mattersofthemoment

After Marie's 10 days in Le Puy and after Dave's Chemin de St. Jacques, we took the TGV train to Aix-en-Province.  We booked into the beautiful Oblate Mission House on the Cours Mirabeau, right in the middle of everything.  We were welcomed by Frere Benoit and had dinner with the 2 Oblate priests present and Benoit.

Well I made it Conques Saturday afternoon as hoped for. As my Chemin

de St Jacques ended it is with a lot of emotion.

200 kilometres of waking in 9 days with elevation changes totaling

over several kilometres, it was physically exhausting and

exhilarating. Meeting and making 30 new friends de toute sorte de

nationalite, was socially rewarding. Spending time walking alone was

an inner journey I feel stronger for having made.

Conques is a world heritage medieval city and was a nice place to say

our goodbyes. Visited the Abbaye Church of St Foy for Sunday mass.

What I understood of the homily was that it is one thing to walk in

nature and see God's creation but to be a Christian requires a leap of

Faith to a higher plane. And that sums up what I felt and experienced

in this pilgrimage.

Merci Dieu et au Seigneur pour votre amor.

Made it back to Le Puy using La Male Postale minibus service in time

for the celebration dinner Sunday night with Marie and the Little

Design Community retreat participants.

The journey is the destination. And it's not over.

The days are flying by and after tomorrow we leave the Centre.

Here is where I stayed for 10 days with 10 other ladies and one man.

It was a very informative and special time to grow spirituality and internally.

Dave will arrive tomorrow after 10 days of walking the Camino.

Le Puy is such an old city with great history, churches and statues. The people are so kind and helpful. The scenery is beautiful. The trip to Lyon was interesting.

Covered about 25 km but it was up and down all day and it was hot.

I arrived at the gite d'etape in Golinhac but my bag was not there.

Seemd one truck dropped it off and another picked it up by mistake. I

got it 2 hrs later by taxi.

At one point I got loat and after calling out in front of an open

window, the lady invited me into her house to speak to her. She told

me how to get back on the GR65 and then explained her husband died 3

years ago and she is trying to seel her big house. I guess she was

80+. Wow how many people invite a pure stranger into their home? I

gave her a Canadian flag pin a s atoken of thanks.

I walked most of the day alone but then Met Ingrid from Norway and we

chatted the last 2 hrs.

At 6:15 pm in walks friend Sunny. So we went to the Auberge for

dinner, and sure enough we found Nicole and also John and Claire who

walked 35 km to catch up to us.

We plane to celebrate tomorrow evening in Conques.

None of the Francais avec lesquells J'ai parle, have heard of “The

Way” movie with Martin Sheen. They are most interested.

A demain a Conques. Ultreia!

Well people walk the St James Way in France for many reasons I am finding out.

There are many francais who take “walking holidays” and stay in the

gites d'etape (pilgrim hostels). There are some who are getting over

an illness or loss and seeking new strength. There are some who like

the freedom of being outdoors, away from city noise and having some

good food.

However some are indeed very spiritual. Today as we came into Aubrac

a little hamlet, there was a statue of Our Lady of Aubrac around which

a group of adolescents were standing. One of them started a prayer and

then they all started singing a few hymns as the cows in the field

gazed on.

For me it was a moving moment to see the young people visibly engaged

in their faith. It was a spiritual signal that I new would come at

some point.

Thanks Lord for all your blessings and mercy.

Day 6 in LePuy France,known by the Catholic Church as the most sacred place in the world.

The mountains and the monuments that are erected from volcanic rock are amazing. The St. Michael Rock is awesome with many steps to climb up to the chapel called St. Michael the Arc Angel. Today was perfect weather, sunshine and warm.

On the Chemin de Saint Jacques most pilgrims are from France. I have

also met another Canadian, a couple from Perth Australia, a lady from

South Africa, several Swiss and 1 American.

Some interesting people:

– Alain from Switzerland who is a Templar

– Sonny from Toronto who did the Camino in Spain last year and is now

doing it again all the way from Le Puy

– Ursula from Switzerland who is walking with her dog from Switzerland

to Santiago

– John and Claire who flew all the way from Perth, Australia to hike for 2 weeks

– Vincent the chef who made us Aligot a melted mixture of cheese and potato

– a nice older couple from France who hike all over the place

It's great to quickly make so many friends in a foreign land.

Here in France there are some differences in etiquette.

Last night I was privileged to have a 7 course meal. Not knowing each

time more was coming, I filled up on whatever Monique (Chez Monique

B&B) brought. Mistake, half way thru I could not eat anymore. We had:

– apperatifs

– hordourves

– soup

– pasta casserole

– chicken and rice

– cheese plate

– fruit and tart desert

– coffee/tea

Another oddity is les francais drink their morning coffee out of a

bowl after dipping their toast into it.

Tonight dans Le Gite de la ferme au Sauvage there were only 4 courses

so I got off easy.

Gaining weight sur le Chemin de St Jacques..