Hard slog today. I thought I could knock off 19 kilometers in about 5 hours. But the terrain underfoot was so bad that it took another hour to make it. There is always a challenge each and every day. If not for hills then it is the high temperature
If it is not the temporary then it is the terrain. Only saving grace for me is the beauty of the landscape. That makes everything worthwhile.
One meets all kinds of people in the Camino. My new friend. Her name is moooo.
Hot,hot,hot. Look at the path. That was considered good. Most of the path is ankle busting terrain.
I was looking forward to the Albrac but was disappointed. I thought I would be seeing this barren, boulder strewn and cattle grazing area. And while there were spots that were treeless for the most part it resembled normal grazing ground. The Albrac is the home of a new brand of cattle. Yummy they say so I am hoping for a piece of that meat for tonight’s meal. Sorry for all those Vegans out there. Suffer!
French beer is awful. I found a cafe in Nasbinal that serves good German beer from Munich. Delicious. French beer is flat and served luke warm. Same with the water. I cannot seem to find an ice cold drink here, except today. The beer was ice cold 🧊.
Sat at the Cafe terrace and a very large family showed up with screaming children. So I moved inside. I thought I heard someone say in my head but oh John you really are a grumpy old man. Perhaps l am but I have lived many years so I felt I deserve some EFFIN PIECE AND QUIET. Sorry. Pilgrims cannot swear and they are not supposed to drink. Screw you buddy.
Meeting a lot of people and am getting a reputation already. They say: Have you seen that Canadian who carries a parasol? It is not a parasol. It is a high tech sun deflecting mechanism, I tell them. Ah oui monsieur they say. La nudge nudge, wink 😉.
28 kilometers today and very hot. Got about 18 kilometers done and then took the road. It was a bit shorter but not much. Came across a river and I was tempted to stop and jump in but though twice about it. Last time I did something like that I forgot to empty my pockets. Luckily no money but my Ipod never worked again.
My gite last night. It was a large monastery but now it is a local coop. Food was OK but again pasta and sausage. That would be three nights now but they tell that that the sausage and pasta are really cheap to make. So they do that to maximize profits. A change would be welcome. Say un chien chaud maybe. The wine though was a throat burner. Terrible. and this is France. C’Est it ain’t so Monsieur.
My gite today is very basic. No amenities and I was hoping to do a laundry. That was my priority but alor that was not to be. Beds are OK and unlike Spain they are not bunk beds. Almost semi private. I am in small town called Aumont-Albrac. Funny enough many cafes and restaurants are open.
Tomorrow I cross the Albrac, which is a barren stretch of pasture with a new and unique brand of cattle graze.
La Sauvage. The beast that terrorized this area back in the mid 1800s. It had a taste for human blood. It took a while for the locals to hunt it down and kill it. They say it was half wolf and half 👽. A local legend but it does look ugly. It is the French version of Sasquatch.
Another brutal day. Not as bad as yesterday but hard nevertheless. Got off around 8am. It was uphill from start to finish. But for the fantastic scenery I would have been done. It was only 19 kilometers but uphill all the way. I thought I was in for it. My legs were OK but my cardio suffered. My friend Jerry told me about Poly Poly. Do 100 paces then stop for 20 seconds. Of if it is a steep grade do 50 paces then stop for 20 seconds. Today it started at 100 paces but went to 50 toward the end. It worked for me. Thanks Jerry.
My walking partner today
He did not say much so I bid him adieu. Everyone here is French. But why not. It is France after all. I have met many people so far. I say hi to everyone. My French is very bad but they laugh and put up with me. That stupid Canadien they say. I 😃 laugh. I have met a French Canadian woman here but again very unfriendly. Why? Why? Anal. What a great word.
Some of my friends:
Jean, Dylan (from Toronto), my two German friends from Dortmund and Aachen, and Ignatieth from Toulouse. All sitting around enjoying a beer and some chin music.
Today began well. Had my usual concrete sandwich with black coffee at 645am. Then off at 715. Cool morning with clear skies. But don’t let those early morning photos fool ya. Started a 7 kilometer descent into the Allier River Gorge at a place called Monstriol. The terrain underfoot was rock, stone, slate and loose gravel. Ankle busting ground. I got through it though. The scenery 😍 made up for it.
That was going up. The Pic does not show how steep it was. There was a chapel built into the rock. Unreal. The pastor said I was past the worst part. He lied.
Made it to the top but so so tired. I stopped and had a power nap under the shade of a cherry tree thinking of the one I love. No, but it was a nice break. Then I met my two new girlfriends and they took my picture by this strange wood carving. Finally,after 8 hours I arrived at my gite.
My gite is wonderful. By the way I am all cramped up. That is OK though because I should be dead.
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