Boog's Blog

25 September rain lots of it

Nice way to start climbing over the Pyrenees. Rain and much poorer quality roads. On the N235 a national road that is two lanes of very eroded asphalt. 

First stop a bar to order a coffee and see how my few words of Spanish will fare. Got the coffee, cafe solo, without milk.  The bar has CNN in Spanish.  We saw little of CNN in the parts of France we visited.

QB made the mistake of asking me to carry her long rain pants. Twenty minutes later it started to rain hard. At least I got to wear them. She has a very good poncho and it is not so hot today so she should fare ok. I am writing this while she is still walking. 

At hotel explained I wanted to speak Spanish and not French – this is very much a border town. After negotiating room, passport paperwork, seems like Spain still hand copies all the info from your passport or identity card to a ficha (fiche in French ) dinner hour, weather, and travel plans I said that this was my first hours of Spanish. She replied that I have a lot of time until Santiago to learn.   They offered us dinner at 7 pm. Very friendly hotel. No internet will try 3G.

The town has several shops all basically the same. The French come here for shopping. Canned  goods, four liter wine and whisky, household goods, furniture, cooking items, etc.  Discussed the shopping frenzy with an English couple that live in France :  everything is much cheaper here. They were treating Valcarlos like one big Costco.  

Everything is new again. Food and customs and bars and hours and of course language. Lots to see and figure out.  Great fun!

23 September Overcast and humid but no rain until late evening thunderstorm

Well, we made it through France to the portal for Spain. Now at the foot of the Pyrenees, with the next forward going day climbing the Roncesvalles pass. Yes, this is the Roncesvalles of the Song of Roland. Maybe we will be able to hear the echo of the horn.

[If you are not up on your medieval stuff and have any interest suggest you look up Song of Roland].

We will stay here two nights to better gain our legs. That and eating some more of the wonderful Brebis cheese (ewe’s milk). Had some for a snack before the final assault into the Porte of St. Jacques, the Unesco portal to this very beautiful village.

The Citadel sits on top of a large hill overlooking the Pyrenees and is now a college. Its walls are thick and serve as the last of what must have been impenetrable entry after passing the Spanish gate (two meters thick) and then the St. Jacques gate and wall. Arrow slit openings all the way down.

Among our celebratory actions: going to the official Camino office and getting our passports stamped, having two Pastis (actually Richard), buying a final camembert, having a crepe, and putting out the saved Armanac.

Tried a local Appellation Controlle called Irouleguy. Have not seen it exported. Decent but not as good as some other regions.

Question about veggies. They seem to be absent in the restaurants. Managed to get some green beans but they were not fresh. Everything else we ate was excellent ( soup de poisson, basque poulet, salade) but not the veggies. Over the past month we have seen almost no veggies in the restaurants. Tomatoes and an occasional carrot.

Speaking of tomatoes. I am in love with the Basque area. They seem to use tomatoes for every dish. Piperade, bread, salad, poulet sauce (had bits of ham).

22 September another hot sunny day

Picture this:  after the morning fog has lifted from the foothills and valleys of the Pyrenees a clear hot sunny day emerges.  One has biked (QB walked ) with a few side trips such as Ostabat and is now resting in the shade of another closed church. Bread, cheese, apples and a pain au raisin has been consumed and I have now moved to a bar for a Grande cafe.

The ride today was fast as most of the road was very well paved and with the first cycle lane I have seen on a big road. Noticed how much faster I am riding on good roads.

Ostabat used to me a major stopping point for pelerins.  In its heyday it could accommodate 5000 of them, not a typo. Today the church was closed as was the bar. A few agricultural workers were hanging about.

The morning sidetrip was to the Stella that marks the intersection of many routes.  St. Jean, tomorrow being the current major intersection and entry to the pass. 

22 September another hot sunny day

Picture this:  after the morning fog has lifted from the foothills and valleys of the Pyrenees a clear hot sunny day emerges.  One has biked (QB walked ) with a few side trips such as Ostabat and is now resting in the shade of another closed church. Bread, cheese, apples and a pain au raisin has been consumed and I have now moved to a bar for a Grande cafe.

