Day 2 Monistrol d'Allier and also lostThis is the second day of our pilgrimage, if you were to ask us what motivated Enda and I to undertake this journey across France on the Chemins Saint Jacques the answers would be numerous and over the course of the next 30 something days some of our reasons will become apparent.
But today we would say that this Camino is one of thanksgiving for the benefits and blessings we received from completing last year’s Camino Frances. Like so many others we found it a truly life changing experience, one that enabled us to stand back from our ordinary lives and see them in a truer perspective. We believe we are spiritually much richer from our journey. We include a photograph of our lighting a candle as a symbol of thanksgiving in the Cathedral in Le Puy before starting yesterday morning. The candle, not only for ourselves but for the twins Hannah and Ellie who struggled so valiantly through their first year of life and are only now both home from hospital. So many of you have followed their progress since last year (See GOOD NEWS under useful links). After leaving Montbonnet this morning we walked several kilometres through the most beautiful of forests, carefully following the red and white stripes on trees and rocks that define the grand walking tracks of France. The Camino follows the GR65. After several hours we arrived at a destination to find it was not our intended lunch spot, but was about 12 km off the GR65. What had gone wrong? All GR routes have the same markers and at some point we had intersected with the GR40 and followed the wrong GR route. There were no physical indications in the forest to give any hint we were on the wrong path. We ordered coffee in the village shop and that is when the owner informed us we were lost! It seems this happens frequently and the lovely lady found Phillipe a farmer (pictured) who was in the village and asked him to drive us to our correct lunch stop. Phillipe and his dog obliged us and would only accept cups of coffee at either end of the drive. Back on track we descended 7 km down the roughest track we have ever experienced to Monistrol de Allier, exhausted. But very happy and delighted with the beauty, both physical and human that surrounds us.
2 Comments
Schaefer, Angelika
30/3/2017 11:21:42 pm
I`m with you with my thoughts and my love!!
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Beverley
3/4/2017 01:59:12 pm
Oh My Goodness!!! That's a lot of extra walking. But what treasures you found in the locals to put you back on the right path :) I remember a similar angel in the Blue Mountains (Enda) that I was very grateful to receive a lift from. Glad that someone is returning my favour for me xxx Loving your blog and look forward to reading more. Much love to you bothxxx
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