Home again, home again, jigging jig!

61 days in Europe: 53 days in France & 8 days in Spain

45 different beds to sleep in

38 days of hiking 730 kilometres

new friends - countless

Incredible new experiences and memories - priceless

But still, when we arrive home, we so enjoy:    

our own bed, pillow, and shower and for M, a cup of #10 Murchies tea (in that order)

These boots are made for walking

And that's just what they did

One of these days these boots will....

Most likely Walk On

another great adventure.

Last Stop - Bilbao!

We are spending our last four days in Bilbao, Spain. Being here has been a bit of a language shock - as suddenly everyone is speaking Spanish, and French doesn't work as well as it did. However, we are both very mixed in our attempts to speak, and usually end up with some English, French and Spanish in each sentence. The waiters just laugh at us!

Of course the "must-see" here is the Guggenheim Museum. It's just across the river from our very modern hotel (a quick change of pace from 'old town' San Sebastián). We visited it yesterday and both loved the amazing architecture. There are no/very few straight lines in the entire structure. It's hard to understand how anyone could design such a place.  We spent a couple of hours exploring it. However, we were not so enamoured of its contents; guess ultramodern art is not our thing. 

Note the wide paseos or walkways along the river - very spacious and very well-used (dog-walkers, runners, seniors, families with kids on scooters, us). Also red tower over bridge which is another art installation.

  

Guggenheim Atrium    

Pedestrian Bridge over River Bilboa

The Museum has spawned other very modern buildings and bridges in the city. There are pedestrian shopping  streets, a metro and a very slick tram system (very quiet and all tracks are grassed).  We've briefly visited the old town here, but have really enjoyed the contrast of seeing a contemporary side of northern Spain.  We did find a neat spot for coffee this morning - a 1903 cafe, brimming with atmosphere, and good pastries and coffee too. 

  

Cafe Iruna - check the ceiling!

  

  nummy salad (served on an interesting curved plate) here in hotel dining room

What we really love is the pedestrian oriented city centre.  Many shopping and eating streets are pedestrian only.  Cars only on the major through streets.  Even with all the shops closed today (Sunday) there are lost of folks out walking around - families and teens and young adults.  It's fun to people watch here.

One more day before we hop the plane for home!

A new favorite place...

 We arrived in San Sebastion 3 days ago in the rain and wind and still we fell in love with the place immediately. We've got a great place to stay in the old town, with a gazillion restaurants and pintxo bars within a stones throw. This is the way we love Europe - little cobbled pedestrian streets, vendors at the markets displaying their wares, umbrellas in the main town square where you can sit and have coffee or wine and watch the world go by. And this place is absolutely stunning.  It is around a bay like St Jean de Luz with a wide beach but it's a much bigger town and does not seem to be just for tourists. We cannot believe how many places there are to eat, coffee, bars, restaurants and more bars.  Most of them serving tapas, (called pintxos here in the Basque Country,) all day.

We went for pintxos our first night here. First had a very small piece of tender steak in Bearnaise-like sauce with fried potatoes and zucchini slices. It was so good that we had a 2nd one along with a couple of glasses of Rioja red wine. 

Also a coquille st Jacques in garlic sauce. Then we met a Spanish gal who is a tour guide for an American company, chatted with her for a bit (about pilgrimages and independent travel). She took us to another bar for a dessert called Bob Limon. Looked like fried egg but was really a mango compote inside meringue. We had to eat it in correct order - next was a lacey cake (centre left) then a small piece of VERY raspberry fruit leather (almost invisible on black slate on right) and then the middle of a flower (far left) that was amazingly lemon - a real zinger!  The chefs are all young guys who like to create and experiment.  All was served on a flat slate. 

We've had a great time with the food here. In the evenings the bars are crowded with people eating and drinking - best food we've ever had in Spain!

We've also done some walking in town and along gorgeous beach shoreline, took funicular up Mt Igeldo for a wonderful view over town and the Pyrenees that lie just beyond the coast. But the obvious highlights are as described above. 

A typical pintxos bar laid with choices

The Bubble Busker with merry-go-round in background. Everyone (parents, kids, grandparents and tourists) out walking the Paseo in early evening. 

La Concha Bay at San Sebastián

Tomorrow we make our last move - to Bilbao. We fly home from there on Nov 5th. 

