Right now I'm in St. Jean-Pied-de-Port, just on the border with Spain, the Basque country. The weather is still great, this region receives a warm wind coming from the south, what increases the temperature here and makes it pleasant.
St. Jean-Pied-de-Port
The people are very friendly here, yesterday I was in a Gite (a basic dormitory, usually in somebodies house) where I had a delicious typical Basque meal, mmmm. Here you hardly notice the kind of nationalism that is so typical in Spanish Basque Country.
... the way/
A few days ago I met a guy who had started hiking from northern Germany with his little dog all the way up to here. That dog was at every every break completely exhausted. These two remind me of the television program ' The dog whisperer `, I ask myself which of the two (the guy or his dog) is the 'pack leader' (in charge :)).
l'abbeye de Sauvelade
The nice thing about picture number four is that the abbey is built in the form of a Greek cross. Still I have to carry food all day while it is still a busy route, crazy!. Often there is no water all day, at the beginning and at the end of the stage there is an opportunity to eat or drink. Sometimes people set up a table with some fruit or a thermos with coffee in front of their homes for the pilgrims, you are allowed to take something with you.
In Ostabat three pilgrim roads meet: the 'Via Turonensis` (the road of St. James through Paris, Tours and Bordeaux), the `Via Tolosana' (also called the Voi d'arles what is also the way to Rome), and the `Via Podiensis', which starts in Le Puy en Velay.
I become more and more euphoric, because I am getting closer to Spain. I am now 2 months in this country (France), and the people are pretty nice here but also occasionally difficult. I immediately feel good if I have the opportunity to speak Spanish, like the day before yesterday with the madam of the Gite, greatt!!.
Ostabat
Now I'm an extra day in St Jean Pied de Port (the gateway to Spain!), a kind of resting day. In a moment I will climb the mountain and visit the citadel which was built at the top of the mountain. St Jean was an important military base for the "reconquista", the pull back of the Moorish armies. Tomorrow: E S P A N H A! ! ! ! ! !
tunnel
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten