Another excerpt from the book I am working on: My Camino: A First Hand Account”
Vezelay…Vezelay. How to describe it. It was not an exceptionally large town, but it had a unique footprint. It was wide and bulbous like a bowl at the summit of the hill where the Abbey stood and then narrowing down considerably like the long neck or stem of a bottle at its lower end, where the two main thoroughfares mentioned earlier intersected. It was as if Vezelay came about as a glass blown artifact of nature.
What appeared to me as being the main street of the town had a very steep gradient. It was cobblestoned and surrounded on both sides by neatly pointed brown coloured stone buildings. They were not tall or large but functional for the various commercial enterprises. From what I could see the upper floors were used as rooms to ‘let’ or quarters for the store’s owners. There were many cafes and restaurants with small outdoor terraces, courtyards, boutique hotels and what seemed to be high end fashion establishments.
Vezelay was extremely affluent and from what I would learn later it was an expensive tourist trap. This was due to the draw of the Abbey itself; the associated Pilgrim starting point on the way to Santiago de Compestele and the ambiance of the surrounding countryside that is steeped in history, culture, food, and wine, especially wine. The surrounding landscape of this hilltop enclave is picture perfect, as if sculpted by heaven itself. Every shade of green can be seen on the hills and in the valleys. The hills themselves seem to undulate in the heated air of the hot and hazy late afternoon sun but in perfect harmony with the environment. You see meadows and forests, separated by ploughed fields that emit a shade of gold, amber, and even bonze: dazzling colours. Now this may not be Canada, with its wild scenery, robust landscape and raging rivers, nevertheless, this countryside is no less spectacular than Canada is but in a more peaceful, subdued, and sculpted sense. Added to that is the rich tapestry of culture, history and hospitality of the Bourgogne and you have a heavenly recipe for happiness and well being. Indeed, I almost became emotional myself when viewing this scene, as I have been given the opportunity and blessing of being here at this moment in time. For the first time in months, I was happy, extremely happy, and not just for the circumstances I have found myself in but for the adventure that was soon to begin. I felt like crying. Tears of joy welled up in the tear ducts of my eyes. Moreover, the road up to the hilltop Abbey was like a stairway to heaven itself. And like the heavens it dominated the landscape. Why would anyone go to Paris or any of France’s major centres with all of their social ills, filth, and crime when they can visit a region like this is beyond comprehension?
Another Johnny River’s Classic:
Enjoy