St Jean de Luz

We have moved over to the Atlantic coast and are now staying in a very touristy area just a little bit north of the Spanish border.  In fact we are so close we are hearing a lot of Spanish in town.  There is a school holiday in France so there are lots of families here at the seashore.  We have rented a very cute little apartment we found on the tourist info site for this town.  It's great to have our own kitchen and space.  The owners actually came and met us at the train station.  We were expecting to walk to the apartment and had told them what time our train would arrive.  Our hostess was there asking folks as they got off the train if they were the Canadians.  We were so delighted as it saved us a bit of a walk.  They brought us here and showed us the ropes, then left.  They live in a different town 10 km away. They have told us they will come back on Monday to check us out, return our deposit and drive us to the station for our train on to San Sebastion where we will spend the next few days. So kind of them; once again folks going out of their way for us. 

  

 

To get to San Sebastian in Spain we take a 10 min train ride to Hendaye at the border and then disembark, walk over the border to Irun in Spain and catch the train to San Sebastion. The Spanish tracks are a different gauge than the French so they don't connect.  I think that goes back to Franco's time.

St Jean de Luz

While here we have had a very leisurely time.  Wandering along the promenade above the beautiful beach, going to a different bar each morning for coffee, checking out the shops along the pedestrian only streets.  So many restaurants and kiosks selling waffles, ice cream, crepes and churos.  And the chocolate shops are unbelievable.  There is one called Paries and any time we go past it there is a long lineup out the door.  We finally stood in line yesterday to see what the fuss was all about. Turns put they hand out samples as you wait.  We each had at least 4 fabulous chocolates while waiting our turn. Besides their own chocolates, they sell the local nougat, marizipan, macaroons and Gateau Basque with 3 different fillings, the usual cream, the old style with cherry filling and the new one with chocolate.  We had to buy one of those to do a taste test so we could answer with some authority as to the best one.  Wendy still wants to try the cherry so we can then say "Of course we have tried all 3"!  So far the creme one is winning.

 

Lunch at "home",    Wendy checking out wood pigeons at the grocery store.  What would they taste like?

This morning we heard loud music from the promenade along the beach and when we went to investigate we found hundreds of runners warming up along the sidewalk (also dealing with last-minute needs by peeing in bushes and grassy slopes beside walkway. French men are not shy!)  We could not understand any of the signs as they were all in the Basque language which includes many Ks, Ts and Xs.  But our guess is that it was a long distance run. At 11 am they went off and we could see them running along the road that goes way around the bay. They did not come back so we are assuming it was to another town.  

And so we are heading off to Spain tomorrow.  Neither of us have spoken any Spanish for 10 years so this is going to be very interesting.

St. Jean Pied-de-Port

  

  

We have now spent 2 days in St Jean Pied-de-Port.  It's a very touristy little medieval town at the foot of the Pyrenees.  The main souvenirs here seems to be Basque Linens -  table cloths, napkins, towels.  The good stuff is linen and beautiful bright colours.  It's also possible to buy a length of the material to make your own tablecloth.  I have resisted mainly because of  the price.  However, we have been busy while we have been here.  We have now arranged for 4 days in an apartment in St. Jean de Luz over on the Atlantic coast.  We have been to the train station to get our tickets - it's 1 1/2 hr to Bayonne then 1/2 hr to St. Jean de Luz.  We have also got our clothes washed at the laundramat and have both had our hair cut.  Neither of us could stand the 7 week mops on top of our heads!!!

The 7 lines on all the Basque linen represent the 7 provinces of the Basque Region.  3 in France, 4 in Spain.  

We still haven't arranged for a flight home.  We have found a travel agent here so we might do that tomorrow morning.  It's not been possible to check anything on line as our wi-fi is very spotty.  None in this Chambre d'hôte (its broken) and so far we have only found 1 bar in town that had it as well as the tourist information which limits everyone to 20 min a day.  It's now feeling just a little stressful to not know how we will get home.  Rowing is out!!!

The food here is not as complicated or fancy as further north.  We have eaten out the last 3 nights as our Chambre d'hôte only does breakfast.  On the menu is veal, trout, coquille st Jacques, scallops, sheep cheese of the basque area and a wonderful cake called Gateau Basque with a crumbly butter crust and an almond cream filling.  Nummy with cafe glacé which I had last night.  (Coffee ice cream).  

