On El Paseo De Hemingway!

We got out of France during the demonstrations! Our hearts are definitely with the demonstrators - Sarkozy is France's Bush - but it is nice to be able to go about the business and not get stuck in southern France without fuel, etc. It was actually quite benign in Pau, just outside of which one of the major French petro companies (Total) is based, but we did get to see Lycee (high school) students blockade their school for three days straight and have bonfires outside each chilly morning. Stayed away from the fish counter as the truckers were also on strike and the seafood was rotting in the stores.

We left following Hemingway through the Pyrenees to Auritz/Burguete (Basque/Spanish names) where he stayed after the rigors of Pamplona/Iruna bullfights and social scene in the 30s and from which he journeyed a few kilometres east to fish the Irati (which, along with the events in Pamplona/Iruna he immortalized in "The Sun Also Rises" - see the photo above). He is recognized in Auritz/Burguete with a plaque on the side of the Hotel in which he stayed, as well as in Pamplona/Iruna where his image and name appears all around the Plaza del Toros (bull ring) and on the Paseo de Hemingway (also see above).

Why consider Ernesto so important here? He did help bring recognition of Spain's fine trout fishing to America, and he is well regarded by the people in this region (as well as elsewhere, such as in Cuba). Anyway, have had some good success in making contacts and collecting information about the piscatorial landscapes here, and the travels continue. We're just outside Bilbao today after four days in Pamplona/Iruna. Staying near Mundaka, near Gernika-Luma from which many Basques leave to work in Oregon/Nevada/Idaho, we visited the penultimate market of the year w/ too much wine, cheese, bread, and other regional products to name and describe. We just fell into it. Lots of political activity too, and when a sticker was placed on the coat we had to remove it in fear of provoking the other side unknowingly (they were in Euskari or Basque language).

We are on to Asturias and Galicia, the remaining heart of Atlantic salmon in Spain, in a couple of days. The weather is warmer but wetter, so we may head to Andalusia to dry out for a while before resuming the Ruta de los Pesces.

All the best to you all, the Shive and the Aagaard-Shivelys.

Regions de France

Attn: Pics are in reverse order!

Leaving Basel, Switzerland on 10/5, we were immediately back in France. En route to the home of Rio's pen pal Eric near Dijon in Bourgogne, and his wonderful family, we passed through Belfort for lunch and haircuts. The city is a former historic (no redundancy - really) military center with a very impressive fort and battlements. Then we dallied down the Doubs valley exploring the villages and the river which is significantly modified for barging (a busy day). We spent several days in Bourgogne and were able to see the Cote d'Or (gold coast) while driving the Rue de Grand Crus (route of grand vineyards) in the heart of Burgundy w/ the leaves changing color (see photo!). This is a tourism must there. Classic and historic villages, vineyards, and beautiful autumn weather were all ours!

Several days then in Lyon - a great city that is even greater for its role in the French resistance during WWII. I visited with geographers from Lyon Universities 2 & 3 (and the Ecole Normal Superiere), we saw the old city, the Basilica de Notre Dame de Fourviere, the two Gallo-Roman ampitheatres, and visited the Musee de la Resistance et la Deportation. The last is an extremely important place to visit in Lyon we all think.

From Lyon it was on to Mende in the Massif Central which is in a landscape remarkably like Grants Pass in SW Oregon. We camped along the Riviere Lot. Next day we drove through the Gorge du Tarns (see photo!). Twelfth century chateaus and villages peppered along a gorgeous river that is now a popular tourism and recreation (say kayaks!) destination. We then saw the Viaduct du Millau that crosses the R. Tarns just below the terminus of the gorge. Camping that night was in a Ferme (farm) Camping area - pitched tents at 11 pm and woke to a beautiful landscape.

We're now in Pau at the foot of the Pyrenees (they're in sight!) for the research on the Piscatorial Landscape after doing a drive-by of Toulouse (unfortunately we had reservations to keep in Pau). It turns out that Gregory Dolet, a biologist and fishing guide here that I visited with, and Guillaume Baranco with Department 64) are working with other anglers and stakeholders to organize for the conservation of the fisheries and rivers - there is a big initiative under way here. You'll have to read the details in the book later. Anyway, for a fishing trip in the Pyrenes-Atlantique, a special area with Basque and Bearn influences, see Gregory's website at right and that of Peche64 (use Google to translate this if necessary).

The Pyrenees await - just have to find some gazole for the car so we can leave (the general strikes may limit fuel availability - another day of strike is scheduled for tomorrow after an especially volatile one today - see the BBC story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11567457). C'est la vie! Au revoir, Dave et al.

When in France...

It's been difficult to devote time to research and tourism equally, but being a geographer I'll try to count them as the same anyway. In Paris for a week, we did some of the usual things. I will have to say that seeing the batteaux on the Seine, and then later on the canals that connect all of France, got me to thinking about the historical importance of these features in terms of economy and place, and their larger role in large-scale hydrologic alteration! I'll be visiting with hydrologists and geographers in Lyon next week and will have a better perspective on this. This is also important in the context of England, and even Scotland with its Caledonian Canal too (the boys got to open the locks on its "Neptune's Staircase" at Fort William in September).

We saw the Rhine at Strasborg and Basel, Switzerland, and I was impressed with the clarity of its waters and wonder if the salmon are coming back to it as they are the Seine (see the following link describing the returns of summer 2009 there: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/6013819/Salmon-return-to-Frances-River-Seine.html).

Here's a pic from Paris, and one from Basel, and I'll post more to Picasa soon too. Au revoir all!