After 1465 km we arrived at St.Jean-Pied-de-Port today. It is a "little" city at the border with Spain and in the pyrenees. It is big because of all the pilgrims going to Santiago de Compostella by foot or bike. Mostly by foot. It is our finish place and it was therefore very emotional to arrive here. Now sunday we take the train back to home.
Our 3 weeks of vacation are fenomanal and I want to do them over again. Being with the french is always nice and when you are on a bike they are always very happy to assist you in anyway they can. Like when a big thunder is coming your way to find you the fassest route out of the place you are and to your sleeping place.
We have slept in Gite d'etappe, chambre d'hotes, hotels (from very cheap to very expensive and sometimes in beautifull places on mountains), Youth hostal and Campings. Everyone of them had his own charme and price. The cheapest was 6 euro and the most expensive around 110 euro (which was with diner and breakfast).
Last night we slept on a mountain the Col d'osquich which we climbed and there was a little hotel runned by a family and the room had such a perfect view, see the picture I tried to take. In the night the only thing you could here was when a cow was moving his head and his bell round his neck was clinging. There were a lot of bearded vultures in the sky looking for food.
Temperatures were climbing in the three weeks from 14 celsius degrees in heavy rains to 42 full in the sun. Most days were between 25 and 35 which are not bad temperatures to bike. A lot of hills and mountains were climbed.
A lot of dines were eaten by us. I love the French Menu du Jour which is in little places in rural areas not above 12 euro's. And for us a perfect lunch. Since we came in the land of the basque it was always a four-course meal with vegetablesoup in front which was very nice. The cheese also changed while we were going down from nice camembert to now hard goatcheese. Also how many other bikers you met changed from none at a day to more than 8 per day. Some going the same way and some coming back. From all nationalities. We have made Australians which I gave the book from the trip from Amsterdam to Tours for them to use it, but also people from France, Spain, The netherlands, New Sealand and some other countries I am not sure of.
Now monday life is back to normal. Which I am sure is going to be very hard. From monday on I have to go and cook my own diner again. Well I can go and think what to cook while sitting in the train for 10 hours.
I know I am still a bit silent here, but life is getting in the way a lot. This weekend I am working on my Silvia's Bridal Sampler. Just cutting at the moment some blocks. For the rest I am not doing lots of things.
