Via Jacobi 2013

[gittiharre]

Hi all, I did it, walked the Via Jacobi from 26 August, Rorschach to Geneva and then the bit from Konstanz to Rapperswil too. I will shortly do my blog and post link to pics. In a nutshell, after high point pilgrimage walks on Camino Frances, Le Puy route twice, Via Gebennensis, Austrian route, Stevenson Way and Czech Greenways, I felt quite disappointed with this route. The views were fantastic, mountains, lakes, green meadows, but for me it was all too close to civilisation, constant noise of cars, trains, planes, agricultural machines, high percentage of concrete paths. There was quite a lot of up and down, more of a challenge than any of the other routes I have done to date. The Pilgerherbergen were superb, ( except for Gland, which is nicely equipped, but I suspect used mainly by homeless men from Geneva, glad I did not stay there after studying the register) there were some very nice private accommodations, but a lot of places listed in latest edition guidebooks or website accommodation lists no longer exist in the Lake Geneva area. From just before Lausanne, the scene turns to custard, take a boat! Hard to find places to sleep, youth hostel full, b and b's full, paid 265 for a grotty hotel one night. Overall the prices are horrendous and I worked my way through the dried soup dept in the supermarket to keep close to budget of under 60 Swiss francs per day. No meat for two weeks and too much of a good thing of cheese three times a day. Dinners at sleeping in the straw tend to be aelpli macroni, potatoes, penne pasta, cheese, cream, butter, not for the dairy intolerant! I was craving veges and lean meat, but a plate of that kind of thing was around 40 Swiss Francs!
Aside from that, I had some very warm and kind experiences, but overall found the Swiss very formal and not easy to engage with, so different from my previous experiences in other countries.
Anyway, if you would like to know more, send me a pm or wait for my blog to go up.
Cheers, Gitti

 

[MendiWalker]

Hi Gittharre

Will be waiting to read your walk on your blog.

Buen Camino!

 

[nellpilgrim]

Me to!
N

 

[jl]

Hi Gitti, I can relate to the cost experiences you had! When I was on the VF last year I had the feeling that I was being taken for a ride from the moment that I arrived in Switzerland. I think I may have fared better than you cost wise, but it wasn't really till I got to St Bernard's Pass that I started to relax. That was a gold star pilgrim experience, though still came with price tag, but the love and care lavished on me made it very special. Look forward to your writings, Janet

 

[gittiharre]

Finally, I published my blog of the Via Jacobi and a link to the pics, www.gittiharre.blogspot.co.nz