Sights and Sounds of the Sea

 

I was up early, ready for the ride into Biarritz and back, and what seemed perfect riding conditions – overcast and little wind, so I was soon on the road, swooping up and down the hills as I passed through Socoa,Cibore,St Jean du Luz…and all the other small hamlets on my route.

Considering I was travelling along the coast, there were an awful lot of steep hills – easy to go down, but took it out of the legs on the way up – almost like circuit training in the gym .After just over an hour there I was…Biarritz sea front, http://www.biarritz.fr/Website/site/tourisme_en.php overlooking the bay, and all the surfers out in the water, ready to catch the waves and ride in..there were hundreds of them, like small black seals lying on the water,occasionally one of them leaping up onto their board, and riding on top of the waves..I sat down on a bench on the sea front watching the surfers, and the hordes of people strolling along the front, not quite sure where they came from, or where they were going,but there were thousands…all strolling as the sun broke through the clouds…it was warming nicely.

I then rode back along the sea front, seeing all the differing bays, with more packs of surfers in them, and differing rock formations caused by the sea erosion..even having my picture taken by someone !                                                         

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was back to the serious business- puffing up and down them hills, and back to the campsite…as the sun really started to beat down – a good round trip of 25 miles, and afternoon siesta !

I had decided to go to Saturday evening mass at the nearby ‘Chapel’ (it was just as big as the church at home)in Zokoa (basque spelling), and what a choice it was… it seemed that as I was in the Basque heartland, the service was conducted in a combination of  French, and Basque (and my English), but the singing..really from the heart, and a great booming of voices from all around the church, which was packed. I even managed to understand some of the sermon (French) and really enjoyed the service – a good choice leaving me to do anything on Sunday.

I wasn’t able to decipher the name of the chapel/church, but it was within the parish of St Pierre de L’Ocean, http://www.diocese-bayonne.org/spip.php?article517 Ciboure and Zokoa. The altar was in the shape of a rowing boat, with boats hanging down from the ceiling, and the balcony lined with ropes etc as on the side of a boat – clearly the main living and influence is the sea, and the church reflected it !