Author: admin

Let me tell you about my gite in St Come. Beautiful little village with the crooked church bell tower. The gite was family run. It was French wokenèss essentially on steroids. It was in an old building with narrow staircases and small rooms. Each room had 6 bunk beds. 25 pilgrims and only one toilet and one shower. It was everyman or woman for themselves. Like I said those walking sticks are not just for walking. It turns out that the hosts are Vegans so all pilgrims have to comply. The male host could speak good English so he explained to me each and every ingredient in the salad. Then we had to sing a song dedicated to Europe, Charlamagne and the Camino. Then the main course came. Orange colored goulash with whatever ingredients. Again the host explained to me in great detail all the ingredients. Then I turned to me left and saw this great big boob. The host’s nephew’s wife was breastfeeding. I bet the baby’s main course was a tad better than mine. Wow. And I dared ask if there was viande in the meal. We’ll, you would have thought the devil himself had shown up. Mon died Monsieur. Viande? Sacre blue.

Then the male host gave us a 40 minute sermon about St Jacques and the Camino. 40 minutes of my life that I will never get back. The only escape for me was to fiegn diarrhea and high tail it out of there. Shit. It worked. I escaped but I flushed the only toilet many times. I know I lied.

Lover’s lane. Ah to be with the one you love here.

The trek was short but the last 10 kilometers were brutal in 32 C heat. I stopped for a break on the shade by the side of the road. I was exhausted and so, so hot. A couple stopped for me and gave me a lift over the last 1.5 kilometers. I almost cried with their charity. That is the spirit of the Camino. Total strangers reaching out for one another. Then I met Vincent and Natalie, Gregor and Clair. They are all part of the Camino family. Here now in Estaing. They have a public swimming pool so I am going to go swimming. Read ya tomorrow From Esperac. Cheers.

To prove I am really here.

Happy Anniversary Dottie.

Having been associated with the sea almost all of my life, I thought of this. A very young Rod Stewart.

 

John…out.

 

1. 

Tough day and a weird one too. Going from cool yesterday to hot,hot hot today. But I have my super duper sun reflecting high tech umbrella. The French don’t believe me and call me the gay  Canadian carrying the parasol. It is not a parasol it is my super duper anti sun deflecting high tech mechanism. So there.

Beautiful countryside here but the trail is torturous. The ground underfoot is strewn with boulders,rocks. shale, gravel and tree roots. You could not survive without sticks. At the start you think 20 kilometers. Ne pas problem but your average walking speed of 4-5 kilometers per hour is reduced to less than 2. That is slow going.

Notice the crooked clock tower. Legend has it that the prime contractor was cross-eyed. After he unveiled his work to the towns people they were so mad that they strung him up. If that was not enough then they 🔥 him at the stake. True story. Honest, cross my eye and hope to die.

At one little bar in the middle of nowhere France would not give me water, even after I bought something. Nor would she let me use le pee yoo. She wanted 50 P. That’s exactly what I wanted to do. Pee. Ne pas possible Monsieur. I left a calling card and left.

https://youtu.be/aQUlA8Hcv4s?si=F7ZIdHwleIcpR_Lwhttps://youtu.be/aQUlA8Hcv4s?si=F7ZIdHwleIcpR_L

No video today because I am behind his schedule.

My son Mark is going to see ELO in Vancouver on Thursday. Here is one of their songs:

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.

8

Down but not out.

Met Vincent and Natalie from Marseille.

Great couple. Almost my age.

Short one today. Tired.

Not a drop of rain yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 😉.

Read ya tomorrow.

 

1. 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.

Interesting. Day 4 completed.

I’m so 😊.