Day 23 - Corbeny to Hermonville

I walked under the sun today. What a treat! The best part of my day, though, was getting into my accommodation just minutes before the forecast "thundershowers" came down with a vengeance! I saw some actual barges on the Canal Lateral a l'Aisne, and I'm now in Champagne! So, all the bubbly I drink here will be the real thing. Not much mud today, but it was the sticky kind that makes you lose your boot tread - so some gingerly stepping from me. I followed a pheasant along the path for some distance and from some distance back. Naturally, that distraction made me miss my turnoff, but I recovered. Anyway, pheasants appear to be like chickens (not in appearance) in that they can fly but prefer to walk. My achievement today; I climbed up 250 m, after leaving one village, only to have to descend that same 250 m to get into Hermonville. I had a good laugh at the statue of Don Quixote in the meals room of my hotel from last night at Corbeny - are they having a subtle dig, or not so subtle dig, at us pilgrims? Just a note on the pictures: the French really know how to stack wood, I believe the religious statues are of Joan of Arc (my new idol) and St. George the dragon slayer.Read more