We were lucky. The week we chose was one of unseasonal warmth (20 degrees!) and dryness near Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.
We set out on daily hikes, easy ones from a guidebook called “Les Sentiers d’Emilie” that we found in our Airbnb. I was generally in charge of choosing the destination. I aimed for those of around 3-4 hours and enough of an elevation gain that we would feel challenged.
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine is the story of a young diplomat from a ‘provincial’ region of space who makes it to the center of the Teixcalaan Empire to represent her people. Her own region is a nominal vassal state though it retains much independence. This region is important because it is a frontier area where the Empire would like to expand.
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