It was a really hot afternoon and our first time back in this town in over 30 years. This cafe was a five minute walk from the shrine and it was just the ticket: two cappuccinos, two Coke Zero with ice and a slice of unwaxed lemon and two sweet crepes. All delicious, it was comfortable and staff were real friendly. The cafe was full of Irish folks with the odd American. We had spent quite a few hours from mid morning at and around the Shrine, Basilicas and the Massabielle Grotto, the heat was draining and we needed refreshments and restrooms. Oddly enough, as we strolled the grotto it wasn't easy to find a cleric around the place - don't get me wrong I wasn't looking for one but the scarcity felt a bit odd to me among the thousands of quite silent pilgrims. For the most part the religious shops were staffed by nuns. We knew we would never return here but had no desire to stay for the nighttime candlelit procession as there would likely be thousands of pilgrims participating and as we were just about to leave the shrine I got a text from my cousin. He knew we were at the Massabielle Grotto and had cause to require me to do something for him. It kept us there about an extra hour and I was able to do what he wanted. Lourdes itself is scenically beautiful, in the Hautes Pyrénées Department, nestled in the foothills of Les Pyrénées. It has a thousand year old fort, a glacial lake, thermal spas and Pic Du Jur - a funicular railway. We were staying in Pau with spectacular views of the mountain from our hotel window which delivered stunning thunderstorms while we were there. read more