Travels with Martina Day 5 - Up Pic du Jer and saying au revoir to Lourdes

A comfortable 5.5 hour train ride away from Paris is the  pilgrimage town of Lourdes, where we
had opted to spend our first week-end out of the city.  We wanted to give Martina a different experience,  let her see something of the French countryside.
Our first day was spent fulfilling our religious obligations.  We received a precious gift from
Our Lady of Lourdes as we were all able to take to the baths despite the long queues and thick crowds.
The next day, we wanted to see a bit more of the town of Lourdes -- away from the ubiquitous
and omnipresent souvenir shops.   We had a good number of hours ahead of us before taking the afternoon train back to Paris.

Hotel Angelic Myriam, where we stayed is a good 2 star choice that is less than a kilometre's walk from the Grotto.  The rooms were basic but clean and comfortable.  Because of its location,
the hotel is normally packed with pilgrims -- both of tour groups and families like us.

Our very affordable room rate included breakfast.  I was expecting  the usual large mug of coffee with some croissants, bread and jam but we were greeted  by a generous buffet -- cold cuts, assorted cheese, cereals,  yoghurt and even eggs and hot sausages.  Quelle surprise!

For our morning excursion, we decided to visit Pic du Jer, a 1,000 meter summit that sits among the taller spires of the Pyrenees.  To reach the foot of Pic du Jer, you can take a city bus from the Grotto,  it's a fifteen minute bus ride through winding mountain roads. 

The athletic and adventurous types can hike or even bike up the summit but for those who are time and fitness challenged, a ride up the 100-year old funicular is the fastest and easiest way up Pic du Jer.

There are many compartments in the funicular and it was not at all crowded on this Saturday morning. Of course the first compartment is always the first to be occupied -- everyone wants that  front row seat as the funicular climbs the mountain.

The way up is steep and gives you  green, woody views. Enjoy the views while you can, as it takes just a few minutes to climb the 1,000 meters to the summit. 

Before we reached the station, we saw these cyclists trudging up the bike path.  The reward for this thigh busting climb is the exciting descent down Pic du Jer where they can hurtle down the same path they just toiled on.  Pic du Jer is a popular place for mountain bikers to conquer and there are regular MTB races on the 3 kilometre  trail. 

The views at the top are splendid -- just as promised.  Down below are  towns of the Gaves Valley which include Lourdes, Tarbes and Pau.  On the left are the peaks of the Pyrenees mountain range. 

If you will peer very closely, there are still some snow capped peaks even during summer. 

There is a bench perched very close to the edge of the cliff.  I gingerly hold on and take a seat.  There should be a rail but that would mar the amazing view.  I dangle my feet perilously close to the brink and am thankful that it would take quite a strong gust of wind to blow me off the mountain.

Aside from the funicular ride and the astonishing views, the top of Pic du Jer boasts of caves that go back to the Ice Age. There are guided tours during the day but we were an hour early for the first tour.  A statue in front represents how the cave dwellers looked like, thousands of years ago. 

The funicular was less crowded on the way down and we were able to get a good view from the first compartment.  We passed another carriage on the way up - at mid point the tracks split into two to allow two cars to pass each other. 

On the way back to the Grotto, no buses were in sight so we decided to walk.  

Since the bus ride to Pic du Jer took all of 15 minutes, we thought we would be in for quite a slog.  Big surprise -- there was a direct route back which was not even 2 kilometres long.  

We enjoyed walking by the clean, swift flowing Gave River which also runs through the Grotto and which gives the valley its name. 

Lourdes, at the foothills of the Pyrenees is just 145 kilometres to St Jean Pied de Port, the 

southern town of France that marks the start of the Camino Frances, the UNESCO World 

Heritage route to Santiago de Compostela.  

We saw markers along the road pointing the way for walking and even cycling pilgrims who 

decide to incorporate Lourdes into their Camino. 

I thought it was a gift -- a grace to see the familiar flecha or yellow arrows that are the symbol of the pilgrimage.  They brought back many happy memories of the Camino which we did in 2015.

All too soon, the open riverside vistas  incorporated hotels and inns -- all of which are here to handle the tens of thousands of pilgrims who visit the Grotto.

So many of them line the riverbanks.  Beside that white building, fourth from the left, is the staircase that led directly to our hotel.  What a charming and easy walk that was!

Before leaving for the train station we paid one last visit to Our Lady.  We climbed up the ramp to 

the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception at the very top before we made our way own to the Crypt and finally to the Rosary Basilica. 

