Delighted you have found native Aligot growing in the wilds.

I just bought a chunk of Cantal cheese which is the secret ingredient.

Aligot goes well with sausage!

On 22 Aug 2010, at 15:18, Jeff Gray wrote:

> From Evernote:
> Busca. Les Faux.
> August 21 hot and sunny.
>
> Spectacular bike ride to St. Albain. Quiet roads,endless farmland, cows. (had to stop several times to let them through),and a lot of hay transport.
>
> Hilly and steep with grades of 3-5%, some a couple of kms. About 450 meters of climbing.
>
> Large quantities of water, beer, and coffee consumed.
>
> The 13th century tower has been rebuilt several times. Built with a sandstone that looks like marble until one is close up. Red and off white. Used effectively for framing entrances and windows.
>
> The high lights remain the multiple language concurrent conversations. Starting to meet new groups and those we have seen before. Everyone shares travel stories and their histories. Tonight two Germans and a Luxemburger put up with my German and helped me with my poor grammar.
>
> Some of these wanderers think hiking in the Alps are the best of all roads and the best managed for signs and road quality. 1000 meter days seem the norm to these pensioners. Australians who walk the bush with full packs and water for days think their packs ( heavily loaded ) are light. One Aussie seems to walk a bit and stop at one pm. To talk to travelers and drink beer. Not concerned about accommodations. " No room at gitê, well I will just sleep outdoors".
>
> A speciality of the place we are staying is alligot, a dish of purée potatoes, local artisan cheeses, creme fraiche, garlic, and of course butter.
>
> Carved mushrooms of the area – have seen many of them.
>
>

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August 22. Hot and sunny.

Brocante 2010, FollowTheCamino, QB on the road and more.

After a short but hilly ride on small French roads, Sunday tourists driving
a bit too fast, twice they stopped and asked me for directions; naturally I
obliged with a detailed response. Might even have been correct, arrived in
named city.

The final 1km decent was complete with parked cars in every place, spot or
not. Brocante. 2010.

This is a giant flea market. Household goods and crap. Many food vendors
with samples. Might have 7had a few and will have more while QB finishes
today's Camino here.

This is the end of the first section of the planned trip. We will stay two
days here. Time for a review of both the books and the booking company. At
least a first review.

FollowTheCamino provided me a Cycling book for the route. Outstanding.
Concise,accurate – my GPS aggrees – and reliable about routes,grades and
distances. I rip out a few pages and put them in my pocket. QB does the
same with her walking books. We have too many books along with us. My cycle
book and the local tourist offices are sufficient for me.

FollowTheCamino review: pros and cons.

First the two cons, actually mistakes that have now been, we hope,
rectified. Instructions on how to deal with our transported baggage
unknown by first hotel and info explained not sufficiently clear. The big
error was telling us to go to the wrong hotel. Calls to three hotels, a
baggege company and much confusion over where our bags went we ended up in a
good hotel.

Pros of which there are many.

Susan of FollowTheCamino has been excellent in email follow up. Very clear
and very complete. Much appreciation and cudos for excellent support.

The hotel choices have been excellent. Not always centre ville but it seems
proprietors will pick you up if well off the route. Everyone has been nice.

Almost no English in hotels or shops. I consider this a pro as it forces me
to improve my French. Not sure when we get to Spain as my Spanish is too
rudimentary to start a conversation.

A pleasant surprise. Wi-Fi access in each gitê so far. Have to ask.
Generally it is the owners private connection – as it was throughout
Germany.

One downside of the trip has been the incessant smoking of the French. They
stink and do not move to get out of the way to exhale.

