“I have found that it is the small everyday deed of ordinary folks that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien

  

With my ☕ 

The Camino will provide. Since the first day I've been walking on a blister and I knew I needed to get off my feet for it to heal up. Yesterday I walked into the perfect place for a good rest. Marco and Anne are the new owners ofGîte d'étape Labarbe. When they told me they accept volunteers I raised my hand immediately. They are both English speakers. Marco is an expat and Anne is from Belgium. Of course I highly recommend this place, they are a lovely couple. Dinner was special last night Marco is also a professional chef. 

"We build too many walls and not enough bridges." - Isaac Newton

 Over the bridge to more. More beautiful vistas, more art, more churches, more good food. More smiles from my fellow pilgrims. More kindness from the Gite host and hostess. And a shout out to that little French fella that insisted I follow him to see the painting of St Jacques. Just a little pinch to make sure I'm not dreaming.

“Unexpected intrusions of beauty. This is what life is.”― Saul Bellow, Herzog

Unexpected and amazing, Hanging Rosemary. 

Always makes me chuckle, coffee in a bowl 😄.

In the city vs the little country church.

click here for all the pics

"While walking I am but a simple gaze." Frédéric Gros

So now I'm into my third day on my fourth stage of the Chemin de St Jacque. I've done 270 miles and there are 200 more to go in France. In all those miles I had my first rain day Tuesday, 12 miles in a light drizzle. So far so good. 

You know it, with my coffee. 

 

 

and some cheese, soooo good.

"Will walk for coffee" H Moore

With my ☕. Will start tomorrow where I left off last October on the Chemin de St Jacque. 

A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life. -Thomas Jefferson

Today I walk to 16 places I found in the book Secret Paris. A self-guided tour of oddities some historic some architectural and so on. It was a Sunday so the small oddball museums were closed, one closed forever. A couple of spots ended up behind locked doors. Oh well ,it's an old book Logged over 6 miles. Here's a few examples. 

1st stop, Cathedrale Saint Alexandre Nevsky, from 1861, built with funds from the Czar himself. 

From the 1930s  artwork for a bank.

Ever wonder where the headless bodies of King Louie and Marie ended up. This is the place they were thrown into a mass grave with 900 Swiss soldiers who were guarding the palace. Chapelle expiatoire, Neoclassical chapel dedicated to King Louis XVI & Queen Marie Antoinette . Was built over the grave sites many years later. 

This secret was billed as one of the prettiest Metro stations in Paris. Had to pay 2.5 Euros to see this one, but at least the ticket took me the last mile back to my hotel.

Moore picshere

"Paris is always a good idea" -Audrey Hepburn

 

Yes it is. Made a friend yesterday, Michael the Plasterer, a Brit on his way to a Lenny Kravitz concert. We agreed to have beers in Paris. On the train to Paris he was in first and I was stuck in a fold down seat in a crowded coach. Anyway a friendly fella he mentioned he wanted to go to the Daytona 500 next year. So naturally I gave him an invite to Ocala. 

It was a beautiful day for my short walk to my hotel, about a mile. A sunny day about 60 degrees, everyone was out and about. My happy meter was running high when I got to Parc Monceau and then it went even higher. The Parisians weren't going to waste this day indoors. Enjoy the pics. 

File this under you never know what you see next. Commemorating the Battles of Narvik. Love me some history. Unfortunately it keeps repeating itself in the worst way.