More country walking. Not monotonous because about every five kilometres there is a village. All villages here have a “lavoir”. A bit of research shows that in 1851 there was a special subsidy given to villages to build a covered, salubrious place for laundry to be rinsed. Apparently it was usually scrubbed in a little warm water at home, but generous amounts of water were needed for rinsing. And given outbreaks of cholera, smallpox and typhus, providing clean water was a national priority. The lavoirs all still have flowing water, but they are full of algae and definitely no longer ‘clean’.
Architecture and building practices change from region to region. Shiny coloured tiles distinguish church towers now.
Still lots of hunting blinds, called ‘miradors’. I would not like to be walking through here in the fall.
The countryside is hilly, fields are smaller, and there are more hedgerows. I loved the ‘windows’ in this one!
I’m staying in a volunteer-run pilgrim hostel tonight, much like ones in Italy. I’m all by myself, which does have its advantages, but no interesting conversation! Breakfast will be provided, which is lovely because tonight’s supper exhausts my backpack’s food supplies. To give a better idea of these hostels, the photos show the room I shared with Francesca two nights ago and the kitchen space where I am tonight.
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