Marne

The overcast day started with forest walking - fabulous. I shared the path with joggers, their dogs, cyclists, dirt bikes, quad bikes and one hiker (pilgrim status: unlikely - we had no common language and he had what appeared to be a day pack, with poles). The going was slow, with all the lefting and righting to find the best path through the puddles. The day ended with a lovely canal walk (Canal de l'Aisne a la Marne) into Reims. My accommodation crisis was solved by the tourist office (luckily, they were open on a Sunday), who managed to get me accommodation for tomorrow night. I had been unable to obtain accommodation for the next two nights and this way, I walk a little longer tomorrow and divert from the path for the following day - but it gets me where I need to be in two days time. I got a pilgrim stamp at the Cathedral in Reims and met an Australian pilgrim there; Sue, from Queensland. I did have a brut champagne last night at the Pizza place (I felt too daggy to try the French restaurant), and the hotel I'm in now has a vending machine where I have a choice of two champagnes (€40 or €50) however, I had my beer at the Earnest Hemingway Cafe and that will do me. Oh, and I broke Find Penguins tonight by trying to upload 11 photos. The only way I could get the app to work was to buy a premium membership - beware. P.S. those spots in that pond are frogs, it was magic to hear the croaking.Read more