Sequin to Sackcloth Tour – Week 7!

640 miles from Canterbury, next stop Switzerland, 2.8 km, Last night in France!

No one likes to admit they were wrong, including me, well, the father daughter are not in the witness protection program. However, that was definitely the better story! She, the daughter, was studying in France, he is a lawyer from Minneapolis. They opened up to a guest house owner and he shared their story. I still think there is something shady to uncover.

This last week has brought about new vocabulary: “elevation gain” and “comfy hotels.” On the hotel front, I am talking 3 and 4 stars. While we aren’t at the ferns and fountains in the lobby level, a couple had elevators. As a result of these upgrades, I was able to resume my small soap collection, with 108 hotel (term used loosely) reservations, these little gems were to be my souvenirs of our journey. However not all our accommodations offer such luxuries, so I had to suspend this hobby temporarily. I bought one souvenir: a collapsible measuring stick made by the prisoners in Clairvaux.

“Elevation gain” has become an important part of our discussions as we plan for what lies ahead of each day. I guess I wasn’t focusing on the words mountains and alps, just on the walking part, and have been quite shocked by the walks at an angle. I have been using a strategy – watch Edwards feet as he climbs and do the same. It goes from ballet to some weird gymnastics, he is a machine, moving rhythmically, and gracefully and voila, we get to the top! Then coming down is an entirely separate choreography, not pretty!!

A highlight of the week was the town of Basancon, the birthplace of Victor Hugo. His quote “He who opens a school door, closes a prison” remains powerful and true. 

It was a double day and, as you now know, it means clean laundry and a full bottle of wine. We had a lovely lunch in the town square.

Our waiter, Adrian, shared that he had worked internationally and was very interested in sharing his knowledge of the town. For example, were we aware that the town was spared bombing during WW2 as a result of a love affair between a Nazi general and a Basancon beauty.  When he learned that our next town was Onans, he became particularly animated. In addition to being his birthplace, it is the birthplace of Gustavo Courbet, the 19th Century French Painter who he greatly admires. Here is a sample of our conversation:

Adrian: “ You of course know Onans is the birthplace of the famous painter Gustav Courbet?”

Me: pausing….hmm  hmm “Onans really?”

Adrian: Worry and urgency in his voice “you do know?”

Me: Thinking, that name sounds crazy familiar…”Yes”

Adrian: Unconvinced “ You know the very famous painting of the naked woman with her legs very far apart. The title “Origin of the World.”

Me: confused but intrigued….“oh yes of course!” Longer pause….awkward fumbling of the menu.

Adrian looking for more convincing confirmation…

Me: wanting to move along “I’ll take the fish of the day.”

Another conversation later in the evening with Edward.

Paula: Edward, what made us think we could do this?”

Edward: “Well, you said you wanted to do this, and I said are you sure, and you said yes. And I said ok we will do it.”

Paula: “ Oh right.”