Tuesday, 5/21. Nearly errorless navigation today. Lots of tolls though. Great roads. While entering France we merged with what must be a major highway for transportation. Incredible number of trucks. Our route quickly diverged, happily.
San Sebastian is what everyone has described. Friendly and vibrant. Massive number of tapas restaurants, all opening at noon. Far greater number per block than anywhere else. Yoriko had a tapas of bread topped with large mushrooms. Heaven. Beautiful view from the top of the opposing hill which can be reached by a funicular. We were too early for it, so I drove the narrow, winding, under repairs road to the top. The children’s park at the top was closed, but it was still interesting. A few hours in the city was far too few.
For some reason France looked just like France (i.e., not like Spain). Architecture changed immediately. Nice route until we reached Lourdes, when the GPS took us on a weird, winding detour which included a drive through the heart of tourist country. Like Grenada, it was an obstacle course of pedestrians. The (very French) desk clerk apologized for the routing. We weren’t the first to be sent hither and yon. Hotel was great.
I didn’t do much research on Lourdes before booking. I knew the name somehow and vaguely understood it to be the second most visited french city after Paris. But I was shocked to learn that it’s the third most revered catholic site in the world (behind Rome and the Holy Lands). Five million visit annually, with a steady population of only 15,000. The source for its fame involves an 1858 incident with a young woman, an appearance by the Virgin Mary, and water in a grotto. The water is considered to have great healing power, so the city is filled with disabled and aging people. And a host of the appropriate nursing staff. Nightly candlelight events occur. It’s so routine the desk clerk just assumed that that’s why we came. Anyway, it’s a charming little town surrounded by green hills. Catholic or not, it’s an interesting place.
Huge beaches. 
I think the language is Basque. The park was getting cleaned up, no doubt for the summer. 
The funicular we did not use. 
Just one of dozens of tapas bars. We found one with an English speaking gentleman. Great time. 
Interesting marketing method: It cost me a euro to illuminate the alter. 
Looks very much like a street actor. But no, it’s a statue. 
The castle at Lourdes. Second fiddle to the churches. 
A reminder that this is also skiing country. 
The Domain, or Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. Look it up. I refuse to try to describe it. 
Stores sell empty bottles, to be filled here. 
The grotto, where it all happened, is under the Domain. Crowds of people pray or touch the walls. 