2017-10-03 Arzacq-Arraziguet - Artez-de-Béan (32/691 km)

Memories in a tree

Today's theme - memories and rest. Sometimes the chemin, the way, is there to remind you if and why you are here. You are walking the Via Podiensis as a pilgrim towards the remote "Santiago de Compostella" or as the French say "Chemin de Compostelle". You see reminders of that everywhere, like the things in the tree for example or the resting ground where I had lunch. Not to forget all the chapels, churches, cathedrals and crucifixes around the road. 
















The pilgrim shell is everywhere. On markings, on back-packs, on doors, on way-marks, In short you'll find it all over. It is difficult to see through, but people are visiting churches and chapels as they go along. May be to see the interior, maybe to pray, maybe to attend a mass. The motives are are so individual. And not only Christian as you would suspect. You find quotes from many religions and spiritual circumstances. Many atheists walk also. In sort the Camino is a way for everyone, regardless of religion or motive. That's makes it so fascinating.  

Thoughts a a resting place

Today was like the days before with drizzle and mist in the morning and rain showers after lunch. 

Was a a bit difficult to find the way out of Arzacq in the morning, but I found it eventually. The landscape was like yesterday. I was trying to get lunch in Larreule but failed again. The had only a vending machine. But this time I was prepared so I had what I needed in my back-pack. It was like that in the other villages on the way, nothing to eat unless you went to a gite to stay. Eventually I ended up in Athes-de-Béarn and got a place at the gite here. I was alone for the first hours, then a  young french couple that I had met two days ago, arrived. 



The local restaurant proved to be closed, besides Mondays, also at Tuesdays so I had to buy a pizza at the square and a small bottle of wine in a shop. That was fully OK. The french couple cooked their own food. They are on a small budget and also carries a tent that they use some nights. Young french people learn English at school. Good to hear, since french people my age or a bit younger don't speak English. 

Este día pensaba sobre nuestros motivos, de porque caminar. Algunos de motivos religiosos, cristianos, pero también otras religiones. Y creo la mayoridad sin motives expresadas. Pero este camino es aquí y ahora. Y en algunos sitios tenemos puntos para reflexionar. Además, este día estuve lleno con tiendas y restaurantes cerrados.