Photo: Brecy church
September 9, 2017 Walked with Guilhem to Bourges. Much of the 32 km (142 km total) was on the road, tiring on the legs. It was a pleasant day and we passed thru the villages of Villabon, Brecy and St Solange. The last several kilometers were on an old roman road. We could see the tall Bourges cathedral from a long distance. In Bourges I found the B&B, La Paradis, located downtown in a 2nd floor apartment.
The owner, Ann Albin, greeted me and showed me the room. She and her husband had bought the sizable apartment for 240,000 euros. It was very convenient to downtown and had a view of the cathedral. She taught school to young children. She was working on a doctorate for work psychology. After talking to me for a few minutes she guessed I had been employed in a job involving mathematics.
I toured the cathedral and the old downtown area. Ann prepared a wonderful dinner of buckwheat crepe with ham, cheese and vegetable filling.
Photo: Charost
September 10, 2017 After breakfast I left Bourges. I ran into a Brazilian named Alexander as I was finding my way out of Bourges. It was a nice day for walking and good paths/roads for the 26 km (168 km total). When I arrived in Charost, there was a Sunday rummage sale taking place in the main square.
A woman in one of the booths called a city employee who managed the refuge and was in the area. He took me to the refuge which was located next to a school. He took a photo of my passport as a precaution. They were concerned about strangers being next to a school and the possibility of terrorism.
Later, Guilhem and Alexander arrived. Alexander was born in New Orleans to a Brazilian father and a Belgian mother and hence had 3 passports. He was walking to Lourdes and then Santiago. We went to the rummage sale and drank some draft beer and wine being sold in the square. I found a small knife to purchase at one of the booths, but the owner wanted nothing for it and just gave it to me.
Guilhem told me that Quentin and Aurelia had to quit the pilgrimage because of Quentin's blistered feet. Three Dutch travelers later arrived without reservations and only one bed was available. They had to walk a few more kilometers to stay at the Saugy refuge. I hardly slept at all because Alexander snored loudly all night.
Credencial stamp of gite:
Photo: Car charger in Villabon
Photo: Guilhem & Villabon fountain
Photo: Villabon cafe
Photo: Bourges cathedral
Photo: Bourges street
Photo: Charost rummage sale
Map of camino segment
Map of camino trip