The ride today was fast as most of the road was very well paved and with the first cycle lane I have seen on a big road. Noticed how much faster I am riding on good roads.

Ostabat used to me a major stopping point for pelerins.  In its heyday it could accommodate 5000 of them, not a typo. Today the church was closed as was the bar. A few agricultural workers were hanging about.

The morning sidetrip was to the Stella that marks the intersection of many routes.  St. Jean, tomorrow being the current major intersection and entry to the pass. 

21 September warm light rain in the morning and then pointlessly hot sunny day around 27-28C

Now officially in Pays Basque. Undulating ride, shorter hills than a few days ago but somewhat steep (one was 12% which is about my limit ). Lousy quality road for the first 10 km or so; much harder to climb on poor highly granulated hills. QB, pelerine paresseuse, took taxi to Aroue, then stomped around 7 miles to St. Palais.

Yesterday I met Dave, an Aussie, at his bike shop. Needed air for my tires and when I went in to ask he spoke perfect English. He had just biked from Bury St. Edwards to here and wanted to discuss bikes – found my Bike Friday a new toy to both ride and understand. Had hoped to have a beer with him later but it did not work out.

The two star hotel of yesterday was essentially a three star. Excellent. Today we are in real two star, quite decent and far better than the two stars of yesteryear, either that or our standards continue to decline.

The hills in front of us, really (Pyrenees) mountains, look similar to the ridges we have crossed – just know that they are higher.

St. Palais is a market town. Nice for shopping and walking about but not long on history other than being a traditional stopping point for the pilgrims. The Gibralter Stele is just out of town. It marks the intersection of the Le Puy and other pilgrim routes and the Spanish Route (actually called the French Way), the one we will soon be on.

Major highlight of today was the visit to the traditional Basque fabric factory. Below is a short video I took there. They were extremely nice and let us wander around the old equipment and ask questions about the Basque language and food. The owner is the granddaughter of the founder. Many piano roll type weaving patterns and old looms. Fantastic!

Explanations of garbure ( a soup with goose and veggies ), piperade ( similar to an omelet in a pan with meats and grease and jambon and more stuff – will take a picture as soon as we have one ). Less appealing specialty of region is roasted (freshly shot) wood pigeon, with grease (or something) poured on them from a special funnel. Starting to see bottles of Sangria in the stores, chorizos as well, and tapas on the menus.

Most signs are in Basque and in French. Some vocabulary for those who collect such:

Ague = Bonjour

Ikus Arte´ ( The I has a dot over it ) = Au Revoir

Milesker = Merci

X is pronounced as a ch in Spanish

There are seven Basque counties ( hence the seven stripes on the linen ). St. Palais has three Basse-Navarre, Labourd, and four in Spain. The striped linen was originally blue, then striped and used to cover cows to protect them from flies.

Pics to include the multi-language sign

the very short video

The Church in St. Palais – very decorated with both paintings and paint that looks like wallpaper.

Piano roll type computer cards of an earlier age.

20 September Cool to start and then warmed up quite a bit.

On the road more than a month now and have had to walk or cycle in the rain only one day.

Last evening we spent with the Lawrenson’s an English couple from the Northwest of the UK, Chester. They bought their place 7 years ago and built the upstairs to into a very comfortable chambre d’hôte. Modern room with an excellent bathroom, except that we had to share with another room. But……

The view! In the USA about $100 would be added to the hotel bill for a view like the one we had. Both with the setting sun and the rising morning sun we had spectacular impressionist views of the Pyrenees. Attempts to capture them included in this post; of course a camera is a poor lens compared to the eye.

The group we shared the sausages and green beans and potatoes, along with a Gateau Basque ( filling of cream or custard – one of the the popular types) and some sort of veggie soup with cheese and pepper, not spicy; Sara does far better with similar ingredients; was the one that I mooched Kugelhopf from the other day at lunch. They were walking to an area near hear. Nice group of four nurses to share a meal with. Got to learn about the compensatory time nurses get for working 39 hour weeks. They get their 5 weeks vacation of course and then 4 hours a week of compensatory time for going over the allotted 35 hour week. Their view: lots of time but no money.

