Month: August 2018

Day 7: Mangy Cours to Le Veaurdre

Got up and started at 0545 am. No choice. Either that or melt. Arrived at Le Veaurdre at 1300. Temp 37 C. Had a difficult time trying to pronounce that when asking for directions in my shattered French. Also stopped a few times for my new found favourite drink – Orangina. I think I had about 3 of them.  Also stopped and had lunch in an ancient graveyard. It was the coolest place in town. While munching away on my pate and brown bread I thought I heard some laughter. Were these ancient pilgrims laughing at me? I thought. I gave my head a shake. Then again, I really thought I heard someone say in my unconcious mind:

”Come to France” they said,

”Go for a walk” they said,

”You,ll love it” they said. “Just like us” they said. “ And we,re dead”they said.

Thinking about these ancient pilgrims got me to thinking about the French Revolution and how it started. I have a theory about that. Back in 1788, the church authourities urged all of the pilgrims of the day to walk to Santiago in Spain – all 1700 km. So off they went and when they got there after much personal sacrifice and hardship they found this:

They were not amused. They headed back to Paris and the rest as they say is history.

Arrived at the Allier River in Le Veaurdre and could not resist. I went down and jumped in. The water was warm but refreshing, waist deep with a bit of a current. I sat there for about an hour in that stream and could feel the hot embers that made up my blood suddenly cool. I was content and refreshed. Found my campsite – it was closed – and proceeded to fall asleep under an ancient oak tree. Wonderful. Right now I am sitting having a meal in the only place in town that is open.

All of these closures reminds me of when my wife and I did the Route 66 road trip. The ghost town trip from Santa Monica to Chicago. Everything was boarded up. Earie. If this part of France isn,t careful the same outcome could occur here.

This song was a favourite of my wife and I. We stood on that corner in Winslow Arizona.

https://youtu.be/mSScV6Rt_6s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 6: Nevers to Mangy Coors

Today,s walk  is dedicated to Ruth, a good friend, who has been battling cancer with the support of her husband longer than anybody should have to.

Left Nevers at 0545am. Have to as the heat envelops you by 10am. Then it is impossible to go on. The walk was pleasant enough, with a cool early morning beeze and an eerily dull light that is prevalant in that transition between the darkness of night and the light of a new day, new beginnings. Unfortunately most of the walk was on pavement. Hard on the feet. Before I go on I must relate a few crazy things.

Crazy mistake: in Premerly I went to the Carrefour and bought a few items. I decided some cheese and a sausage was in order. At 9am all was good but by 1500 ( 3 pm ) in 42 C I had a cheese fondue brewing in my backpack with a swarm of flies buzzing around my head, like phirranas in heat. Trashed that quickly. Fool John!

 

Crazy man: in that same Carrefore, in their baggage, er baguette department, I met a crazy Dutchman (sorry Marijke ). He was old – like me, taller though and fit enough in a lanky, thin frame. He saw me sitting there drinking my litre of milk and approached me. In my face, his buldging eyes bore into my very being. I had to move back. His eyes reflected a madness that was only legitimized by his joker-like smile. And within 15 minutes I had his entire life story. His English was good so there was no mistake on my part. He had been a doctor and his most satisfying job had been as a cruise ship doctor. Amazing. So what on earth brings him to some small French village in the middle of no where France? I asked him. He looked at me, silence , as if confused then laughed and giggled with spittle spewing: “oh, oh, I must get back to my ship.” WHOAH!

I never really gave sunflowers much thought before. But during the early morning walk from Nevers, I came across fields and fields of them. These flowers are amazing. In the early morning light, before the sun begins to shine, these flowers, thousands of them, stand there upright, but with their heads bowed toward the east – every single one of them. Then, as the sun breaks though and rises above the easterm hills, magic occurs. Their heads come alive with joyous life. Their single rounded heads spring to life and rise to face the sun. You can actually witness natures sorcery. It was as if a thousand one eyed cyclops raised their yellow framed eye in unison and gave thanks to their sun god. I think I can understand Vincent Van Gogh,s fascination and inspiration with sunflowers. These flowers were probably the only living thing in his world that fulfilled him with the wonder of nature and thepresence of a higher power perhaps.

Passed a number of small villages – all at the top of a hill. I never seem to go down though, and arrived at Magny Cours, one of Frances F1 and motorcross circuits. Something was going as there was a great deal of noise in the air. But, like everything else in this beautiful land, everything was FERME! I guess the French of France really are keen on seeking a one and a half hour work week.

