What a difference a good dinner and a night's sleep in a sympathetic environment can make.... again from my original blog post, written on May 4th:
"Rest Day in Le Puy
What a difference a day makes! The warm welcome here by the Amis has
been lovely- they really take a personal interest in each pilgrim who
rolls in through the door.
And I kept meeting kind, helpful people all morning. There was the
Tourist Office lady who made a booking for me when I couldn't understand
an answerphone. There was the lady in the Post Office who helped me
organize a parcel and some postcard stamps, and who offered me their
credential stamp- a lovely one of Le Puy.
In the Cathedral I said prayers for some people. I went in there
early, after the pilgrim blessing had finished, and it was lovely and
quiet.
I climbed the Rocher of St Michel again. It seemed harder than last
time! The sunshine today made it seem more beautiful and less
foreboding than last time but it remains such an impressive chapel
built on that pinnacle of volcanic rock.
I was a bit late for the French lunch time but passed the beautiful
looking Hotel Dieu place, Usually I would assume a place like that was
too expensive, but they had a menu for 14euro and the food was
delicious.
Next I wandered down to a nearby square and found my friends had
arrived, looking suitably exhausted. I didn't feel so bad about my state
yesterday then! I joined them in a cafe, and as we headed up the hill
to the Cathedral they made a very obvious group for all the tourists to
gawp at. And I was the fraudulent one behind them with a daypack on!
So I am well rested and start my re-walk of part of the Le Puy route
tomorrow. The wind is getting up so I wonder what that will bring, as
Montbonnet lies at some 1300m. Last time I was there it snowed!
Sent from my iPod"
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