Another day of riding hills and reflection. This time about the Germany trip of a couple of years ago. That trip was far far easier, flatter, more good places to stay, better bathrooms, better showers, much better breakfasts, and better salads. However the biking here is much more interesting and challenging. Rolling hills and tough climbs, descents that are spine chilling, lots to see and always in interval training mode.

We are now about 5 km from Pays Basque. Thought we were there but we are still in the department Bearne. The line on the map is so fine that one needs the eyes of a 10 year old to see it. The menu as posted in this hotel, a good one, is new to us. Many dishes we have not seen before and spellings not yet familiar. Should be fun.

QB’s walk was one of near starvation. Had to call in all the emergency rations in her pack. The only real town on her route today should have been a refilling, refueling and eating place. They had nothing and all other shops were closed. QB had to eat the emergency rations and when she met me in Navarrenx we went to a restaurant for an immediate omelet de jambon.

One side effect of this traveling method is that I get to do picnic lunches, my favorite in France. Today I sat on a bench waiting for the QB and consumed a cereal bread, smoked salmon, Coeur de Bouef tomatoes ( betting eating type I have found), and some Port de Salut cheese. With my large picnic knife waving and slicing I refilled after the steep ( one was almost 9% for over 1.5 km) climbs.

Pictures include:

impressionist Pyrenees

old roman bridge

Navarrenx arsenal

12th century tower church

 19 September  Cool and sunny

At the chambre d’hote Lewrensen  using a French keyboard, very different as both Mike and Dee know.  After publishing this will find out if the pictures can be attached. Not familiar with windows either and all menues are in French.

The Pyranees loom even larger.  Nice hilly ride, with a long 7 percent grade to finish.  Pics are from yesterday using QB camera.

Highlites were the dinner with the polees of seafood.  QB had a miserable day yesterday as she got lost and ended up doing more than fifeteen miles.  Getting lost is not much fun.

Today I stopped at a rural city market and failed to get crepes as she was testing the grill.  Said it would take close to an hour.  Suspect she was correct.  Kept making them and throwing them away.  Teperature not correct.  Guess that there are no thermometors in France.

Nice guest house tonight but with a shared bath.  Got here early so we got first dibs.

18 September. Cool and lovely day for pelerins

Hilly bike ride, 500 meters of climbing, but all on quiet Saturday morning roads.

QB had a long hard walk made worse by getting lost due to bad or non existent road markings. Almost 16 miles with a pack is not fun.

The Church at Aire called St. Quittere is another in a long line of old churches. Equally charming. Onto Pimbo another Bastides with another charming church. 

Sometimes people set up coffee and cakes for the pelerins.  In Pimbo I went to get some coffee and was handed some fine Kuglekopf, a type of Alsatian coffee cake. Turns out I crashed a breakfast party among friends meeting and setting up an outside manger.  They were very hospitable.

Nothing in Arzac and the hotel is a typical zero etoile. Basic. Very basic with no net connection.

This town does not even find my telephone connection so not sure when this will go. 

We are now very much in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Can see them looming ahead. 

Dinner was excelllent. QB picture sent earlier did not capture the dish which means “pan filled”  basically a paella with potatoes instead of rice. Menu had several “POELLEE” dishes. Seafood. Meat. Etc.

16 & 17 September, Light rain all day; cool for a pleasant change

Easy, maybe too easy, ride into this market town. Nothing to see on the road – the only real road was a largish one with lots of trucks and a very good surface. Covered the short distance very quickly.

Decent if a bit eccentric two star French hotel; at least a good shower. Our standards have slipped quite a bit, France does that to travelers.

Laundry day, wandering the town, looking at the main cathedral, one started in the 11th century but renovated many times. Walls have been well painted as has the cupola. Other than the church, some shopping and an interesting frites/sausage stand, not much else here. That said, the town, situated on the river Adour, is very pleasant to wander.

