May 30: French Pyrenees

The terrain shifted abruptly from coastal lowlands to hills and mountains as we headed up into the Pyrenees on the way to the border.

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Getting quixotic up in here!

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A mysterious castle beyond a mysterious lean-to.

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The little bays between the mountains provided my first views of the open Mediterranean, for instance here at Banyuls-sur-Mer.

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A channelized arroyo in Banyuls-sur-Mer.

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A steep set of early-season planting grids.

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A secluded tongue of sea between Banyuls and Cerbère.

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Another scenic spot, the Village Aloès.

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Another mystery lean-to before enthusiastic boats.

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Somehow from up on high we came down close to sea level, almost close enough to touch.

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In Cerbère, the border town, a diversely detailed building.

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Two wall pidgies take in the view of the border range.

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At the station were these car-carrying cars. We had a layover here as passports were checked and, probably, gauge was changed from standard to Iberian (both gauges run across the border, but all trains have to switch gauges on one side or the other).

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One more tiny glimpse of the French-side sea...

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...then into the tunnel into Spain.