We know it's time to leave as there is no one else here we knew from walking.  All have left.  We did meet a young Canadian family (him from Ottawa, her from Saskatchewan) living in California but here in France for a year.  Their little girls are in a French school. What a great experience for them all.

And on we go to St Jean de Luz over on the Atlantic coast.  Our host said it is the most expensive real estate in France so it will be fun to see it.  And this time we get to go on the train instead of walking, very exciting!

Wendy holds up Basque flag outside local souvenir shop

Arrived St Jean Pied-de-Port!!!

Monday, Oct 21st - 4pm

Porte St Jacques at SJPP - after 730km in 38 days of walking!

Chemin de St Jacques/Camino de Compostela

Sunday, Oct 20th, 2013

 As we walked along approaching the Pyrenees today, we discussed how this walk has differed from the Camino frances in Spain. On both walks, the people that we've met have been so important in making the trip memorable. But they have come, for the most part, from different cohorts. 

In Spain, 10 years ago, our relationships were largely with other pilgrims, those we walked alongside or crossed paths with on multiple occasions. Perhaps this was due to our very limited Spanish.  Or perhaps because the pilgrim infrastructure is set up differently in Spain (larger numbers of pilgrims, larger gites, restaurant meals). 

While we have developed some wonderful friendships here in France, we have also been very fortunate to be able to chat more with the locals.  Staying mostly in family-run gites has opened up a world of friendly folks who are very proud of their local cuisine and culture. Every one has shared time with us, to sit and chat with us or offer us local fare or to answer our questions. And they have been proud to showcase the regional specialties. 

Tonight we are staying at la Ferme Arlania, our first Basque Chambra d'hote.  The farm house was built before the revolution in the late 1700's and this family have run the farm for more than 4 generations.  They raise les Blondes d'Acquitaine, big brown cows and calves of which they currently have about 25 females with calves. But their main business is sheep and they produce both lamb and milk for cheese. We had a tour of the farm, very informative, and saw one barn with 250 pregnant sheep chowing down, and another small barn with ewes and 10 lambs just born today. Our meal included tomatoes and peppers from the garden, homemade pâté and sausage, cassoulet, sheep cheese (served with prune jam, a local custom) and a homemade flan. We got answers to some of our questions about regional farming practices, shared some laughs and hopefully they now have an understanding of the importance of their welcome in our walk. 

 

Our farm hosts with Wendy at La Arlania 

We remember Nadine who served us duck hearts and chestnuts, along with local seasonal wines; Nicolas who played his banjo for us; Stephane who sat with us on his patio to chat during aperitifs and then served us a great meal; Brigitte who has carried on the work her mother started over 35 years ago taking in pilgrims and feeding them a wonderful farm meal; the host and hostess at the Gite at Aumont Aubrac who presented a dinner each night with such a flourish, him whipping up the local specialty of aligot, the potato and local cheese dish, and explaining how he makes it and the history and then she sings Ultrea, the pilgrim song, every night of the week for a roomful of hungry pilgrims;  and the two young mums who dished up dinner for multiple pilgrims while their children played nearby.  How lucky we were.

Polly and Stephane at Miradoux Gite.

People are the reason why this is the experience that it is.  We are still in touch with Carla and Paul from Brazil, Andrea from Germany; people we became friends with when we walked to Santiago 10 years ago.  And now we have met Sue and Polly from Tasmania who we will keep in touch with.  At home in Victoria we have a group of friends we call our Camino junkies.  We get together often and have a wonderful time.  All of us have walked at some point and most of our group more than once.  

People at home ask us why we would want to walk 730 km in the south of France. This is why!

World without Strangers (again)!

