Ceret - Collioure and Walter Benjamin memorial in Port Bou.

The day dawned sunny, cold and windy, but sunny, so we set off to show Aimee, Collioure.

I have so many photos of Collioure (because it is so photogenic) and so many sketches but
It was great to have Aimee appreciate it too.

I have been in this ceramic store every time I have gone to Collioure. I have talked myself into and out of
buying something every time. However this time I have decided to buy 3 swallows for the chimney wall at
home. I have so many swallows at home it seems appropriate. (had to post this photo because Heather
loathes clowns)

I love the sea gulls but am afraid that they are one of those things that would look great here
but not so good at home (I've bought clothes like that in the past)

We chose the same restaurant as last time. It had the required elements - sun, out of the wind,
lots of people and good food. We enjoyed the ambiance, food and conversation for nearly 3 hours.
The mascot is this Jack Russell ish dog who cruises the tables. We didn't feed him.

Aimee went out of her comfort zone and ordered cuttlefish (a mollusk). Oops
we just looked at them on the internet and she's decided they are "cute, big eyes, adorable"
she will never eat them again.

I don't think I posted dessert pictures last time, Dad's Crème Glace. We told him he
had to put the fancy stick behind his ear. The rest of us had Crème Catalan.

The commandos again entertained us. The lead kayak is the instructor with a dog on board.
When they got out into the rolling seas, he, the dog, jumped ship and swam to shore.

He then barked until picked up again. A canine drill sergeant.

Aimee and I walked through the narrow streets of the old town while Mum sketched.

Sitting in the sun. I'm missing Rasta.

Since seeing the Dani Karavan exhibit, Aimee and I have wanted to see his memorial to Walter
Benjamin at Port Bou. So we left Mum and Dad in Colloiure and drove the wonderful twisty, sea
shore, steep drop off, vineyard terraced road from France to Spain. This is looking across the bay
at Port Bou, at the cemetery and the memorial (metal tunnel).

Our shadows at the top of the tunnel. Walter Benjamin was a German Jew and a philosopher and historical
writer who fled France to Spain. Upon arriving in Spain he discovered the Gestapo were there and in September
1940 committed suicide believing he could never be free. The tragedy is that the group he was travelling
with did escape to the USA.

The memorial is called Passages and this section, the steep tunnel between metal walls
that frames the view of France symbolizes his journey to Spain.

At the bottom is a glass panel, through which you see the sea crashing on the rocks and on the
panel the inscription "it is more arduous to honour the memory of the nameless than that of the
renown. Historical construction is devoted to the memory of the nameless".

What a beautiful peaceful spot.

There is a plaque with his name in the nearby Catholic Cemetery, although we read that
his body was later buried elsewhere  (Jewish, committed suicide, not exactly OK with
Catholicism). People have placed stones there with comments, their names and dates.

The entrance to the steps down. Simple but dramatic in its location.

A break from the serious! On our way we struggled to get past a group of "Tour de France" whanabes.
At one pint we were following them down a winding coastal road at 45km/hr. Crazy! Here (sorry long zoom photo)
they are coasting down the hill into Port Bou. When we drove back out we could see that the last couple of guys were 50+.
Then came the support van, carrying the guys who had quit, 60+ at least. Really crazy!

Back to the memorial. The entrance from above.

Karavan's steps to the old olive tree that he believed symbolized
the struggle Benjamin went through to survive.

Karavan also placed a metal patio fronted by a wire fence. This was to symbolize
the sense that the freedom Benjamin had hoped to find in Spain did not materialize.

We were surprised by the lack of signage or explanation to this site. Port Bou has a huge train depot but little else. While we were there a number of people visited the memorial but they would get more out of the visit with more explanation and it was not easy to find. The coast road is beautiful and dramatic but good signage would pull some of those visitors that would otherwise just pass through.

We were conscious that the trip had taken longer than we had anticipated and  we were later to
pick up Mum and Dad than we planned so it was just a quick stop to take a picture of this lighthouse that was
steel and solar panels on one side and stone on the other.

Weather coming in, we were happy to pick up Mum and Dad before it rained.