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Ah well. One of the joys of being pilgrims, not tourists.I had been looking forward to the snazzy new accommodations I keep hearing about, but instead they have put us into the old style rubbish metal bunk beds.
No negative comment on my part about Koreans, just a remark about the current demographics.Ah well. One of the joys of being pilgrims, not tourists.
I also encountered many Korean pilgrims on one of my caminos which coincided with holidays in Korea. They were a delight - many were Christian in fact, but all were more Christian in the deeper sense of the word than a whole lot of us Western pilgrims.
It is always beautiful, isn't it? Not surprised at tge few people. Midwinter, and New Years Eve.For only the second time BTW I was in early enough for the Pilgrim Mass - - very sparsely attended, and I was the only pilgrim who went to it. New Year's Eve effect for the most part, as to the small congregation.
And to you! Good onward journey home.BTW Happy New Year !!
Nice touch. I hope the weather is kind. And today a comfortable walk down to Valcarlos!Just realised that I will be walking a few K on the Le Puy route for the first time ever. It was the last of the Major Camino routes in France that I hadn't set foot on.
JabbaPapa,Day 346 - - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
I am in France !!
I am in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques !!
I am on the Voie de Navarre !!
Pretty early start this morning. Climbing up to the top of the pass (tarmac version) was about as easy as it was last time, but the wind was very strong up on top there. And whilst all other conditions were theoretically OK for a strong hiker to get over the Napoleon Route, that wind was bad enough to make that a really bad idea.
Anyway, I started down in the wind, and it only died down a bit once I got to about 100 metres lower elevation and into the woods.
Then just relentless downhill with few resting spots, though I did find one very good one with an excellent water fountain.
Through and through and down and down until the Way reached tarmac. Saw five pilgrims on their first day.
Then, about 3K+ from Valcarlos, two young people stopped and offered me a lift to Arnéguy - - and at that stage I was already pretty sure that Valcarlos would be no go - - so I hopped in, down to Arnéguy, and yeah, even the big border shopping place was completely shut down. So there's no way the Albergue in Valcarlos will be open.
And as I was looking at routes for continuing to SJPP, tarmac or trail ?, same guys said, we're going to SJPP, and here I am !!
Hooray !!
The Pilgrim Office has given me a list of places to stay on the Way towards Lourdes, though the guy seemed mystified by my plan to detour via Saint-Palais and Navarrenx - - That's not the way !! But most of the places on the list are where I want to go through anyway, I just want to avoid one particular mountainous section.
hmmmm, I'll see, and take a closer look at it later and tomorrow.
At the Municipal, I found half a 75cl bottle of Goudaie beer in the fridge, the Ambrée version, there's cake on the table, I have a sandwich left over from the free ones they gave us at Roncesvalles, and some of my own beer left - - good, as only some of the bars and restaurants are open today, none of the shops.
I'll have to stay tomorrow to go to the Pharmacy and so on, but I'm happy.
What, in SJPP? That sneaky guy.@Bradypus is here.
Simply having the correct antiinflammatory instead of an over-the-counter substitute, as I did for the past couple of months or so, makes a huge difference.
I am still trying to work out some itinerary forward, which is rather difficult in Winter, although things seem more feasible between Oloron-Sainte-Marie and Lourdes.
The old priest at Arudy has sadly retired, but it seems that his younger successor is continuing with the pilgrim hospitality.
Some other places in the vicinity of Mauléon-Licharre and Oloron may or may not be open, and the Pilgrim Office here in SJPP is looking into these things for me, and will give me their findings tomorrow.
Anyway, my way out of here is certainly going to be the little bus to Saint-Palais, and from there, another little bus towards Mauléon-Licharre or thereabouts, depending on what the Pilgrim Office discovers.
A full Winter hike from SJPP to Lourdes seems to be difficult on the first part of it unless you were a strong hiker with a tent and/or enough money for some more expensive options. None of which is true for me.
Between about February/March and October/early November seems to be the only reasonable period for it, including in the "normal" direction Lourdes > SJPP for the section after Oloron. For a Winter Camino on that route, I would definitely recommend walking from Lourdes to Mauléon or so, then bus from there to SJPP via Saint-Palais. And it is not lightly that such a "purist" as myself would recommend busing any part of any Camino.
The Municipal is well populated tonight, about a dozen pilgrims.
As to the weather, whilst it's still too warm, there was a teensy hint of snow in the smell of the rain yesterday in the later afternoon. I would guess in the next week or two the first snow will start to hit the summits here.
I think you have to be a donating member to upload on a PM. Perhaps a mod will clarify.I tried to send you pics from an old Miam Miam - 2012 edition but it seems I can’t upload from my photos. Maybe someone else will have better luck.
Yes, only donating members can add photos to a PM. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/account/upgrades/I think you have to be a donating member to upload on a PM. Perhaps a mod will clarify.
JabbaPapa,Day 362 - - Harambeltz
.....
Complicated day today, I'll have to zig-zag between various routes to avoid the GR route which pointlessly crosses over three hills or so, and takes lengthy detours away from the shorter options.
See how it goes, possibly I could hitch-hike the end of it if that turned out to be necessary, but I hope not. The last part of it will anyway be on the road out from Saint-Palais to Aroue etc.
Day 364 - - Navarrenx
A shorter but very wet day.
The Albergue last night is located about 1.5K beyond the village, as well as being in the middle of a shortcut that dodges another 1K, so that after setting off after breakfast in the morning, which was typical French bread, butter, jam, bowl of coffee with milk, quickly enough I had reached the next village and was already 5K along the official distance.
