Hi Dear friends
Many of you will by now have read my story of the Ebro camino, now for you and others who have only time to read a short story about us Crazy Peregrinos I would like to introduce you to Cathy
I met Cathy on my North Camino and have corresponded ever since. Cathy was born in France a good many years ago but shall we say she is still some years younger than me. she is now living in Germany here she returns to France to walk to
Le Mont Saint Michel on the coast. This is a short snippet but a true story of her Camino in France to Le Mont Saint Michael.
Here is her story in her words
Hi Peregrinos and friends of Michael
Here a pastime for you all, I have tried to translate it. Do you like to read a bit of bad English ??
Sometime I think " Why do you do that Cathy ? You should make a cruise like everyone else does !!"
But now I know the answer .....I should not win a pig
I'll tell you
That was the Sunday before I have met the Angel!
I started late as I had chatted with the charming people of the B&B (gite) where I have had a room for the night.
I was surprised to meet the police on the next crossing
" Do I get guilty of speeding?" I joked
"No we just take care that no cars drive here. There is a bicycle race, but you can go on. Just keep an eye on the riders, you will hear them anyway!!"
So except for a pack of riders from time to time I had the little tarmac road for my own use
As I came into the next village all the riders were already there I could not believe it, they were drinking beer and red wine!!!!
It turned out there was a fair. Some young folk went around with a with a flower decorated pig on a handcart. You had to find out how much this pink super chap does weigh.
"Buy a card for 1.50euros and write on it the weight you suppose it is then your name and your address." he said. So I bought a card and I wrote 112kg 200gr, then my name and my address and gave the card back to one of the young guys. As he read it he began laughing
"How do you want to get it to your home if you win it?" he asked
"I will buy a lead and it will have to walk with me " I replied as seriously as I could.
The next day I met the Angele (an other story I will tell you later) In the evening while eating I told her and her husband the story and gave them the card
"Study the newspaper next week " I said " may be I will win that pig then you can collect it, you're allowed to keep it "
And formally I wrote onto the card
"Mr and Mme Pottier are allowed to collect, and to keep and later if they want to slaughter the pig I have won with this card" and I signed it
Well I cannot believe it!!! I have never won anything!!!! but a pig !!! somewhere on the camino!!!
Angele choked with laughing as she phoned me, I too !!!
" Now you have won the pig, you probably want to have it?"
" Oh Dear!! No!! You have the signed card that's still valid, you can keep it "
" Will you come here when we slaughter it? We would have a feast for the pig he he, and for you"
"I would like too but I am afraid it is a bit too far. You can send me a cane of sausage with the post if you like chuckle"
Anyway I think I should be unable to eat even a bit of it he he.
Well now if you have stopped laughing I tell you,
The main problem I have had during the first week on the camino to Le Mont Saint Michel was how to phone for booking accommodation!!!
After a short while I needed a new pre paid card for my mobile as the connections had been always expensive (from France to France via Germany!!) I had a phone card too for the phone box. But phone box's have became rare as anybody who has a mobile knows nowadays!! In Germany they had said I could use the Telecom card, so one day in a village I found a " Bar / Tabac" that had pre paid cards from telecom. I bought a card of 25 euros, I put the given number on my mobile and while I was drinking my coffee I received a message
"We are putting 25 euros on your account, we will send a message when this process is finished" ( or something like that sorry for the bad translation !!!) I left in a good mood. Ten km later I was middle in the forest as the bl,,y thing rang Oh !! the message from telecom Germany !! ...
" We are sorry the number you have made is not accepted For more information call the number so and so ..."
Grrrr! I called .....
" We are sorry there is not enough money on your account for the number you have called " !!!
I still wonder how I did not ditch the bl..y thing into the ditch. I preferred it to take photos of the wild orchids that grow there. So from then on I had no possibility to phone anywhere !!! Except if I get to a phone box that works!
