We had a beer in Bayonne waiting for the train after getting lost on the way to the station and asking a Frenchman the way who promptly invited us to be taken there in his car, which we accepted without hesitation.
We had met Joe the night before checking into our hotel with his backpack identifying him as a fellow peregrino. (Pilgrim). He too, was at the station. He had been traveling for a couple months in Amsterdam and other places in Europe just vagabonding around. We learned he is also an Appalacian trail through hiker from Memphis TN. We all made the 3pm train and on it met 3 nice young women Brigette, Erin and Karen, from Australia as well as Anna and Vicky from New Zealand, all embarking on the Camino with us.
Made St. Jean little over an hour through the wonderful Basque countryside. Making stops at tiny little French villages along the way with someone departing the train with a big baguette for dinner with just a napkin wrapped around the section she would be holding. At the end of the line we walked with Joe into this ancient town with looks on our faces just like the bright eyed pilgrims we would witness coming in while we sat in a little cafe with our glasses of French Bordeaux.
We made our way up the steep cobblestoned streets past the little shops and albergues to the pilgrims office where we got our stamp for our official starting point. We were helped to find a Gite which is a small rooming house with a cafe and restaurant attached. We would be here for two nights losing our jet lag and discovering this little French village at the base of the Pyrannes. Our neighbors in the Gite were two women from Cleveland , Joanie and Debbie who we would see continually all evening. The people we have met are all starting a day earlier so we may or may not catch up with them.
Observations.... The dogs tend to be French poodles or French bulldogs...who woulda known? There doesn't seem to be many large people here. Sitting at dinner last night eating the pilgrims meal of a delicious soup and roasted chicken with some kind of savory sauce with mushrooms and lemon pie for dessert, we listened to the Frenchman telling our new friend Debbie that his view of Americans are that they very direct and take pills for everything. Very interesting. We decided that we live in a very stressful society.
I think it will be nice to be in a place where I can finally use my limited Spanish since the only French I know is pleasethankyoudoyouspeakenglishyesnoexcusemeiloveyou. After sleeping in until noon and spending the day dreaming of our journey and enjoying St. Jean, we arise the following morning and eat breakfast at 6:30 and leave for our first stop up the Pyrannes to a Refugio called Orrisson about 6 miles in. We are taking it slow and for that I am glad for now.
Buen Camino John and Cayce!
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