Right, here's the next - long overdue - update. I've been quite engaged with other projects so I haven't been able to walk at all during the autumn and winter, and the events below took place at the end of August 2015. Did I ever mention that I'm also a lazy writer?
Anyway, I found myself in a train heading for Monnerville, this time accompanied by a colleague who just enjoys a little outdoors activity every now and then. We agreed that he would walk with me until afternoon and then head back towards the train track. As what came to my plan, a few days before taking off I had contacted the local diocese, again asking for a shelter for the night, and I had received a message from a priest welcoming me to spend the night in Bazochez-les-Gallerandes.
We took off from Paris after a rainy night and the day started with a promising sunshine, a bit chilly, but then again we were sure that walking would keep us warm enough. That it surely did, especially since the roads taking us through the huge fields were so muddy from the rain we both sank up to our ankles with every step. And the French mud is so unbelievably sticky! Our shoes turned to shapeless, muddy blobs weighing a ton each.
We decided to have a short crisis meeting and by unanimous decision we started heading for the bigger roads even though the original plan was to avoid them as much as possible.
After reaching pavement we made good progress (chunks of a mud falling from our shoes made them feel sooooo light) and before you know it we foud ourselves at the outskirts of Outarville. There we set up camp and I prepared some lunch for us before we took off again going our separate ways. When changing the muddy socks for clean ones I also noticed that my shoes had chafed my feet pretty well, and since this seemed to be the case every time I wore them I decided to dump them at the first opportunity. Luckily I had another pair of shoes in my pack so I was able to change shoes immediately.
It was only a few more km's to go so I took it easy and walked on slowly, taking in the views of the vast empty plains.
The welcome at Bazoches was absolutely wonderful. I was immediately offered something to drink and something to nibble at by the good father and his Japanese housekeeper who had also prepared a room for me upstairs. Funny enough, the only common language for us three turned out to be German. Go figure!
After a well needed shower I returned downstairs only to realise they had both left. Instead, there were three gendarmes enjoying a coffee at the table, looking at me with the same stunned look I must have had on my face. After the initial surprise passed they told me that they have a habit of dropping in every now and again, the door is apparently never locked and also the guy with most stripes on his shoulders was a close personal friend with the priest.
Just when I was getting used to my new company, the housekeeper rushed in and started ushering me towards the church next door, clearly as a matter of urgency. It seems not many pilgrims stop at Bazoches, and so the priest got this idea of involving me in the baptismal ceremony for four local children. Another surprise, but a very nice one, creating a wonderful memory for me to cherish for the rest of my days.
Funny enough, right after the ceremony was over we three jumped into his old Ford Transit and drove off to Spuis where he was going to be the celebrant for the vigil mass. I guess it goes without saying who sat on the floor in the back of the van, only two seats being in the front. After the mass I found myself mingling among the locals for what seemed forever, pushing my very limited French to the maximum and beyond.
After the reasonably hectic afternoon I was offered a delicious meal and a beautiful recitation of vespers after which I was really ready to fall in bed.
Early in the morning I hit the road again, now heading for Orléans. A beautiful sunny morning soon turned into a scorching hot afternoon with no shade in sight until a forest just few km before Orléans. When I finally reached the suburbs I found a McDonalds - a place which is always airconditioned. I enjoyed heavenly cold ice tea in quantities which clearly amused the staff and just cooled off for a while before taking on the last stint.
Soon enough I reached the Cathedral of Orléans, which by the way is definitely well worth a visit, and spent another while there just enjoying the peaceful atmosphere before heading to the train back to Paris.
To be continued...