Two days later (the day after the fair) it was already hot at 7am I knew I would walk the longest stage of my trip I had an address for an accommodation in Vitré 25km ahead! But no phone!! I thought " well Cathy!! If you divide it in 5 km stages, you can manage it" I started in a good mood although the first 10 km ware on a small tarmac road. Somewhere a young Indian lady was picking cherries in her garden, she gave me a bowl of them lifting my spirits and we had a nice chat. Ahead along side a stream and in the shade I met an old couple and their sweet granddaughter. The little girl was asleep in her stroller
"She could not sleep last night It was too hot " they explained "When you come too the truckers stop, can you tell my son-in-law, that runs the bar/ restaurant there? We will come a little later, as we don’t want wake her "
...So the communication works here I thought
Well I did that and got a (alcohol free!!!) cool drink as thank you !!
At the end of the main street of the village I found, in the description of my friend Huberts hugely praised "green way" this was the old railway!!! Probably Hubert had always walked here in autumn or in winter!!!!!! In front of me I found a way in the sun with no shade anywhere for the next 5km!! While the temperature was about 30°c or more in the sun!!! At First I thought about returning to the village and waiting for the evening, but I had this problem with the phone! I had to arrive early enough to get accommodation.
I rummaged in my bag for a shirt, I moistened it with the left over water I still had (a big mistake!!! As now then I had no water) and put it on my head (I had left my hat behind on the fair Tut tut) and set out on the walk, and survived the first 5km !!From then on the next 5km turned out to be a green tunnel between old oaks and chestnuts, what a relief!! (that is except for the mosquitoes in the stagnant water of the puddles along the way), I felt very burnt out though.
Coming out of the "tunnel" on my right and in the distance I could see the belfry of a church and a large village. I had no idea what this village was but it seemed to be large enough to have some accommodation and it was early enough to be able find the city hall still open So I decided to turn and to walk to there!
At first I couldn't find the city hall but I met an old monk(!!) that led me to it. The lady there gave me a leaflet with addresses of accommodations and said
"Oh you are a pilgrim ? We have an albergue here!!!! There are already guests there. They have the key, go there and knock at the door"
The little old monk was still waiting and he showed me the way to it
Oh!! I felt so good !! An albergue !!! and people there, It sounded sooo good !!!!
But then I came at the albergue I couldn't find anybody, the door was locked!!!!! My guide had left!!!
A group of old men were playing “Palets” (something like bowling, A game as old as Brittany.)
“We are here every day” they said “ We haven't seen anybody for a week, there's nobody here !! You have to ask for the key at the city hall ” I thanked them for this cheery information!!!
Meanwhile I found the city hall was closed!!!
The little monk has vanished I felt lonely and exhausted and I was thinking about giving up as I found a phone box that worked!!!! I rummaged in my pocket and found the leaflet. There was an address and two phone numbers of a “gite” and you were advised to bring a sleeping bag.
“It will not be a posh one!” I thought as tried a call.
First number … a bl..y answering machine !!I tried the second number…the same bl..y thing !!! I was giving up as the phone answerd!!! Choked with surprise I wrapped my feet around my bag and my sticks as I realised somebody was answering and I grabbed the phone
“ Yes I have a place for you Its not far only 5 km"
“I'm on my feet!!!!”
“Oh No problem I can collect you later. Are you at the post office ? of course you are ! But I need one hour, I am shopping in Vitré ! How are you??”
I explained
“Well don’t move"
“Oh I'm not able to move anyway I will wait as long as you want!!!"
“Well go shopping though for your dinner, You will have a kitchen where you can cook. We meet in one hour OK? Bye!!”
I went to the super market on the corner and threw some stuff in a basket for my dinner and crawled back to the post office
Here I met her! She came as an old silver haired LADY, dressed in white
“ My name is Angele “she said and I believed her at once!!!!
And looking at me she began
“Where is that written that pilgrims have to die on their way? There are already enough pilgrims that have drowned into the bay!! You are almost collapsing my dear!! You have got heat stoke today. Have you had enough to drink on your way. Of course you have not. You urgently need a cup of tea and a cool room and a day for resting. I don’t allow you to leave tomorrow you MUST rest!!! I will arrange a lift for you, hurry up! I am late the cows are hungry"
Silently I put my bag on my back and strolled behind her to her car …..I knew I was saved!! And her constant moaning sounded in my ears like the singing of an angel
Arriving at her home she put on an old overall and gumboots and covered her silver halo and became and common farmer lass But I don’t let myself be fooled !!!!
Well hope you enjoyed Cathys story, who is next to send me a story
Abrazos
Michael