I first visited Lourdes with my parents more than forty years ago.  I did not think I would see it again but we were able to visit in 2015, after we completed our Camino.  

To be able to visit for a third time, to experience this serene and peaceful place once again is truly a blessing.  I cannot think otherwise, I believe this visit is a gift from Our Lady of Lourdes.

Soon, we were back at the Gare de Lourdes to take our train back to Paris.  

Many visitors come for just a quick visit, we are thankful we had a day and a half (although it felt much shorter than that!).

If there is a next time, it would be nice to stay a few days and spend more time both in the 

Grotto and in exploring the delightful small towns and villages of the Gave Valley.  Perhaps even venturing all the way to St Jean Pied de Port? After all it is probably just a couple of hours away by train. 

The fast TGV train would take us back to Paris Gare du Nord in just over five hours -- 

time enough to relax and perhaps even snooze in the comfortable and spacious seats.  

This short trip to Lourdes was extra special because we had Martina with us -- we were able to take her to the baths and visit and pray at the Sanctuary.

Merci beaucoup, Notre Dame de Lourdes!

Traveling with Kids Tip #5

Sitting in a train for over five hours for an 8 year old can be tiresome.  Unlike in a plane, there are no personal video consoles.  To pass the time and keep her from fidgeting, I made sure to point out interesting sights as we passed along -- windmills, wheat fields, quaint train stations, enchanting farm houses with lovely gardens  -- sights she had not seen before. We  also took a lot of videos of scenes along the way so she could show them to her parents once she got back home.   

We also had a bag of snacks handy -- cookies and chips kept us from having to buy the overpriced items in the dining car. 

Travels with Martina Day 4 - A weekend in Lourdes

With so many places to see and things to do in Paris and just two weeks to cram everything in, you may wonder --  why even go away for a week-end then?  But I had planned a very special getaway, out of the city, on our first week-end in Paris.  We would travel nearly 700 kilometres to the pilgrimage town of Lourdes, in the south of France. 

The fast and direct train to Lourdes still takes a good five hours and it leaves from 
Gare Montparnasse, located in the 14th arrondisement.  The station, set inside a block long
concrete building  is squat and ungainly and utterly charmless.   It is right across
Tour Montparnasse, the modern and also charmless skyscraper that every Parisian loves to hate. 

Trains depart from tracks located in Hall 1, one escalator ride up from street level.
We took the 6:25 a.m. train and arrived well ahead of time.  Gare Montparnasse serves the southwestern region of France so it was not a surprise to find a good number of early birds,
all rushing for their trains.  Aside from Lourdes, trains go to Bordeaux, Brittany, Biarritz  and 
one can even travel all the way to the French-Spanish border where there are connections to
San Sebastian and even Lisbon.

The Lourdes week-end was definitely not a spur of the moment plan -- I had booked our train tickets months in advance so we were able to secure first class tickets that were even cheaper than second class fares.  

All aboard the TGV INOUI 8571!  Wide and comfortable seats with charging docks, more than
ample legroom, even wifi -- it was a long ride but a most comfortable one! Thank you SNCF!

The SNCF high speed trains run just as fast as Japan's shinkansen -- at top speeds of more than 300 kilometres per hour.   Five hours passed in a literal blur of countryside vistas and glimpses of urban stations and soon,  we arrived at Gare de Lourdes.  To get into town, take a taxi or shuttle van, there are many just waiting outside the station.

For our one night in Lourdes, we stayed at the Hotel Angelic Myriam along Rue du Calvaire.  

Located on a higher portion of the town,  it is a ten minute walk down to the Grotto. 
An outdoor lift  makes going to and from the hotel a whole lot easier and quicker. 

We arrived in Lourdes  at lunchtime and there was no doubt where I wanted to have my first meal ... at Asian Delices along Rue Saint Marie.  This is a Filipino restaurant that has been in Lourdes for over a decade, bringing Pinoy cuisine to this quite distant part of France.

Madame Gina Lat Rousset is the chef and proprietress.    You will be happily surprised to see that her restaurant is full of non-Pinoys enjoying  chicken pork adobo, lumpia (vegetarian version available), pancit, sinigang, bistek,  lechon kawali atbp.  Gina's warm and welcoming personality makes everyone, regardless of nationality, feel right at home in her spacious and comfortable restaurant. 

After lunch, time to head to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, a sprawling 51-hectare complex that includes the Basilicas, the baths, the Grotto and several churches and buildings.  Here are Jay and Martina in Rosary Square in front of the Rosary Basilica.

