Hiya. I’m done with the day by day format. I’m too behind. Why? Because as beautiful as this Chemin is, and this part of France is, we’re finding it to be quite challenging. Far more so than the Caminho Portugues. The climbs are steeper and so are the descents. And the rocks! Good, great upheaval of the earth! My advice for anyone intending to walk the Via Podiensis is to have walking g poles, mostly necessary after day 6. Poles would really help on the rolling rock descents, particularly in the rain which we did yesterday, from about 2:30 to 5. A heavy rain. Thank goodness we had a warm, private room. More on accommodations later.
So that’s why I’m behind. I’m exhausted at day’s end. Last night I opened WordPress with the intention to write and found my myself staring at the screen. So at 8:30, it was lights out, listening to a Bruno detective book, and asleep by 9. Slept well until 6:30 am!
So let’s catch up a bit anyway. Yesterday we walked through upper pasture. Cows in the distance and cows nearby. Miles of stone walls creating borders. There was one long, steep climb with buffeting wind that was especially memorable, for at the summit was a little cabin to rest out of the wind. And to eat an amazing French pastry.
Remember, I said rocky. Imagine how much manpower it took to clear the fields of those rocks and build the walls! Homes are made of stone here and even roofs.
Enough about rocks. Here’s a few shots of our misty, rainy, sunny, breezy, day. It was ever so changeable! Kept going from one to the other and back.
Fading… more tomorrow.
This is the tomorrow that I wrote of yesterday – and then didn’t publish!
Shared Illusions 
Great pics
LikeLike
So beautiful. I gave up trying to do blog posts at all — just did a few bits on Facebook on our last camino. And on my first camino, where you are now, I had no phone. Only accessed computers at tourist offices or internet cafes, or occasionally in a gite or hotel, and I didn’t post any photos until I returned home.
Enjoy it all! Think what great shape you’ll be in by the time you reach the Pyrenees!
LikeLike
We have decided not to walk to SJPDP. We’re stopping in Conques and will visit other areas of France. Thinking we’ll return another time for another leg. Met a woman yesterday, Dutch, who is leaving after Conques to meet up with friends for the Vezelay route.
LikeLike
How different this part of the trek than the beginning. Love the rocky road although it must be a challenge to negotiate. what huge expanses you’re covering with the pic of Ed walking up the trail, and how noble the cows appear. Claire would appreciate the variety of resting places for her ashes, her universal nature and appreciation of breadth of mankind. Keep sharing.
LikeLike
Ah, thanks, John. We are in Conques today, the last stop for our Via Podiensis. On to the next part of the adventure ✨️
LikeLike