Well, I have not written in a long time because I have been staying in many small villages and have not found internet access. I started the Chemin de St. Jacques, or the Way of St. James (I can't figure out how Jacques=James but whatever) on September 11th and have now walked over 400 km. At the beginning of my journey I walked 20 km a day, but soon after I began to do no less than 24km, usually 26 or 27. Some days I do over 30, but I don't enjoy that very much. I stay at Gites at night, which are like hostels meant for pilgrims. Usually I take a demi-pension, which includes the bed, breakfast and supper. I think its good value, and during these times I meet a lot of fascinating people.
Today I only walked 14 km because I have stopped in Flamarens, the village I did my first workcamp in. I have said hello to a few of the villagers, and I will stay with the mayor and his family tonight. Right now I am in Catherine's house, a lovely woman who has been very gracious to me, the young Canadian who rang her bell unexpectedly early this afternoon. We met when I stayed here before, but she had gone to England for the second two weeks of our camp.
I checked in on the ecomusee that we worked on; it looks largely the same but is quite abandoned. Some shrubs and grass have overgrown the area where we had our table, and the toilets and sinks are dirty and full of spiders. I also checked the wall, it is still standing firm as ever! I was said that the buvette was closed, I had hoped to surprise Daniel and have a Coke!
I saw Yaseen and his parents, they were very happy to see me. Yaseen is supposed to be sick but when I came he came to life, and was acting very much like a 9 year old boy.
Anyway, I have a lot of stories about the Chemin but its too much to write in one blog entry. I hope all who are interested seek them out when I return home!
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Hi there Val - where did you start your journey - and where do you hope to end?
Yaakov Ben-Zebedee and his brother Yohannan were apostles. They are the James (the greater) and John of the bible.
Yaakov became Iago in Spanish, therefore Sant ’Iago, Saint James in English, San Jacques in French, Jacob in German, Jacobus, Jacope, etc etc. They are all the same person.
In France the pilgrimage trails are called Chemin St Jacques and in Spain, el Camino de Santiago: all leading to the same place, the tomb of Yaakov Ben-Zebedee - James the Greater - in the city named after him, Santiago de Compostela.
Buen camino dear peregrina!
Sil
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