All for now.I apologize for the typos but that is what occurs when using an Ipad. Also, I tend to go back and forth in time. That is because so much info comes up later after my brain box cools down.

Singing this tune almost the whole way. Good thing nobody could hear me.o

https://youtu.be/SYnP45jxVjY

Day 5: Nevers

Today,s adventure is dedicated to all of the men and women at th BC Cancer Clinic. May their journeys be good and safe and successful.

Well never on a Sunday, a Sunday, a Sunday, da da da day dah. And yet here I am in Nevers France on a Sunday. I am sitting at my campsite, beside the Loire River, with the churchbells of the city singing their songs of praise. And here lies entomnbed in a shrine, the mortal remains of St Bernadette, a pilgrimage in itself. St Bernadette of Lourdes fame, so the Catholic story goes, was visited by the Virgin Mary 18 times in 1858. A shrine and grotto was built to commemorate that vision. True? False? Well it is a matter of faith.

Got here late last night. Campsite is okay but hot, dusty and no shade. A tad dirty. First thing I did was quaff down 2 Orannginas – the sweet nectar of nature when you are dying of thirst. Orangina is very tasty. I have developed a taste for it. Tasty – oh I already said that. Me mind is playing tricks with my train of tasty thoughts.

A note about Premery. I decided to take the bus in this heat. The nice lady at the tourist office gave me bad information. Sure there is a bus Monsieur.  Voici est le schedule. Deux euros. Sacre Blue,  I thought. That is cheap. So i go out to the bus arret, but voila – no bus. After 4 hours of waiting, no bus. It turns out there is no bus service in Premery. Schedules? Oui. Bus stops? Oui. But no busses. Non. Sacre Blue. Oh and mon Francais est meilleur chaque jour. Voilà. Reminded me of Monty Python,s sketch about the department of Silly Walks.

At the Premery camp site they had a game of boules, or bocci. My camping neighbour , a very old man, won the tournament they had and then gave me his medal. Nice. We talked in my shattered French and I showed him pics of my grandchild Ruby. He and his disabled wife smiled and patted me on the back. Belle, belle enfant. I looked at him, and his wife and coulfd see the real love betwwen them, holding hands and smiling at one another. Beautiful. I bade them goodbye and left in the 40 degree heat.

Got to the edge of town and stuck out my thumb. I decided not to walk the 10 miles to the next town. After about 2 hours, with my thumb getting tired, a nice young women stopped and gave me a lift. I was very tired. I thanked her and called her my angel. She then told me her name was Angelique. Beautiful. She was from Uzbekistan, living in France for 10 years,yet her French was no better than mine.

The short drive to Nevers was nice as the sun was setting in the west. Air was sweet and the sky a purplish, reddish shade of blue. Having the windows down with the warm yet refreshing wind blowing and swirling around me was heavenly. It reminded mre of my youth in the car with my dad, rolling down a country road, just the two of us with the windows rolled down, and my arm straight out into the warm summer,s evening breeze, trying to catch the wind, just the two of us, silent, peaceful in thought and mind. I lost my pop at a very young age.

La vie est bon, belle – no matter what.

 

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https://youtu.be/byZn1KBzdeI

Day Three and Four

This is dedicated to Gary, my cousin,s husband from Toronto. He has been fighting cancer for a very long time.

I am a bit out of sync due to heat and poor wifi.

Stayed in Guipy over night sécond day. Beautiful. Owned by a Dutch couple. All of the campers were Dutch too,except moi and my new found friend Jean, a frenchman from France!! Great guy. Pläce had a pool, which was heaven. Sat outside for dinner – hot but with a breeze – heavenly. Unfortunately for me I was sitting beside an arrogant Dutchman who proceed to tell me how much he and much of Europe hate Trump and all Americans – sad. Oh well, if there is one commonality in this world it is this – assholes. He is the second one I have met so far on this trip. More to come I am sure. Hot, hot, hot

Oh yeah, the Dutch owner of the site tried to rip me off. I caught him out though. What a prick – oh how I love that word. Funny that the only real jerks I have come across so far have been Dutch. Sorry Marijke. But then again they are all from the north in Holland, not the south where my dear wife was born and raised

Day Three  – Guipy to Pemery.

Started at 6am. Cool. Most of this trip was beside paved roads. Not good in this heat. Met my Belgian friend, a pilgrim, in St Sauverien, a village at the top of a large hill. Of course! Most of the villages I have come across are at the top of a large hill-of course they are. That was about 7 km out.  Nothing open. Not a single store, cafe, had been open in any of the villages. My neighbour Gord told me that this area of France was exceptional for its cuisine. That may be true but I haven,t been able to find out as every friggin cafe, magazin, HAS BEEN FRIGGIN CLOSED. Maybe in Premery I will find something open. My friend Jean told me this is due to poor economics. Villagers have given up, so have closed shop and moved away. Most Frenchmen from France prefer their holidays abroad. That is sad because this region is heaven on earth – heavenly!

