Day 32 - The mist persists (Navarrenx à Landaco 25 km)
It was another departure in mist and fog this morning - the type of weather that I love. I spent most of the morning traveling solo through beautiful forests hearing only the sound of a wide variety of birds and numerous types of nuts falling from the trees. These portions of the path are some of my favourite, especially when I am on my own and I see very few people.
In the past few days there have been several locations along the path where a 'Friends of the Camino' association have planted ancient varieties of fruit trees to include apple, plum and pear. What a brilliant idea to propagate these rare varieties....and to provide a treat to hungry pilgrims.
It wasn't until late morning that the sun broke through the fog and revealed more of the stunning French countryside. Off in the distance the Pyrenees teased us with their majestic peaks. It was a pleasure to meet up with Pierre, Rachel and Laurent for lunch at a picnic table overlooking a beautiful vista. Lunch was enjoyed at a leisurely pace as we had plenty of time to kill before our gîte opened.
The gîte was located in a valley surrounded by hills which precluded any cell reception and of course, there was no WiFi, hence this late post. The gîte was rustic to say the least. For 12 people, we had two 'dry' toilets and only one shower. Several chickens, a few cats and one dog roamed the grounds. Despite having only the bare essentials, the food and camaraderie around the table was wonderful. On a very pleasant evening, we broke bread, told stories and watched the sun set behind the hills. Another memory for us to cherish.
