Escape to USA, France and UK

Before I recount our quite eventful day, I have to mention our dinner last night. We were staying at a small town hotel, not posh but just how we like it. We had “demi pension” so dinner was part of the deal. Last night was one of those surprises that happen from time to time on our pilgrimages…instead of the usual tasty and hearty menu de jour we were treated to a fine dining experience! I mean in the food, not formality…we even had a choice - I started with a gazpacho made of melon with prosciutto and mint leaves in it, Amr had sardines, we both had ocean trout for main (with fish knives) with an amazing beetroot sauce and some vege froth - MasterChef worthy - and for dessert Amr expected a chocolate cake and I expected a plum tart - well they both were also works of art - deconstructed little mounds of yumminess. I’m not saying it very well, but will put in photos…it was all a treat!

So we set off this morning at 9 am - our taxi man drove us to Saligny, and we set off from there, the route marked well. I was carrying the pages of our guide (we just rip out the ones relevant for the day - they are helpful mostly, but sometimes complicate issues, but we feel more secure with these as the markings aren’t always visible, and are impossible when walking through fields or along a road with hedges and no posts or trees…anyway, after about a kilometre I found I had dropped the notes..they had fallen out of my pocket, so we retraced our tracks and found it, but I was in disgrace and did feel bad, as it is very frustrating to go back…and after that Amr was worried that my phone would also fall out…a bit of a tense time for a while! But we couldn’t stay tense as we went through such magnificent countryside. Again rolling fields of stubble, and today we saw fields of a new planting of some vegetables - perhaps cabbages or beets (I’m thinking Spain) in the ex-stubble fields, and there was also some new corn fields looking very green and vibrant. And still the many fields of drooping sunflowers. Memorable moment was seeing a street “rue du temps perdu” in a small town Cuncy-les-Varzy, and also passing a pilgrims’ wash house as we walked up a long hill.

We still didn’t see any vineyards, except again in the short taxi ride to Saligny…where our man pointed out several new vine plantings only 4 or 5 years old, and some even younger ones. Our walking was a little fraught as we weren’t always convinced we were on the right path, the blue and yellow signs are not as distinctive as the red and white GR ones. And I have to mention that yesterday we saw not another soul walking, and today we did meet 2 women taking an afternoon stroll (who were able to confirm that we were on the route de Compostelle) but this is a total contrast to the camino through Spain, and even the French one from Le Puy, where there were not many but some others. It is the time when people go back to work and school etc after the summer, but September is one of the busiest times in Spain. Probably full of retirees like us! Anyway, that is probably we get a bit stressed when unsure as there aren’t others to follow!

It was a fairly comfortable 16 kms, though some long uphill stretches, and we arrived in Varzy at about 2.30. Found our B and B and this is another special and different experience. Our hostess is Jacqueline, an 82 year old delightful woman, who welcomed us and offered us a very appreciated beer on arrival. Her house is an 18C building, once a post office, when horses brought the mail, and is large and rambling and with a lovely chaotic garden where our washed clothes are drying in the sun and breeze - (she also asked if we needed any washing done so you can imagine our delight - we both stripped off all our clothes and it is done!). We have the upstairs which has 2 bedrooms - we have a choice, and more little rooms where we could make tea, and a bathroom - with a handheld shower where you need to sit in a small square bath - I decided it wasn’t the night to wash my hair. The whole place is full of knicks and knacks, probably reminiscent of her colourful life…she has lived in Algeria, Vietnam, Cambodia according to Amr who had a long conversation with her…she speaks only French and mostly we get it, specially Amr who is better at listening and understanding than me. She is making dinner for us so that will be fun and an experience too….different from yesterday! Will as usual add a separate entry with more photos, too many good ones from today.Read more