We woke in the peaceful beauty of the Spanish countryside. We could almost smell the sea. It was close. Two more days and then an additional day if we feel like it. But that would be an extra one. Not on our itinerary. Honest.
We are close to the end. Martin is actually counting down. Every day a different picture. Fingers disappearing slowly, one by one. But the country that we are, still, walking through is beautiful. Martin's favourite. We have seen so many different types of countryside. Now its getting Mediterranean dry.
We walk into Macanet de Cabrenys, it's early. We look around and look for a shop to replenish our stocks for the day. Tonight we're in a big town so we only need to carry what we need to day. The supermarket is closed so we sit and wait.
More and more cork oak. They are hard not to look at. Bare bottomed trees. We've decided the purple is the natural colour of the new bark. But we stand to be corrected.
We walk up - we expect a 400m climb so we are happy. The signs are there - red and white. So we are happy.
We walk up and up. And up. Eventually, Martin remarks that this is a long 400m. And when we all thought about it he was right. But we were following the marks. So we walked on. Eventually, we reached a spring, again expected and then we found the restaurant.
But not the one we were expecting. We, then and only then, checked the maps and GPS.
We were in France, just, but in France. Not something we had expected.
We had been walking on the GR10, the French version of the GR11. The same concept, but mainly, but not only it seems, in France. Idiots. We are idiots.
Even worse, we have laughed with and at people who have done the same. But now its their turn. We ask for directions and are given detailed directions by a man who tries to speak Spanish but keeps dropping into Catalan. Even I can hear his efforts. But his directions were spot on.
We finally came across a bit of cork, if you can call it that. It at least gave us a better understanding of what it was all about. It was a small bit, but we still didn't see how it would fit in a bottle.
We tramp our way back down and back to the track. Then just to add insult to injury it starts to rain. Luckily only for a couple of minutes. But punishment from above; for our laughing at others.
We get back to our route at La Vajol and carried on to La Jonquera.
It was dry and dusty - but we had expected more of this type of countryside so we have been lucky. It seems that we will only have a couple of days of it. And it's not actually that bad.
The motorway on the edge of La Jonquera goes to France. Making La Jonquera an important border town. We should have known then.
We have slept in, walked though or over some of the most beautiful towns and villages in Spain.
But La Jonquera is awful - a terrible place - certainly not one we will go back to. We found a place to stay - but found Mr. Gruber walking around - too scared to go into one of these places. We didn't blame him. We had the benefit of numbers.
He joined us. And lived.
It probably isn't that bad - but then again...
 |
| Forested hills - no more mountains |
 |
| 3 more days |
We walk into Macanet de Cabrenys, it's early. We look around and look for a shop to replenish our stocks for the day. Tonight we're in a big town so we only need to carry what we need to day. The supermarket is closed so we sit and wait.
The owner sees us and waves us in. He's there so the shop is open, regardless of the time.
We eat breakfast outside in the car park and set off following the red and white marks. The path takes us through the outskirts of town, past homes and gardens. The gardens are full of produce. Green and verdant. Most we recognised but not all. If you know - let us know
 |
| What is this? |
 |
| More cork oak |
We walk up - we expect a 400m climb so we are happy. The signs are there - red and white. So we are happy.
We walk up and up. And up. Eventually, Martin remarks that this is a long 400m. And when we all thought about it he was right. But we were following the marks. So we walked on. Eventually, we reached a spring, again expected and then we found the restaurant.
But not the one we were expecting. We, then and only then, checked the maps and GPS.
 |
| The red and white marks |
We were in France, just, but in France. Not something we had expected.
We had been walking on the GR10, the French version of the GR11. The same concept, but mainly, but not only it seems, in France. Idiots. We are idiots.
Even worse, we have laughed with and at people who have done the same. But now its their turn. We ask for directions and are given detailed directions by a man who tries to speak Spanish but keeps dropping into Catalan. Even I can hear his efforts. But his directions were spot on.
 |
| Cork oak - forest |
 |
| Where's the wine |
We tramp our way back down and back to the track. Then just to add insult to injury it starts to rain. Luckily only for a couple of minutes. But punishment from above; for our laughing at others.
We get back to our route at La Vajol and carried on to La Jonquera.
It was dry and dusty - but we had expected more of this type of countryside so we have been lucky. It seems that we will only have a couple of days of it. And it's not actually that bad.
 |
| The motorway |
The motorway on the edge of La Jonquera goes to France. Making La Jonquera an important border town. We should have known then.
We have slept in, walked though or over some of the most beautiful towns and villages in Spain.
But La Jonquera is awful - a terrible place - certainly not one we will go back to. We found a place to stay - but found Mr. Gruber walking around - too scared to go into one of these places. We didn't blame him. We had the benefit of numbers.
He joined us. And lived.
It probably isn't that bad - but then again...
No comments:
Post a Comment