Every day, walking feels a bit different. The first couple of days, aches and pains. Then some days of logistical worries, feeling everything has to be planned and booked days in advance. By now nothing hurts except the one set of toes that always hurts, and I’m planning and booking just one day in advance. The walking routine is established. But still, each day has its own set of feelings.
Yesterday I felt like I was really going somewhere significant like Rome. I had to repeatedly remind myself that the Cathedral in Lausanne can be considered significant and that anyway Lausanne is a lot closer than Rome.
Today everything just felt like a slog. 12 kilometres of boring forest and then field after field with the skylarks making a racket overhead.
Things are improving a bit this evening. There are two very nice English ladies walking for a week and staying in my pilgrim lodgings, and the land lady provided soup and lentil stew for supper, both of which were warming. Now, if only the heating worked, things would be perfect!
The small town last night had remnants of its medieval walls still. Here is one of its original three town gates.
Tonight’s tiny settlement (about 10 houses and some barns) has the remnants of what was a hospital and hospice for pilgrims in the 12th century. It closed during tha 100 years war and reopened with renovations after 1453 when the war was over. The outside looks ok, but you can look into what used to be the ground floor and see that structural work is sorely needed.
To end cheerfully, some bright little lawn daisies.
Those medieval fortified towns must be fascinating as we do not have evidence of such ancient villages in North America!!
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