Day 34 Hagebautin to Maslacq

Firstly thankyou for all the birthday wishes from near and mainly far. Its quite a different sort of birthday to my kiwi ones!
We had a very unique dinner last night but was totally wonderful and we decided that would be my birthday dinner going on NZ time!
Raoul and his brother Louis ( both bachelors) cooked the meal and their couson Jozef came to be the interpreter. Plus we had the 2 men from Quebec who are french speaking but have pretty good english. The meal was delicious , pumpkin soup, duck breast and ratatouille and an apple pie. Of course all the produce was from the farm.
The red wine was flowing and was fantastic followed by armagnac so could not have been a better night. Jozef had been a librarian for 39 years and a very interesting person.
This morning we were all up and at breakfast by 8. To my surprise Raoul had found sparklers and candles and put them in a croissant for my birthday with much delight! We had a good nosey around the house as its just a treasure trove. Louis is a painter and Raoul had made a model of the house as it was in 1660! Raoul was then out feeding his ducks for fois gras which we didnt want to see!
Raoul then drove us in his scary way to Arthez and sadly we said goodbye. He wanted no money for the wines even the Chateau de Neuf of 2018!
As it was my birthday my present was to only have to walk 10 km. It was a great walk although the Pyrenees were covered in cloud but lovely woodlands of chestnuts oaks and hazlenuts. Plus purple crocus growing wild.
Luckily we had bought lunch at Arthez as when we arrived at Maslacq there was not 1 shop open so its not exactly a party town. It is by the river Gave and population if 890 but goodness knows where they all are. The only 2 shops seem permanently closed but of course there is a beautiful old church and some pretty gardens with rambling roses. Our gite seems very nice and we seem to know all the other pilgrim walkers staying here tonight so a happy night ahead I am sure.
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