Then it got hot,really really hot. It became a walk of surviving. Not enjoyable at all. No profound thought at all unless of course falling into Niagara Falls was profound. Ah that cool fresh torrent of water cascading over the furnace that encased my very being! So nice. I had to settle jumping into a stream and immersing myself into its coolness. Aw,the small things in life we take for granted. Same with fruit. I had been saving an orange for a very special break. With 7 km to go it was now time for this heavenly treat – every segment was  sweet nector of the Gods. So, so refreshing.

Under this grouling heat, the countryside was parched for moisture. Hills and valleys screaming for rain and none forthcoming for sometime. Longest heatwave on record – of course it is – come to France they said.

Last two km took me 2 hours. Finally made it to Premery. Hard to describe this place as I am too tired. Found a bistro open – hooray – went in and quaffed two Oranginas, a large carafe of ice water and a great fruit salad. I felt nauseous and could hardly eat the salad but I got through it. Found my campsite and collapsed. Site has a swimming pond, so I immersed myself after a short nap – heavenly.

By the way. It hit 42 C in this region. I have to change my tactics. Walking in a furnace is too dangerous, pilgrim or not, I am not ready to meet my creator as yet.

Day 4: This day is dedicated to my nephew Gerry, a Cancersurvivor.

Premer to Guigney. Decided to stay in Premery and recharge. Too hot to walk so autobus to my next destination it is. Not good I know but that is why God invented the internal combustion engine. He felt sorry for pilgrims. He looked down and said – enough is enough – the car was born and he was happy. My first profound thought I think.

ICampsite is good, not great but good. No extras here. Funny but I have been getting along with everyone – even with my shattered French. People everywhere are nice – especially in the country. No ANTIFA, no BLM, no Pride, no politics – just peaceful contemplation. Hey my second profundity. Besides, it is too hot. Even the fish know that. Kids are in the pond having a great time in this heat. Same with me as I really am a kid at heart. A few pics coming. Tomorrow: Nevers – where St Bernadette de Soubirous (suburu) is entombed. More on that later.

 

Day Two and a Bit

This day is dedicated to my brother Kevin, who is suffering from Cancer on his tongue. Just at the start of his journey.

By the way, this Ipad with its auto correct sucks. Hit a “t” and you get a “b.” Hit an “a” and you get a “r.”What should only take a few minutes takes an hour. SUCKS bigly.

Let me tell you about some of the people I have met already: there is Gil, the anorexic pilgrim, Hans, the arrogant Dutch pilgrim. I asked him how his walk was going only to hear him say: it,s in the heart man, the heart. It has nothing to do with “how it,s going” but everything to do with your state of mind man”.  Okay ass-hole I thought to myself. I have not heard that kind of talk since the 1960,s summer of love…..MAN. Then there is Robert and Pierre, there is always a Pierre isn,t there. In France I mean. Robert was a 

know it all but very helpful really. Two dutch girls from Maastricht entetained us with thier violin and guitar. We went through all of the koom-by-ah stuff. But cohen,s halleluah was a hit.

Even I sang-bass. A magical evening especially when sitting beside an Abby that is over 900 years old. Spine tingling .

Just before I arrived at my first rest area I had to climb up a steep hill that went up for about a kilometer at a 30 degree incline.  This after walking 24 kilometers. God treats pilgrims in mysterious ways I think.  I finally arrived at the hostel, and fell  on the cool tiled floor for about 30 minutes I think. All I wanted was a shower but the host dutch lady wouldnt let me have  one until I listened to her introdution – Dutch torture.

It,s amazing what goes through your mind when walking. You are only in the present-no past, no future, except for the next hill or valley. And in this heat? Hard. There was one moment when all I could think about was an ice cold pilsener. And what was really weird was I kept thinking I would come back in another life as a pint of ice cold pilsener. At the very least I thought I could give someone good company for a half hour so. Weird I know but that is what goes through your mind when your brains are being fried in 30 plus degrees heat.

Another magical evening. Pictures speak for themselves if I could only get this Ipad to work. It sucks. I am quitting for today. What should only take me 30 minutes to do takes almost 2 hours to do with this Ipad. I will correct later. Sorry for the typos:

 

 

 

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