Spain 2013 (Work)

A few extra days following a work conference in Pamplona gave me a chance to revisit the region Robyn and I had traveled trough 10 years earlier.  Pamplona is mostly famous for the the running of the bulls during the San Fermín festival, which was described by a little know author, Ernest Hemingway, in The Sun Also Rises.  This is Basque country and the people here are very proud of their heritage. 

I spent one day driving into the nearby and snowy Pyrenees.  The folk lore about how the  Pyrenees got it's name is disturbing -  apparently Hercules got drunk at a party held by King Bebryx and raped the King's virgin daughter who was called Pyrene.  She ran away and was killed by wild beasts in this region.  Hercules, who became remorseful(!) ordered the mountains to cry out her name through the ages. I didn't hear her name, but I did see an amazing roman bridge.  Also had a day trip to San Sebastián and the French town of Biarritz - both on the coast of the Bay of Biscay.