The Grotto of Massabielle is where Our Lady appeared to St Bernadette.  Compared to the grandeur of the other buildings in the Sanctuary, the Grotto is very simple and has been left  untouched as much as possible.  The only additions are a plain stone altar and pews.   
There is always a long line of pilgrims at the Grotto but despite the crowds, it  retains its air of solemnity and spirituality. 

We wanted to take the baths at Lourdes -- something that I had not been able to do in my previous visits.  The people at the information office were not very encouraging, they said that if the lines were too long,  we may not be able to get in as the sick and disabled were given priority. 
But we discovered that there was a line,  much shorter,  specifically for children and their guardians so Martina and I were able to experience the baths after a not too long wait.

After our time at the baths --  thanks to the many volunteers from all nationalities who 

made us feel welcome and comfortable -- we visited the Rosary Basilica.  We also bought

votive candles to offer in thanksgiving and for intentions of  family and friends. 

It had been a long and tiring day and the excitement, the long train ride and the intense summer heat only worsened Martina's sore throat -- she was down for the count at the end of the day.  

But we both agreed that the highlight of the trip was our amazing bath at the holy waters of Lourdes.  

Being able to do so despite the extremely long queues and the peak season crowds was a gift -- bestowed on us by Our Lady of Lourdes. 

Traveling with Kids Tip #4

A religious pilgrimage may not be what an 8 year old would look forward to.  But we made sure that even before we left,  Martina knew about how Our Lady appeared to this young French girl -- only fourteen years old and not much older than her.   If put in terms that they can relate to and understand,  children will gladly embrace experiences they would normally not be interested in. 

Travels with Martina Day 3 - Ile de la Cite, Notre Dame and Ile Saint Louis

On our first full day in Paris, we were still jet lagged and somewhat bleary eyed from our 24 hour journey.  But still, we managed to drag ourselves out of the apartment to visit a few sites to give Martina her first real glimpse of our favourite city in the whole wide world. 

You run into such interesting finds around the neighborhood  -- Papier Tigre is a stationary shop in the Marais with such cool and distinctive items, all of them drool-worthy for stationary addicts (thank goodness I'm not one of them).   Sadly, no photos inside please  but anyone can pose beside the giant pencil outside. 

Paris' Metro system is efficient and affordable (one fixed fare to go all around the city).  The apartment was just a few hundred meters from the Filles du Calvaire station on line 8.

Jay's favourite metro station happens to be Cite which is right in front of the marche aux fleurs (also one of his must see, must go to spots).  This flower marker dates all the way back to 1830. 
There are open air displays and covered arcades selling potted plants, flowers, gardening supplies, small antiques and all sorts of curiosities.  

Photos at the marche are no longer allowed -- there are big NO PHOTOS signs all over the place.  Most likely due to the crowds of non-customers, all taking selfies and perhaps knocking down some merchandise in the process. 
So that you can see how charming and quaint the marche is, here is an old photo taken some winters ago, on one of our Christmas holidays in Paris.  There are a number of these covered iron pavilions, built during the early 1900s. Crowded with all kinds of vintage and irresistible knick knacks -- we could never leave here empty handed. 

The only photo I could take was of this stone statue -- is it a bench, a planter?  It was adorable and one of a kind but definitely too heavy to bring home.

Aside from the marche aux fleurs,  the Cite Metro stop takes you right out to Place Louis Lepine, named after a former prefect of the Paris Police.  The Police headquarters used to be in a building
by the Seine, very near here but they moved out two years ago.  Across the square is the Palais de Justice  and beside it is  the amazing 14th century royal chapel of St. Chappelle.  

From the Place Louis Lepine, it is just a hop and a skip to Notre Dame.  Miraculously surviving the horrific fire in April, it was amazing to see that from certain angles (and with wishful thinking)   you could actually imagine that the fire never happened. 
Here's Martina holding a mini figure of the cathedral.  Before we left, we had bought her a book that came with figures of the different landmarks of Paris -- we tried to visit as much of them as we could.

When you cross the bridge and look beyond the trees -- you will see the fire's extensive damage. 
It is a truly a miracle that the Cathedral is still standing.  The entire roof is gone. 
Seeing Notre Dame was a reaffirmation of faith ... she has stood for more than 850 years and I know she will be restored. 

We took the steps down to Quai de Montebello to walk by the Seine. 
In the background is the Pont au Double, a cast iron bridge dating back to the 1800s. 
It used to be a connecting bridge between two parts of the Hotel Dieu, which is located beside 
Notre Dame.  The Hotel Dieu is one of the oldest hospitals in Europe and  is still used to this day.
The bridge gets its name from the two silver coins that were levied as toll for those who crossed the bridge,  hence the name Pont Au Double. 
No toll is exacted these days but the bridge is closed due to the reconstruction work at the Cathedral. 

