Here is a summary of what is spent on Day 9.
Route: Cable Ride to Petit d'Artoutse Train Station -- Yellow Train Ride -- Walk to Lake Artoutse (Lunch stop)
Must-Incur Costs :
None incurred.
The Story
090915 : The cable ride brought us to the top of the hill at 10.20am. We had time to spare for our 11am train ride. So, the time is spent to take photos of the view around me. The photos does not do any justice to the real green mountains. One can just stare ahead and far beyond and be blown away by the gorgeous scenery. There was no chilly wind to freeze me. Instead, it was cool still air with the warm heat. From the top, one can see Lake Fabreges - named after the Fabreges Village down below. The sole mountain jutting out is Pic du Midi d’Ossau.
Exactly, at 11am, we boarded the train. Since Prof Sweet Tooth and I were busy snapping photos (wait, I should rephrase that - I was busy snapping and he was waiting for me telling me to hurry up), we got the first seats instead. All the remaining seats were filled up! I wonder why no one wanted to sit in front. We were just right behind the driver. The 50-minute train ride brought us along a winding route which was close to the ledge. I did not feel worried but Prof Sweet Tooth was anxious because the driver was driving fast for a Little Yellow Train. I am not sure what he meant by fast but I thought having the wind in my face and admiring the passing view surpassed anything else. I was giddy with happiness 'Choo choo, choo choo'.. and soon I felt the chill in my bare hands. I hurriedly put on my gloves during mid-journey after I was satisfied with my photography and video session.
We saw one of the wildlife of Pyrenees - the marmot.
The alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) is a species of marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. Alpine marmots live at heights between 800 and 3,200 metres in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras, the Pyrenees and Northern Apennines in Italy. The alpine marmot is sometimes considered the largest squirrel species. (Source from Wikipedia)
Finally, the train journey ended, and we exited the train. We started our 20-minute walk to Lake Artoutse. Oh, I thought it was easy but I was so wrong. Especially with a heavy backpack. The route looks simple with proper steps but boy, did I underestimate an ascending route.
Yay! 20 minutes. We see Lake Artoutse and many other tourists with their personal spots having their lunch. I was eager to put down my luggage and remove my fleece jacket. But in 10 minutes, I felt cold. The view of Lake Artoutse surrounded by the mountains was magnificent. I think I may have found the word to describe the impressive mountain range of Pyrenees - grandeur. If the photos stunned you, the real ones will make your jaw drop.
Lunch time! We have bought French bread, olive oil and salami from the grocery mall in Lourdes. I have no idea the combination could be so delicious, or I could be very hungry and was ready to eat anything. Pour some olive oil in the bread and put slices of salami in the bread. The concept of salami was something new to me, and I asked Prof Sweet Tooth many times if it was edible? Do we need to cook it first? He assured me that it can be eaten as it is. I was addicted to it for a while. Anyway, I did google on the concept of salami after that just to get an idea of how salami is made.
Salami is a type of cured sausage consisting of fermented and air-dried meat, typically beef or pork. Typical additional ingredients include: Garlic, Minced fat, Salt, Spices, usually white pepper, Various herbs,Vinegar and Wine. The maker usually ferments the raw meat mixture for a day, then stuffs it into either an edible natural or inedible cellulose casing, and hangs it up to cure.
Some recipes apply heat to about 40 °C (104°F) to accelerate
fermentation and drying. Higher temperatures (about 60 °C (140°F)) stop
the fermentation when the salami reaches the desired pH, but the product is not fully cooked (75 °C (167°F) or higher). Makers often treat the casings with an edible mold (Penicillium) culture. The mold imparts flavor, helps the drying process, and helps prevent spoilage during curing. Curing is any of various food preservation and flavoring processes of foods such as meat, fish and vegetables. (Source from Wikipedia)
It was the most awesome lunch with an amazing view. After lunch, we are off to do our short hike. If you considered 8 hours as short?
1 comment:
All this with The Little Yellow Train made me learn something about me and you. I can't say "No" when you use the words "So wonderful" and "Please" together in a sentence...
The thing was, during the research phase, that I found a video clip on YouTube. I was looking for clips showing how the mountains look like more close-up, and I found a clip made by a person holding a cam recorder during the journey with the Tiny Yellow Train along the side of the mountain. The cam even recorded how steep it was. If that train fell off it tracks, you would surely have plenty of time to rethink your sins (if you have any) before... well, I don't need to tell the consequenses of such accident. So just to show you what some mad tourist does at the Pyrenées, like a warning, I sent you the link through Facebook or by e-mail. I think without my comments because I thought it was obvious... and I got your reply that this scenery was so wonderful, and "Please, can we go there" without question mark, I think... Who can say no to an angel? as the song says. Not me. :-)
Well, what could happen there, if anything? Well again, I can imagine me a lot of things. I checked up on the web how often the Pyrenees are affected by eartquakes. It turned out that they do happens regulary. That means some spots get an earthquake every 5-7th year. And near the area we were about to visit, the last earthquake did happen some 7 years before. Add to that we were also a few weeks before the Super Moon, another thing that was said to affect the Mother Earth's belly....
Anyway, I calmed myself and said that I may not be so scared/worried if we sit in the end of the last wagon. If we see the locomotive disappear out in the air for any reason (perhaqps driving too fast), we may have some few seconds to jump out from the wagon and save us. My plan didn't work. Luckily enough, there was no need for the plan. Instead we got the first row in the first wagon. And I saw the speedometer in front of the driver, although I think he didn't put much attention on it. But I did that!!!
This railroad is not built to take tourists top the lake. The railroad was built to support transportations to the big dam and the water power plant, including the staff. They got paid to see this wonderful scenery! I wonder if they anyway was sitting tired and silent on the way to the job as I do when I go with the subway every morning...? Well, I do wonder if one could be bored on watching this scenery every day? To me, it must be impossible. But I have never built and dam. At least not of that size as the one that cross the outlet fo Lac Artoutse. I am so thankful that I accepted your wish to go with the train and see this beautiful landscape, and I am thankful that you gave me curage to let the little train lead us to the sun after a morning in the walley that the sun didn't reached for hours. To the readers, I will recommend you to go in the weekdays and not in the weekends, because the company on the train is mostly seniors, and they behave excellent and makes not much noise, except for those common "Voila!" and "Ahhh!" when we pass along the landscape.
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