe (18.90) of shrimp salad, sea bream for the main and a chocolate molten cake for dessert. We had a different Collioure white wine tonight and it was a nice light, fruity quaff. Following dinner, we enjoyed the lights of Collioure.
By the time we got back to our hotel, we had learned that the Toronto Raptors brought the first NBA trophy north of the border. Congrats!
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