The first time the title Heart of Darkness weeded into my existence was in my tenth grade English class, as we prepared to read Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Achebe’s work was prescribed as a more authentic perspective of the world created in Heart of Darkness, a different portrayal of European imperialism and its literary ashes. I vowed to one day read it, not only to experience Conrad’s understandings and realities, but also to strengthen my grasp of Achebe’s perspective, to understand against what he wrote and what he sought to rewrite.
Out and About Arcachon – Vineyards and the Harbor
Although we spent a week in Arcachon, I haven’t properly dedicated a post to the actual town itself. Well-known as a resort town in France, Arcachon’s vibe seems to be found in summer tourism. Spas and bike paths frame the boardwalk, and luxurious yachts lazily float in the harbor. The “downtown” area is dotted with glaciers, crêperies, and high-end clothing stores. Think Destin, Santa Cruz, or Gulf Shores, only with a French twist. For those who seek more than just generic sun tanning and spa hopping, a bike ride to the Dune of Pilat or a short car trip to Bordeaux or its surrounding vine yards present opportunities to discover a more-unique version of France.
Pamplona – the city of San Fermín
Pamplona, a colorful city nestled in the Basque Country, is known for the San Fermín festival that inflames its streets in early July. Ernest Hemingway brought the city to literary fame in his book The Sun Also Rises, in which the main characters travel to Pamplona to witness the festival, and in particular the bull runs and fights, all while bar hopping and consuming audacious amounts of alcohol. Although Pamplona was a little bit far from where we were staying in France (a four hour one-way drive, not to mention all the highway charges), being devout Hemingway fans, we decided to take the trip.
The Dune of Pilat
If you’re looking for a scenery change from emerald European forests and lush country springs, the Dune of Pilat will satisfy your needs. A 30-minute drive from Bordeaux, the Dune of Pilat is Europe’s largest sand dune. A short “hike” from the first few dunes will take you away from groups of tourists and to a point where sky, sand, and infinity seem to come together. On a sunny day, you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of Tunisia and not Southern France. I recommend walking up to the peak of the very last dune, where you’ll have a wonderful, if not surreal, view of the dunes, the sea, and the dominating forests.
Les huitres
Arcachon, coasting the Arcachon Bay, has made its name as a popular resort town for the rest of France. The French travel to the small town to lie on pristine beaches and quite candidly, eat oysters. Arcachon and the surrounding area are known for this staple, and upon examining our travel plans, the French Consulate immediately asked, “Are you going to eat oysters?”
Walking Bordeaux
Being a mere 40-minute drive from remote Arcachon, it was reasonable for us to pay Bordeaux a visit. Upon arrival we noticed that a festival of some kind was going on (this happened three weeks ago, so I don’t remember what it was celebrating anymore). This meant that crowds were gathered around the ports, and people walked around carrying flags of some kind. Our first stop was the Bordeaux Office of Tourism, where we asked for some of the city highlights that could be explored in a day. They told us that the best option was to go on their specially-designed loop around the city, which would take us past all the major sites.
La Catedral de Burgos
So here is the promised post on the Burgos Cathedral. It’s built in the same Gothic style found in the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. We decided to take the English audio guide tour, since I prefer to note the historical implications behind each design rather than just walk around freely about the cathedral. The tour took us room-by-room around the Cathedral, explaining each display and describing the saint each room was dedicated to. The rooms are extremely lavish and brushed in gold and various architectural thrills. The artistic details really make you grasp just how much dedication the people had to their religion in such hard times for mankind (the cathedral’s construction started in 1221).
A day in Burgos
So now I’ve returned to the States and have time to update everyone on my past three weeks spent in Europe. I have a lot of pictures to upload, so these next few posts won’t just be walls of text. For now, let the extreme vacation logging begin!
The Relost Generation 