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Herb/Zvika,
Instead of "view" select "Download". That is the only way to avoid the huge
pictures
moshe

On Fri, Aug 20, 2010 at 10:33 AM, Jeff Gray wrote:

> QB is several hours behind and will meet me here. She will for sure have
> her own story as this we are, in many ways, on separate trips.
>
> After a 450 meter climb at 5% grade for the first 400 meters one descends
> in Sauge. Another very charming medieval hill town with a good church etc.
>
> Today was market day. This area has no department stores or any diverse
> merchandise shops. Each store is specialized. For general shopping the
> market comes to your larger town. Just like the middle ages except the taxes
> go to other tnhan the kings license or abbots pleasure.
>
> Watched a 1.9meter wide truck go down a street,which due to the stalls, was
> 1.85 meters wide. Vendors very displeased with goods being hit.
> Pedestrians of which I was one watch and waited. All traffic halted.
>
> With tourist map in hand I went for food. The tourist office was
> enthusiastic about their church and the children's museum. I asked what
> else. That's it.
>
> Atisian cheese, bread, pan au raisin, and fruit. In the market I asked the
> vendor to select for me. I said I would eat it now. "What are you eating
> with it?" He would have picked different ones if I said sausage rather than
> cheese. Gotta love the French view of food.
>
> At a bar having a Perrier and a beer. Might have another round before QB
> arrives
>
> Gitê versus hotels. Now pay attention as research may be required.
>
> In the tourist office.
> Me: what is the difference between gitê and Joel.
>
> Well, gitê is generally for one night.
> Me- yes but a hotel is fine for a night
>
> Well, gitê may be for groups.
> Me, yes but the obvious
>
> Well, gitês serve food to travelers
> Me, yes but….
>
> Well, gitês are less expensive.
> Me, we are getting somewhere. Always less expensive for the same quality.
> No, it depends.
>
> Are the rating systems – number of stars – different. Yes.
>
> So………
> Office personnel : its complicated.
>
> The difference between a gitê and a hotel
>
> Consensus by the staff. You guessed it. It's complicated.
>
> Some cleanup items.
>
> Dee: AU met Ann of AU in le puy
>
> Herb: I do not know how to control picture size in gmail. Maybe a setting.
> Maybe look on web. Hard for me to search on this smartphone.
>

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QB is several hours behind and will meet me here. She will for sure have
her own story as this we are, in many ways, on separate trips.

After a 450 meter climb at 5% grade for the first 400 meters one descends in
Sauge. Another very charming medieval hill town with a good church etc.

Today was market day. This area has no department stores or any diverse
merchandise shops. Each store is specialized. For general shopping the
market comes to your larger town. Just like the middle ages except the taxes
go to other tnhan the kings license or abbots pleasure.

Watched a 1.9meter wide truck go down a street,which due to the stalls, was
1.85 meters wide. Vendors very displeased with goods being hit.
Pedestrians of which I was one watch and waited. All traffic halted.

With tourist map in hand I went for food. The tourist office was
enthusiastic about their church and the children's museum. I asked what
else. That's it.

Atisian cheese, bread, pan au raisin, and fruit. In the market I asked the
vendor to select for me. I said I would eat it now. "What are you eating
with it?" He would have picked different ones if I said sausage rather than
cheese. Gotta love the French view of food.

At a bar having a Perrier and a beer. Might have another round before QB
arrives

Gitê versus hotels. Now pay attention as research may be required.

In the tourist office.
Me: what is the difference between gitê and Joel.

Well, gitê is generally for one night.
Me- yes but a hotel is fine for a night

Well, gitê may be for groups.
Me, yes but the obvious

Well, gitês serve food to travelers
Me, yes but….

Well, gitês are less expensive.
Me, we are getting somewhere. Always less expensive for the same quality.
No, it depends.

Are the rating systems – number of stars – different. Yes.

So………
Office personnel : its complicated.

The difference between a gitê and a hotel

Consensus by the staff. You guessed it. It's complicated.

Some cleanup items.

Dee: AU met Ann of AU in le puy

Herb: I do not know how to control picture size in gmail. Maybe a setting.
Maybe look on web. Hard for me to search on this smartphone.

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