Lourdes.

Since it was low tourist season in Europe, there was basically no line at all for the baths.  People go to the baths for many reasons--most go for healing, for themselves or someone they love.  Admittedly, there were several reasons I was interested in having that experience, not the least of which was curiosity.  I'm glad I did it, because it was definitely a very unique experience.

After the baths, we went to Mass at the Grotto, then wandered around for a bit.  We checked out of our hotel, and decided we wanted to stay another day.  We went and found a cheaper hotel and enjoyed a little mid-afternoon nap (necessary after two late, late nights and two early mornings in a row).  Then we wandered across the entrance to the fort we saw from our hotel, which doubled as the Museum of the Pyranees!  :)  It wasn't expensive to get in, so we decided it would be fun to check it out.

The museum was pretty cool!  They had a neat little exhibit on the architecture of the Pyranees region over the centuries, with 1/10 scale models of different buildings. 

 They also had some cool exhibits of nun's habits from loads of different orders--apparently they used to make dolls with the habit of the order any time they changed the habit and sent it from the mother house out to all the convents so they could see what changes they needed to make (before the days of sending photos in an instant!), so they had tons of these little dolls--really cool.

We could also see the window of our hotel from the night before--cool to see it from the other side.

After the museum, we were STARVING...but in Europe, dinner time doesn't start until about 8!!  So we found some gelato and some snacky-snacks at a little restaurant and wandered back over to the Grotto to check it out.  

We bought some souvenirs and filled some little jars and containers with water to take back for some people we thought would think it was cool, then we decided to make a few phone calls.

As I hadn't been near a phone or internet since arriving in France, I wanted to call Erik and see how he was doing (especially since I didn't even know when the funeral was, etc.).  When he answered in a whisper, I quickly figured out that, due to my impeccable timing, I discovered when the funeral was--RIGHT THEN!!  I felt HORRIBLE, told him I loved him, and hung up quickly.  I was completely shocked that he answered (I found out later they were watching a slideshow at the end, so it wasn't actually distracting or inappropriate or anything, and he just wanted to talk with me for a second).

It was finally getting dark, which meant it was late enough we could find some dinner, so we wandered back to the same restaurant and indulged in some excellent pasta (our first real meal in like 30 hours).

After a quick pit-stop at an internet cafe, we headed back to the hotel.  The hotel had an early curfew, but I had just enough time to run across the street to the train station to make another quick call to Erik.  They were just leaving the cemetery, so I had a chance to talk with him for a few minutes.  It was a tough but great phone call, as he was so sad, and I found myself desperately wishing I could be there with him.  God works in mysterious ways, and I did the best I could to be there for him from abroad.  I had to end the call and head back to the hotel so as not to be locked out for the night, but I promised to be in touch.

Ben and I headed back to the hotel to begin planning the rest of our trip out...