Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Stranger in a Foreign Land

bonjour!
Here I find myself in the heat of France. Yes it is hot hot hot, and my route has been slightly altered so as to escape the afternoon melting fest!  By about 1030am, the tar on the road was beginning to get tacky and stick to the bottoms of my shoes, already by this time the sweat is dripping off my forehead...what happened to the breeze? But I am not here to write about the heat! 

I have completed my first week on the trail. WOOT!! And it has been incredible, little sleepy french villages, rolling hills; flowers and gardens galore. I actually feel like I am on a very long garden tour to be honest, passing through backyards...I think I now know four different ways to set up poles for beans, and one day when I have land and a garden I shall try them all out and what way I like best.  I set forth on the trail with vigour and determination, ready for big long days covering many miles. Little did I know that the trail had other plans, the trail is very much in charge, and does not hesitqte to offer challenges!  On my second day I encountered my greatest fear: a wild dog. Ok well first it wasn't wild, but it was certainly angry and was not hesitant to prove it had sharp teeth and would be very happy to sink them into my leg. Yikes! Luckily, my leg was not a morning snack and said dog eventually tired of me standing there like a trembling fool and sat in the shade, waching that I dared not advance. Not really having the resorces or experience to solve this problem right then and there, I do the next best thing I can think of: I find a male escort! Yes, how very damsel in distress of me, but I didn't much feel like waiting the day for someone to pass or the dog to go home. Regardless, my escort I am sure felt very special and also taught me that I could throw rocks which is apparently a good deterrant, though having not actually seen it in action am skeptical of the results. Fingers crossed I don't ever have to test this theory anytime soon.  Since then I have encountered many delightful tail wagging pups who have restored my faith in european dogs: they're not all bad! 
I would say the angry dog has been the most challenging aspect I have encountered thus far.  Days continue to go well while I establish my daily routine.  It has become oh-so-clear that the french don't know what the word stress is, as their lifestyle is incredibly relaxed in every way. This, however, makes it difficult for planning, in particular when it comes to food. Their hours are very mixed taking the afternoon off, and though there may be a sign in the window that says what time they open in the afternoon, it isnt surprising that the store remains closed the rest of the day. I have yet to understand the way the french operate! Lodging too has been interesting, I did not anticipate how expensive the gites would be in France, perhaps a good learning lesson to research more thoroughly.  I am still figuring out how it all works.  Somedays it is challenging to find lodgings, lately I have taken to campgrounds which are more easy to track down and generally fall under 10 Euros which is more in line with my budget.  Throughout my days,  I have found some of the kindest folks. Each curious about my journey, sharing tid bits of the local history and little windows into their own lives, always greeting with a kind, welcoming smile.  Last night due to it being monday and in villages shops aren't typically open on mondays, I found myself at my campground with no food.  A bit distressed, I went to the owners of the campground to ask if there was a shop in town where I could purchase some food.  The shook their heads the village was a small one and no shops would be open.  The wife, without a second thought said she would make me dinner and began pulling food out of her cupboard. She then scooted me out of the house, told me to rest and return at 6pm.  A lovely gift from strangers.  At 6, I returned to a large plate heaped with rice, tomatoes, eggs, cheese and black olives.  The couple sat with me while I at asking about my plans on the Camino, while I tumbled through my own questions about the region.  I am grateful for the little french I know, it has been very helpful, though I feel the strain of my limited vocabulary, each day improves as I am forced to practice it regularly, as in all these small places along the way, english is not something the locals practice!

The trail is very interesting; it is mostly old cart roads, winding through the countryside. Ive gone up a few steep mountainy hills where it seems like they go on forever and ever, and when I think i have reached a plateau, i turn a corner and up the trail goes, but the scramble is well worth it for there is always a captivating view of the valley waiting at the top and oftentimes a nice shady tree to stop and stretch my legs while catching my breath and enjoy a slice of camembert cheese. 

This is one highlight I have been greatly enjoying is eating french cheese every single day. It is one of the least expensive things; and I am quite certain that I have begun to sweat in the smell of stinky cheese, and now when I open my bag, I get a whaft of cheese...not sure if this is the most pleasant of things to be greeted with, but my belly is happy nonetheless! The food, it will be said, is good.  As a treat I went to a restaurant a few nights ago and had pizza.  At 6 Euros and with a belly grumbling, I began to get nervous it would be just a small little thing....but no.  The plate came out and I looked down at my dinner. There sat what I would call a large pizza staring back up at me. Bon Apetite!



Camping in France is very different from camping back home. French campers are very luxurious in comparison to home.  I have seen very few, if any tents. Instead, they have modest sized campers, adorned on the side of the camper is generally a large tent-like structure that now comes their back porch/ patio with cushioned chairs and of course flowers. However, what I have noticed is generally they do not often use their patio.  Instead  they prefer to take their plastic chairs and sit underneith a tree, rendering the whole tent portion useless.  There are never any campfires, nor grates for fires.  All food is either cooked inside the camper or they dine at restaurants. Not really ruffing it no? Alas, I am still getting used to the differences here!

In five days, I anticipate arriving in Le Puy, which will mark the completion of section 1 (of 3) along the trail. Looking ahead at the days to come, the landscape is about to change to mountains and less villages, hopefully also offerng more shade! A lot of the trail is in open areas, offering little in the way of a cool place to get out of the hot sun.  But when there is a tree or a cool stream, these small moments are cherished. 

For now, I shall wrap this up, as its time to go in search of a food store and maybe some ice cream!  Lots of love and happy thoughts....pictures soon to be posted and more adventures and stories to come!
until then happy trails and hugs!

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