There were a few times during this trip when we wondered why we are doing this.  Last night we had an experience at our private Gite when we knew exactly why.  The night before we had stayed at a Communal Gite in the town of Arzacq-Arraziguet.  It is a huge place with 77 places but since we were the only ones reserved there would not be any dinner.  (You can go out or make your own).  After our usual routine of showers, washing clothes and hanging out to dry, we went down to the largest Carrefour food store we had encountered on this trip and bought a few things for our dinner.  When we got back the small kitchen was very busy with 4 other Pelerins (pilgrims) who had showed up and were making their dinners.  2 Italians, (the woman shared our room), 1 young Frenchman and an older Spanish guy.  So there were salads and pasta and chicken legs and all sorts of things going on.  We got a spot at the end of the table to have our small dinner of cheese, pears and bread.  This small meal was because we had had a 4 course lunch including a bottle of wine when we arrived in town so did not need a repeat for dinner.  

 We decided that these 4 are all hard core Pelerins.  This means they are walking 30-35 km a day, staying at communal gites every night and making their own meals.  No bus or taxi rides as this would be "cheating".  We had already arranged to take a local mini bus the next day to cut off 20km so we could stay at a Gite we particularly wanted to stay at.  So we hoped we could avoid running into these folks again so they would not look down their noses at us.  

The local transport turned out to be a woman with a mini car.  She is one of a few locals who drive people around the area for 2€ each because they no longer have a local bus in town.  It was a great deal for us.  She dropped us off at Pomps and we walked from there to Arthez-de-Bearn, 8.5 km for a good coffee and then on another 8.5 km to Argagnon and to the wonderful Gite in the country called Cambarrat.  We were welcomed by Nicholas who showed us into our room.  The house is large and beautiful with an extension that includes 2 rooms for Pelerins as well as 3 roulettes (kind of like a gypsy caravan).  We were in bunk beds that were so comfortable, big duvets, lights above each bed, towels, and soap!  We had a lovely relaxing time after doing our routine.  Sitting out in the sun on wicker chairs listening to the birds, drinking tea (me).  Heaven.  And then - in walks the Italian man.  Caught and we had to confess to the bus.  Franco had hiked over 36 km and did not arrive until after 6 but in time for dinner at 7.  We had not had a chance to chat with him the night before but at supper in Cambarrat there were just the 3 of us and he speaks very good English.  When I asked where he lived he said near Rimini, on the Adriatic coast. I told him that we had been to Pesaro in 2011.  He looked at us and then asked why would you, as tourists, go there? I explained that my uncle who had fought in WW2 had died very closed to there and I wanted to visit his grave as well as see the area where my father had fought in the same battle trying to push the Germans back from the Gothic Line.  Franco told us that his father was a very young man at that time and had told him many stories including the fact that the Americans had liberated the Italians.  It surprised Franco to hear that it had been the Canadians up in that area so he said he thought that his father had assumed that if they spoke English they must be Americans.  He said he would go to the cemetery and find my uncles's grave and put a flower on it and he wanted his name so he could find the grave.  He told me he was very moved to hear my story.  

Marion and Franco 

The evening progressed from good to incredible when our host Nicholas brought in our dessert and his banjo and proceeded to play for us.  An incredible concert for 45 minutes: classical, bluegrass, folk.  It was a wow!  He told us how he had wanted to play the banjo from age 10 but it was not possible so he played the guitar and learned music by ear.   And then when he was older he was able to take up the banjo and he now composes and tries to perfect the pieces he knows.  He plays every day and it is his pleasure to play for any Pelerins who stay in his Gite.  He is a retired forester and he and his wife run the Gite in this lovely house they built in 1998. 

And we hike on tomorrow.  Tonight we are in a hotel in Navarrenx.  We had dinner with Marjory of Deep River, Ontario and Beatrice from Switzerland.

We have completed 674km and have 3 more days of hiking left (60km) before we arrive in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port (our goal). 

Communial Gite

Miramont-Sensacq part 2

Last night we had a very interesting experience or maybe we should call it just one more interesting experience along "The Way".  We were staying in this very little town with no stores and a Communial Gite operated by the town and run by volunteers.  We thought there was just the one fellow who had greeted us but then Bernard showed up to help (we never did find out the first guy's name). Bernard and the other guy made dinner for us and for Roberto from Switzerland who showed up just before serving time.  We were told to come in for an aperitif at 6:45.  Wendy had helped them prepare supper by slicing up a plateful of tomatoes.  

The dining room is a great place to work on our journal and the blog before dinner.

Our room last night.  Just Wendy and I shared this room while Roberto was given a room just like it across the hall.  This was good because I could hear him snoring when I went out to the bathroom during the night.

