Jour 10 - Larceveau

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” 

Psalm 91:11

Never a dull moment. Yesterday evening after arriving in Saint-Palais and dropping off my backpack at my gite I walked into the town for a beer. After checking out several possible eating arrangements I ran into an automat pizza machine. I was chuckling over it when a French couple came up and joined me. I couldn't resist and decided to try it out. I selected my pizza ("basque" since I was in the Basque country), put in my money, and 3 minutes later it popped out of the slot, piping hot and in a box! The amazing thing was that it wasn't half bad!

And out it comes!

If that weren't enough, this morning when I showed up for breakfast there was a group of people eating with me who do historical reenactments. They were there for the weekend of Jours du Patrimoine reenacting some Napoleanic battle!

 

The rest of my day was normal enough.  I had  a lovely walk without rain. It was mostly overcast, windy, and some serious mud in the wooded areas and those without drainage. The steep stoney climb to the Chapelle de Soyartz was awarded amply with a fantastic panoramic view.

the steep climb

Chapelle de Soyartz

Preceding that had been a recently installed sculpture entitled "le reflet de ciel" by Christian Lapie (2013), which was quite dramatic. Along the way was also the hamlet of Harambeltz with it's 1000 year-old chapel. I passed through Ostabat, a village with deep roots into pilgrimage history, once boasting a pilgrim population of some 5000 each night.

"le reflet de ciel" by Christian Lapie

Before had been the Stèle de Gibraltar where 3 of the French routes to Santiago come together. 

 

the chapel at Harambeltz

 

a muddy path into Ostabat

lunch at Ostabat--I ate with a guy from Lyon

And then finally Larceveau where I would spend the night at the Hotel Espellet, which would save me a few extra kilometers the next day.

dinner at the Hotel Espellet