Lunch included a beer called Desperado. 5.7% alcohol with some tequila in it. Served with lime (pretending to be Mexican, I guess). Very easy to drink. Later learned it was designed to get kids used to drinking beer; a marketing ploy. Nothing said about pigs, black or white, consuming beer.

If we have peanut fed pigs in the US, do we also have massaged pigs like Kobe beef? A missed marketing opportunity?

We are spending two days here before starting our final French section, ending in St. Jean Pied de Port, before crossing the Pyrenees. This last French stage will be the foothills.

Out for a walk and the post office – shopping and other stuff sent home. Back to hotel and found that the electricity is turned off during the day as “no one” would be in the hotel or swimming pool during that time. It is lunch time as I write this. QB had long siesta, KB ate frites by the Adour, then enjoyed a small siesta also. Clean socks tomorrow!

15 September Unnecessarily warm day, about 28 degrees today

QB and I again set off together but we separated at the path. Her walk of 13 plus miles – second longish one in a row – seems to have been much more eventful and interesting than my ride.

Today was undulating but easy. The poor part was that the route was a high speed road with a lot of trucks. No minor roads in this area, except the Camino path which generally is not suitable for me to ride.

Ran into a set of American cyclists and shared stories. They are new to cycle touring but seemingly enjoying the adventure. Good legs and good hearts. ( If you get to read this please send me a note). One interesting story Marty told was how she “broke the story” about the NJ serial hospital killer a few years ago. If she ever writes it up I will share with all or she can.

Tonights hotel is a true two star French hotel. Quite pleasant with friendly folks running it. Dinner was set menu: veg soup, chicken, frites, plain noodles. Okay but not great. A la carte looked much more interesting. Lunch was fig bread, ham and fruit.

Speaking of ham; need advice from the more experienced ham consumers. A discussion is warranted and would be useful for us as we venture deeper into dried ham territory: in the large market I was faced with 100 gm packages, perfect size, nicely packaged, of:

Bayonne

Serano

Jambon Cru

Jambon Sec

and a few others. The Bayonne was excellent. Suspect that the Serano would be too but how to choose? Which others to look out for in the markets? Other than the previously explained (thanks Bob) Pata Negra, I know little about the differences.

Floc: the red one. Before dinner digestif. White one previously discussed. We held off trying the red Floc de Gascogne until we were at a decent place; just did not seem the setting last evening. The color is like a slightly dark rose ( of which we have been consuming regularly – otherwise get uncomprehending stares if no wine is ordered, even when beer and bottled water have already been purchased.

The taste is that of a sweet wine without any poor aftertaste. Very smooth but not as syrupy as the white. Nice aperitif, would also be good as a reduction or a variant of a fruit sauce.

Maybe, tomorrow, the 10 year old Armagnac.

QB, the Slacker Pilgrim reporting. Trail book said “flat and uninteresting, 20k” (note that yesterday was alleged 16k and was more like 20k). Lie like rugs. Not flat and interesting, at least from my perspective (and more like 24k). First good view of Pyrenees.

Stopped during schlep to view the first foie gras/duck farm I’ve seen. A guy who had been ahead on the trail for a while, was there also. He mumbled something in French. Since I could not understand his accent I said I didn’t understand, so he mumbled it a few more times. Since I was apparently too stupid to follow, he started to shout (just as fast), repeating his comment. I guess that was supposed to improve my comprehension. Finally he added a gesture which I understood to mean that the wings are cut off the ducks so they cannot escape. Another disgusting poultry industry.

The “uninteresting, flat” walk continued up and down hills of vineyards. Passed an aquaculture farm of multiple ponds (no info on what was in them).

Stopped in Manciet, another small, mostly closed village (one store open). The church there has a special drive-by prayer window (offertory?) for pilgrims! You zip in, can kneel and pray. There is a picture window onto the interior of the church (maybe they don’t want all those muddy hiking boots). There are prayers on the wall (all French, of course) with pilgrim suffering, etc. As good as drive-in coffee in Oregon and Washington.

Finally, today I learned that the road to Santiago can be paved with chickens.