Behind the Notre Dame is the Pont de l' Archeveche, a  bridge that links Ile de la Cite with the 5th arrondissement. A few years back it was most famous for the sheer number of  "love locks" tied to its metal railings.  At some point in time,  part of the bridge's rails collapsed due to the weight of all the metal locks. 
Good-bye locks and good bye pledges of eternal love!  Now, glass panels cover the railings -- no one can attach love locks anymore.  Is romance dead in the City of Love and Romance?

At the end of the bridge, a small memorial to all the locks (and love) lost has been set up.  Note though that this portion is fenced off, to prevent any lovestruck couples from attaching any more locks. 

Paris was in the middle of the canicule or heat wave -- what better reward after traipsing under the hot sun than a pit stop at the city's best glacier ... Berthillon!  You can't miss it, it's right end of
Pont Saint Louis, the pedestrian-only bridge that connects the Ile de la Cite with
Ile Saint Louis.

Berthillon's creme glacee is sure to bring a smile to anyone's face.  They may not have 31 flavours but what they do have is some of the best ice cream in Paris. 

From Ile Saint Louis it is 2 kilometres more or less to the Marais and back to the apartment. 
We crossed the Pont Louis Philippe which gave us a good view of the Pont Marie, one of three bridges that connects the island to the rive droit or right bank. 

Blue skies, the Seine flowing calmly beneath ... c'est parfait!  Paris ... you never disappoint.

Traveling with Kids Tip #3

A long flight through different time zones is bound to hit anyone with jet lag.  Take it slow on the 

first full day in a new place.  While you may want to cram as many sights and sites as you can in the short time that you're on vacation, kids need to acclimatise too.  A short but productive excursion 

of a few hours followed by an early bedtime will help them recover and adapt quicker. 

Travels with Martina Day 2 - Apartment-ing in the Marais

After a 4 hour breather in Schiphol (where we stretched our legs and exercised our stomach muscles) we were soon on a plane again, this time headed for our real destination -- Paris.  

Martina surprised me -- this was her first long haul flight and what a looonnngg haul it was.  Two hours to Taipei then twelve and a half hours to Amsterdam.  While she did get a good night's sleep on KLM's comfortable lie-flat beds, she had been travelling for almost 24 hours when we finally boarded our flight to Charles de Gaulle airport.

"Where is the Eiffel Tower, lola?  I thought Paris was a city, why are there farms?"  I had to explain that the airport was somewhat out of the city and the view from her window was not yet Paris.

"Paris Vous Aime" -- Paris loves you.  Yes she really does! And we love her right back. 

We had contracted  a van  for our airport transfers.  Our apartment, home for two weeks  was strategically and conveniently located along a main street in  the upper Marais area. 

Located on the 3rd floor of one of the many old buildings you'll see all over Paris, the apartment has two large windows which let the breezes in.  Perfect for this summer when Paris was in the middle of a record shattering heat wave.  The apartment had no air conditioning --  having one would deface the facade, something that apparently the government has a say on.  Old structures are protected and owners are not allowed to add anything that will affect the building's look, they can only improve the interiors. 

And so we opened the curtains and looked out onto more residential buildings across the way --
all of them seemingly without the advantages of air-conditioning too.  

While the apartment was relatively small -- 34 square meters all in all, it did come with a complete and compact kitchen.  A four burner induction range, microwave, coffee maker, refrigerator ... there was even an automatic washer and dryer.   We would make good use of this kitchen and the laundry facilities during our 14 night stay in this apartment.

The apartment was small and the building was definitely old but the bathroom was spotless and clean -- a big plus in my book.

Sleep quality was good too - we didn't miss the air conditioning as we opened the windows wide at night -- and would have to close them during the cooler early dawn hours. 

Here's Martina standing in front our building.  Her first impression was of the ubiquitous graffiti --

" why is Paris so dirty, lola? "  But then she said in the same breath "but it's so beautiful too!"  

Traveling with Kids Tip #2

Get the child adjusted and comfortable in the new environment as soon as possible.   Whether you're staying in a hotel or a rental apartment, take her on a tour of the place, explain what to do, what not to do, how things work and just how much like home it is (or isn't).  If there's time, take a quick walk around the neighbourhood to show the child that this is a friendly and hospitable place.