Bernard and the other guy served us an aperitif of kir (cassis and white wine) and 2 huge bowls of potato chips.  Next course was a plate of boiled potatoes, hard boiled eggs and the sliced tomatoes with a dressing they had made up.  Next course was duck breast (confit) cut in strips and fried.  It was quite tasty but Bernard would not eat any.  He says he doesn't eat pets!  A cheese plate came next followed by canned fruit soaked in some liquor.  The dinner conversation was mostly in French as neither old guy spoke any English but Roberto did.  It wandered from why doesn't everyone in Canada speak both official languages, to why the French gave up in WW2 and let the Germans come in.  Bernard insisted that in this part of France they were not involved with the war.  Hard to argue but we went to the Resistance Museum in Condom so we know there were many who were involved.  Even Wendy was having a hard time following the whole conversation but it was interesting.  

We hiked on this morning to Arzacq-Arraziguet, 15.5 km but once again the scenery has changed and we had rolling hills and trails in the trees between cornfields, a pretty nice blue sky and green green fields.  We chatted with some cows, tried to take a picture of a bunch of sheep who as soon as I got the camera out they turned their tail to us.  We passed 3 or 4 fields of domestic ducks and then we had some big hills that were very muddy and hard to climb.  We have had rain the last few nights so that accounts for the mud.  We got up to the top of the last hill and I was just about ready to give up when we met an angel.  We thought she might be a mirage as so many places have been closed, and we haven't had morning coffee for several days, but no - she welcomed us into the small gite of the village of Pimbo.  We didn't even need to take off our muddy boots - just come in, sit down, relax, and she brought us coffee - sooo good, and offered a clean washroom with soap and paper towels (our ideas of life's luxuries have been adjusted!). Not only that but she also told us it was only 5.5km to our destination instead of the 10km we had expected. After a short rest we felt refreshed and ready to tackle the last part of our walk. 

Our "angel" in Pimbo.  I'm sure she has no idea how much she "made" our day.

Cornfields, cornfields and more cornfields!

This entry was ready to go yesterday but no wi-fi anywhere in town so just pretend its the 15th and not the 16th and we will send part 2 later tonight. 

    

Arblade-le-haut ( just west of Nogaro) 

We were in a gorgeous huge old house two days ago.  Wendy and I were put in the Rose Room.  The dining room could accommodate 28 diners but there were just 4 of us at the table.  Our host, Christian, gave us a glass of Floc as an appetizer with potato chips because he said it was important to have something salty with it. He then served us a wonderful creamy butternut squash soup.  I wanted 2 big helpings it was so good. The veggie course was a plate of his own tomatoes sliced and sprinkled with basil and parsley, all from his garden.  This was followed by a pork casserole with prunes and cooked in a wine sauce served with rice.  Dessert was an apple tart that I could taste the Armagnac in. Lots of a very good dark red wine on the table to go with the meal.  Christian will be closing this Gite, called L'Arbladoise, in the next few days as it is too costly to heat in the winter.  He opens again in April.  He says in the summer it's lovely there with all the gardens and his in-ground pool.  But we seem to be at the end of the walking season and places are closing as we pass through.  

Last night we stayed in Aire-sur-L'Adour at the Maison du Pelerins.  A great place with a very friendly host who spends his winters in Burkino Faso.  He welcomed us in and gave us cold drinks and had a tray full of sweets on the table.  What a treat!  No dinner though, so we went out for a restaurant dinner.  It was a bit of a disappointing meal compared to the good meals we have been served at places with demi-pension (dinner and breakfast).  We think that the host and hostess always want to show off the region's food and we are the very grateful recipients.  This particular restaurant, one of only a few in town open on a Monday evening was indifferent.  Sundays and Mondays it is hard to find anything open, even to buy milk and bread.  

Today we arrived about 1:30 to this little town of Miramont-Sensacq.  On our map it showed a couple of choices for accommodation, a pharmacy and a food store.  Usually if there is any store then there would also be a bar where we could have our coffee and a glass of wine later in the afternoon.  Well it looks like the map was wrong!  No bar, nowhere for coffee.  There is a food store but it was open in the morning before lunch and will not reopen again until 5pm and just for two hours.  We can't see any pharmacy or any store for that matter.

