Day 9: Stage 7: Saint Lary, 30 km☀️☀️☀️, +30°!😅

An Oasis!🌴

Again, I was up early. Big surprise. It was supposed to be a scorcher of a day, which pushed me to get out the door early.

I had a little visitor this morning. The house cat decided to jump through the window and play around, looking to eat my breakfast as I prepared. Finally ready to go, the cat decided that this was the opportune moment to jump back up and exit out the window! I locked up and took my trash down to the garbage bins in the town centre and walked on.

The way out from where I was staying wasn’t very well marked, but I eventually got my bearings and slowly work my way out of the town and along a beautiful river.

I was working my way up the valley today, which makes sense given tomorrow is the climb over the pass. I knew it would be a pretty intense day, but I really hadn’t the foggiest.

After walking along the flood plain for a while, the GR 78 took me up onto the north side of the valley where there were some pretty nice views.

This certainly is a pretty area to walk with the mountains just out behind the hills to the south. Every now and then I had a glimpse of their majesty. They seem to be between 2000 and 2300 m high (7-8000’) with higher peaks in behind.

I’m so fortunate with this weather, though I must admit that today is a little too steamy! With all the climbing, it can really sap the energy out of the legs.

I walked, no, I climbed through a number of small hillside villages. They looked unchanged from centuries ago, except for the paved roads, of course.😬

As I walked along the south slopes of the valley I did encounter some rather sharp climbs. With the extra weight on my back due to the additional water I’m lugging today, it was a little bit of a grind in some places. My friend Dennis is laughing at my whining.🙄 I can hear you all the way over here! He knows that I expect no sympathy, and absolutely none is asked for. I’m having a ball!🥳

I do, however, resisted the urge to drink all the extra water to lighten my pack on the way through the first climb!😂 

While it’s nice to walk on the trails up in the trees, there are often no clear views. Through the trees I can just make out some beautiful little villages down below that I would like to explore. The trail takes me onwards in its own way. Maybe later, I think.

Another thought I often experience as I walk along these types of trails concerns the rock walls. Some are in need of repair, and who does this work? I wonder who built these so long ago? I let my imagination wander and decide that perhaps these are some of the original pathways through this region many moons ago. It’s possible. They didn’t make these just for people like me.

I arrive at another beautiful village. Can it get any better than this?

It was so nice, and I was so hot, that I decided to take a short break at a picnic table that was just sitting there. Waiting for me!😎

However, all good things come to an end eventually, and it was time to move onwards and upwards again.

I finally reached the start of the last major climb of the day. By this time it was into the afternoon and the temperature was getting pretty toasty. In the moment, I decided that there was no reason to make the climb up there on such a hot day. Little to nothing to be gained. This was a significant climb, and except for a possible view and a small town. There wasn’t a hell of a lot of reason to go up there. So I made a strategic decision and began to walk up the highway. Up being the keyword. Listen to your body. The saying never gets old!🙂

It was hot on the road, and it was a steady upward climb. But it was certainly faster, and easier going. I must say, I was dragging a bit, but once again the Camino provided exactly what I needed. A restaurant! And it was open!🥳

I was probably never so happy to see a restaurant! I remember finding an oasis like this while walking solo in Italy on a similarly hot steep climbing day, and today I did exactly the same thing that I did then. I stopped, and I went in.

You can probably picture the scene. A number of nicely dressed tourists enjoying their lunch on the veranda complete with bottles of wine and everything else that goes with that. Then in walks this tall stranger wearing his funny sun hat and sun sleeves and sweat pouring off him. He has the nerve to sit amongst them smelling the way I must smelt.😷Without batting an eye, I say a polite bonjour, take off my pack and put it on a chair before sitting gratefully down.

The lovely owner walks over to my table and I ask her if it’s still possible to get lunch? Other times in France I have been refused service when it’s after 13:00 and I arrive looking like a drowned rat. I’m expecting much the same response, but instead she asks me what I would like to eat for lunch. Wonderful! I told her the first thing I need are fluids, lots of water and a Coke. These are delivered very promptly. She then goes through the menu with me and I select some sort of fish dish. I’m not exactly sure what it consists of, but there is fish which I love. This is what arrives…

The meal was spectacular! She runs the front end and her husband runs the kitchen while her mother looks after their young son, who I met. There is also gourmet artisan bread to soak up the sauce with the white beans. All this gorgeous protein! I’m so happy to be here that I order a pot of tea! I haven’t had even a sip in three days. Brilliant!

And while I sip on my tea, I begin to write this blog post.

While I’m sitting there, two fellows come in and sit in the table beside me. They speak a little English, but with an eastern European accent. Being who I am, I asked them if they’re from Poland? They turned to me with delightful expressions and say yes, they are. It turns out that they’re running a motorcycle tour from Barcelona to Pau and they are operating the support vehicle as well as the tour. This explains all the motorcycles roaring back and forth along the highway! I tell them that AM and I have wanted to go to Poland for many years. Recently with 2 million immigrants fleeing Ukraine and settling temporarily in Poland we thought it wouldn’t be a great time to go. They told me that we shouldn’t hesitate to go. One of them said that there’s 37 million poles and only 2 million Ukrainians. They are desperate for tourism to resume in Poland. I congratulated them on their humanitarian act of accepting all of these refugees and supporting them all. I told them that many Canadians feel this way. They told me the Russia has always been there, and always will be there and a big problem. It was a really interesting exchange.

I go inside to pay my bill and my host asked me if I need more water in my pack? I tell her that I have sufficient to get the last 4 km, but she says I have this incredibly cold. Filtered water at the bar. I have been drinking it for the last hour, and it’s excellent. She fills my water bladder. I joke with her that she’s probably saved my life today, having this little oasis available just when I needed it. I received a lovely warm smile.

I walked the last 4 1/2 km up to Saint Lary feeling like my old self again. Totally replenished and restored. I didn’t even touch the water she gave me, and I plan to use it on the climb tomorrow.

I’m into my little room where I’ve washed all my clothing, had a refreshing shower and I’m now munching on some chocolate while I rehydrate. No sense carrying all of it over the pass tomorrow.😅 Besides, dinner isn’t until 7 PM tonight. I had agreed to breakfast tomorrow morning, but have just learned that it’s at 8:30. I think I’ll hang around for it if dinner is good tonight. It’s a steep climb up through the past tomorrow, but overall it’s only 17 km. Going out a little bit later might not be a bad idea. My host told me it won’t be near as hot tomorrow. I need to get over the summit and down the other side before the weather changes. There is supposed to be thunder and lightning with rain coming in tomorrow afternoon at some point.

And lastly, happy belated birthday Puck! I hope the weather in the Netherlands was sunny on your special day! AM told me that she was in contact with you, and as usual, you are following my musings and wanderings. Nice to have you along as always!🎉🎂🥰

Geoff🍻

710m 2300’