Dax to Pau

Went 1st Class from Dax to Pau and back - Dax being the nearest station to Vieux Boucau and Pau being the only train available today other than for Paris.

Our special SNCF reduction cards really slash the prices of the tickets.

Dax station

Its canopy

The station buffet at Dax

While waiting for the train to leave I read some more of Paul Reed's book on Sartre: this time a section on the nature of art.

This was relevant to my understanding of Sartre's view of physical objects as always possessing an infinity of characteristics that we can never hope to apprehend - see earlier blog.

Unlike a physical object, for an artistic object, whether it be a painting, a dance, a piece of music, a novel, a poem or whatever,  the characteristics of the object are delimited by what we perceive in it. It is true that we may come to attribute to a work of art something more each time we see it or consider it, but the driving force is us, not the work of art.

"In other words," says Reed, "we never discover in it more than we ouselves put into it." p50.

Not sure I can fully articulate what this means but I think I agree with the distinction at a gut level.

Then the train left for Pau.

It had only two cars but this number of staff!!!

These French trains are pretty boring these days - the same as inter-city trains in Scotland. But at least I saw one distinctly French locomotive en route.

 And so to Pau - journey time of 55 minutes.

Canopy at Pau.

A funicular takes you from the station to the town above.

We will definitely return to Pau for a longer visit.

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Currently listening to:

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Last night's dinner:

Returned to Cote d'Argent and started once more with a Kir and then foie gras; and finished once more with a panacotta, but this time had cod for a main course.

Cost per head: £30.00

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Currently Re-reading:

My wife wanted her Kindle back so Rupert Everett was given a break and I embarked once more on the final volume of Evelyn Waugh's war trilogy, "Sword of Honour."