The wet weather actually made for good walking conditions, but I really would not have wanted to get out on any dirt trail in this.
Still, I did avoid the worst downpour at what claimed to be about the 10K mark, probably just 7K from my perspective. There, one finds a couple of covered benches to shelter at from the rain, but even better it's a pâté and other conserves manufacturer, with samples laid out with an honesty box, and special prices for pilgrims. So I had something lovely to eat while waiting for the rain to die down again.
Off on more tarmac then, instead of the trail, which probably cut off at least another 2-3K off the official distance, though I did not avoid the second worst of the rain showers - - they were coming in waves - - but the combination of all of these shortcuts turned what was allegedly a 19K into an 11-13K or something, so that I got in as early as 3:30 PM !!
I'm at the Alchimiste place, which seems a bit odd, but with comfortable beds. Bohemian anyway. There are two other pilgrims, both having started at Le Puy.
I think there's some supper thing later.
The rain did cool me down a bit too much, but I have grabbed a large pile of blankets and expect no problems, though the rain does seem to have made this evening colder than the others recently.
I started about four years ago, and had to stop three times for various reasons.I’ve somewhat lost track.
How many consecutive days have you been walking?
Over what time frame? Years? Months?
I had heard that the Paris, Le Puy, and Vezelay routes joined in or around Ostabat. Is that not the case? I think I had seen a photo of a marker of some sort at that spot.Lunch was great, in the Brasserie in the middle of town, and at the very point where the Le Puy and Vézelay routes join up historically.
I think the Tours/Paris and Vezelay meet in Saint Palais. Currently the Le Puy joins them either at the Stele de Gibraltar south of Saint Palais, or in a field between Uhart-Mixe and Harambeltz, a couple km before Ostabat, depending on which variant is followed. Historically, Le Puy pilgrims likely went through Saint Palais; Jabba says they did and he’s pretty knowledgeable about such things.I had heard that the Paris, Le Puy, and Vezelay routes joined in or around Ostabat. Is that not the case? I think I had seen a photo of a marker of some sort at that spot.
Well, given that this Camino stretches over four years, in a pedantic sense I would have to compensate against February 29th 2020 in the count, so the full year would pedantically be on Day 366, but yes, symbolically the 365 number is of course potent and meaningful.Tomorrow will represent a full year of walking.
Day 365 - - Oloron-Sainte-Marie
I am on the Piémont Way !!
But a qualitative change has come upon this Camino, and I think that it is time for me to recognise that my journey back home from the Camino has begun.
The weather today is absolutely fantastic, and what hiking I did was along those lovely French country lanes I love so much, through picturesque little villages, against a backdrop of magnificent snow-capped Pyrenees.
But with so many Albergues closed, the distance to speed ratio has just become too high for me, so I started, with regret towards the otherwise near perfect conditions, to put my thumb out for a lift ; and a young local on his way home from work kindly went out of his way to bring me to Oloron.
And it was clear from how long that drive took, it would have been too much to walk.
The walking isn't finished, not quite, but it's increasingly clear from all the signs that the end of my Camino is nigh.
Anyway, I got in early enough for lunchtime, roast pork and a dessert.
Hopefully I can find somewhere proper to sleep, I still want to attempt the walk from here to Lourdes. And it should be possible. I hope.
According to Euripides' play Herakles, it is at this point after his labours are completed and he is returning home to meet his wife and family that he is driven mad and kills them, after which he is exiled from Thebes and leaves to Athens.
Ah, that brings back happy memories. I stayed with/at l’alchimiste in Navarrenx in 2014 and it was memorable.The Alchemist is basically closed in Winter, and only opens when he feels like doing so. There's some confusion about where the current normal place to sleep might be, though my understanding is that the Parish Albergue is in the process of reopening after some renovation work.
He's letting us stay on a basis of Donativo.
And he is a very good gentleman.
Yum!Soup, mushrooms, veal stew bits, choccy cake.
It pretty much just prevents the hitch-hiking, as previously said, and conditions for it would be worse this morning, it's colder, and there's snow on the way this week.JabbaPapa,
This latest weather report for France starting Monday 16/01/2023 was just published in Liberation. Do take extreme care as you continue to travel.
Thanks for the update! Will you go via Tarbes and/or Saint-Gaudens ? Hope you stay safe and warm.It pretty much just prevents the hitch-hiking, as previously said, and conditions for it would be worse this morning, it's colder, and there's snow on the way this week.
Just started out on the replacement bus service, and I'll be by the Mediterranean this afternoon.
Strangely not, it's feeling natural ; I think because I really began my journey home about three months ago, and walking into France also did change things.What a journey! A little rest in order. Does it feel strange to be moving along at bus/train speeds? After my much shorter Caminos, I always have to adjust to that.
On my walk from Canterbury to Rome the emotional high point turned out to be reaching the Mediterranean coast after setting off from the North Sea. Probably because I had read John Hillaby's "Journey Through Europe" as a teenager and I never imagined at the time that I might one day do something similar.I've seen a bit of the Mediterranean, and it's so beautiful to be back in the South of France.
Be very careful. An earlier bunch of Papas got stuck there for 67 years....I am in Avignon.
And write a book?At last.
Welcome home pilgrim! In the nick of time as far a the weather is concerned. Good call.
What a journey. And now, a lot of rest, recovery, and reflection.
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