Town of Miramont-Sensacq, (look carefully at the horizon for the Pyrenees)

Tonight's accommodation is at a Gite Communal.  It is run by the town and there is a volunteer here who checked us in.  He lives 50 km away but stays upstairs for a week at a time when he does a shift as hospitalero.  He will make our dinner tonight and we can help if we wish.  There is one other pilgrim expected later today so I imagine he will be put into the same room as we are in.  There are 3 bunk beds in the room. There is a small washroom with 2 showers and a sink, then 2 toilets in separate rooms.  We have paid 10€ each for our bed and then our dinner and breakfast is by donation. Only the 2nd time we have had that so this option is not all that common.  It will be interesting to see what we have for dinner.  

 Every day it's a surprise to see what the town is like and what our accommodation will be.  We had thought we would have more opportunity to sit at a bar on the street drinking French wine.  Today we could see the Pyrenees in the distance so I think we only have about a week of walking left before we arrive in St Jean Pied-de-Port.  130 km should do it.

Local Fare!

The agriculture is slowly changing. We have passed uncountable fields of dead sunflowers, waiting to be harvested. Also lots of corn, some sorghum, and finally today we got into some extensive vineyards, of the varieties used to make Armagnac.  

Lunch at the end of our hike in the village of Montreal-du-Gers yesterday was an omelet with slices of apple soaked in armagnac and for supper we were fortunate to have a taste of this 'digestif' after tonight"s communal dinner. We were 8 at the table - us, 2 gals from Montreal, one Swiss lady who has walked from Lausanne, one German, and an Englishman who is a friend of the German and the hostess, also German but living in the village now.  A very convivial group, with English, French and German ongoing all at once sometimes. 

Gite Compostela, Montreal-du-Gers

View from the back door of our Gite

Today's hike took us on to the city of Eauze.  (Pronounced - A USE). It is the capital of Armagnac

Tonight's dinner showcased the food of the Gascogne region. Aperatif was Floc, made from Armagnac and either red or white wine. Red one was a bit sweet, and white one was drier.  Starter was veggie soup, smooth and velvety. Main course was a surprise to us and the two Quebcoise staying here with us. It was duck hearts served with scalloped potatoes au gratin.  We all ate some and it was actually OK.  Dessert was a red fruit crumble, with roasted chataignes (an edible chestnut) on the side. You eat this with another local wine which is only available for a short time each year. Le Bourret is this year's wine (either red or white) which is allowed to continue to ferment in the bottle.  It is sold without a stopper in it, as it would only explode if closed up. It is served chilled, and again was a little sweet. Our hosts were very friendly and sat and chatted with us after the meal. Their accent can be a bit hard to follow, and they speak very quickly sometimes. Combined with our Quebecoise friends, we were a little lost sometimes. 

We hike on tomorrow.  We hike between 15 and 20 km a day and that is enough for us.

Swingin' Along the Open Road . . .

Friday, October 11th, 2013.

Have had some great open roads in the past few days - 

It has been mostly fairly flat, with the occasional uphill, and quite a lot of very sticky mud, as well as some road walking. Small country roads.

  

Yesterday we arrived at the village of Condom (much laughing and snickering amongst the Anglos). It's a nice town with a cathedral and statues of d'Artagnan and his 3 Mousquetaires, so we joined them for a photo opp!  

           Cathedral at Condum

We said goodbye to our Tasmanian friends this morning, and shall carry on with those other long distance walkers still on the road. Some gites are now closing for the season, so we have to call ahead. But most of the remaining walkers are in for the whole walk to St Jean Pied-de-Port in the Pyrenees. Not so many short-term walkers left now. 

We have now covered 500 km on this hike in France.  Its amazing to us how the kilometres are now adding up.  We still just think of going from one town to the next and not how far it is to our planned finish in St Jean Pied-de-Port.  The feet are definitely beginning to feel flat.  

We have noticed it seems difficult for some to send a comment through the blog website. We love hearing from everyone while we are travelling so if you want to drop us a comment then please just use either of our regular email addresses.

"Swinging along the open road, 

Swinging along under a sky that's clear.

Swinging along the open road,

All in the fall, In the fall of the year.

Swinging along, swinging along, swinging along

The open road, all in the fall of the year."