Bonjour! I went to the tiniest grocery store on the planet, and look what I found. Trader Joe's.
Dinner last night was excellent. In fact, one of my favorite things on this trip was that red sliced thing that looked like vegetarian meatloaf. It was definitely baked, had lots of vegetables and maybe some type of meat. Tuna? But it was not fishy at all. It was served with a thousand island-type dressing that contained just a smidgeon of horseradish. I would hurt someone for the recipe.
The main course was a delicate white fish cooked in a white sauce with some type of light-colored seed. I have seen them before, but I can't remember what they are. I also had ratatouille and rice. It was an excellent meal, complete with creme brulee.
The views of the next village that I trekked through.
Once I passed the first little village, the trail started with giant boulders to climb, and it only got more strenuous from there. Up, up and more up. I knew this would be the most challenging day of the trip, and it lived up to the hype. It was unending up, thigh-master extraordinaire and buns of steel on steroids. I didn't think I was ever going to get to the top.
The views were spectacular.
I stopped for a millisecond at this hut which I am sure was built to get hikers out of severe weather. Today's weather was beautiful, and it has turned hot. By the time I reached this hut, I looked like I had been standing under a waterfall. I was soaked from my hair to my toes from exertion.
Great big beautiful mountains.
I think these logs were cut from a pretty big rockslide. It did not appear to be a commercial endeavor.
Peak after peak, mountain after mountain.
Had a llittle excitement on the trail today. I almost stepped on him. My brain registered SNAKE before my feet caught on. I almost slid into him, stopping so fast - feet don't fail me now. Thank goodness he was not aggressive, but neither was he running from me. He was about a yard long and skinny. I couldn't go around him, so I backed up and threw rocks at the little so and so. I never hit him. He was in no hurry to move - like he was playing dead. Finally, he slowly slithered off the trail. You have never seen tired feet run so fast to get by him. And then every stick for the rest of the day looked like a snake. When I got to my computer and found a photo - he appeared to be a Vipera Aspis, a poisonous species.
All my hard up-mountain work paid off because today was the most beautiful scenery of the trip.
Just look.
I walked many smaller trails today, and they all seemed uphill.
The final rocky road as I neared Saint Gervais. I could see the finish line, and I was hot and sweaty and tired, and my feet were in agony. Other than that, I was having a blast!
I had to cross this ancient bridge.
The bridge was over this fast-flowing river.
As I turned around to see behind me, I spotted the medieval site of NEYRAN. All that is left is the top of the bell tower, surrounded by a forest of holm oaks and chestnut trees. But has been a national historic site since 1928 and is now being funded for restoration.
I am staying at the Chambre Chez Camille, which is closer to a hostel than a hotel. The two guys (not sure who Camile is?) are lovely. They cooked me dinner, and I could hear them bickering (in a friendly way) in the kitchen. When I asked them about breakfast tomorrow, they told me 5:00 a. m. HaHa - very funny. My first course was my favorite - a French Omlette - and it was so flavorful. It reminded me of egg foo young. It was filled with tiny fresh asparagus that I think came from their garden.
My next course was pork, fried in the manner I have frequently eaten in Spain, accompanied by white rice and briny olives. The rice and olives were an unusual combination that I decided after several bites that I very much liked.
Next came a cheese course with an excellent selection. I didn't understand what these little green clover-like things were, but they were marvelous. Each little leave had one drop of dressing in the center. Indeed, a beautiful presentation.
And the dessert! I thought it was a blackberry tart, but the fruits had seeds about the size of an olive pit. They tasted like blackberries, but I am not sure what the fruit was. I polished it off with no trouble. If you hear of an explosion in Saint-Gervais-du-Mare, it will be me. I ate too much!
Today's mega-mountain miles counting a short walk to the market for provisions was 18.8 miles. I was ever so relieved that the small grocery was open. I was OUT of food. If I wanted to eat tomorrow, I had to find a store.
I did not even come close to getting lost today. My only backtrack was away from that snake. WhooHoo!
The only thing that would make today better would be Dennis. Today is our 16th wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary to the love of my life. I would do it all over again. Love you!
No comments:
Post a Comment