Saturday, April 27, 2013

FINISHING WEEK ONE

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." ---Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Hypothetically speaking."---Ruth Morley


Finally learning from past mistakes, I didn't allow myself to be seduced by the "siren call" of any geometric shapes other than the chosen yellow circle and green triangle. I am happy to report that my feet never strayed from the designated route today. The "locals" in the following photo can attest to this fact, at least as far as the end of their fenced-in pasture.




This was another days of fields and forests, which were much improved over the wooded labyrinth in yesterday's final adventure. You will probably be reading "fields and forests" for most of the rest of this trip.

The hills seem to be getting smaller than previous days, or I might just be getting used to carrying this backpack up and down slopes. The pack was definitely lighter today, since I was wearing 2 extra shirts, my polar fleece, raincoat and gloves, because of the 40-45F. temperatures all day. It was good to finally get some use out of these extra clothes I had been begrudgingly carrying around all week.

My start was an hour later than I wanted because of another trip to the sporting goods store to exchange yesterday's new hiking "batons" for a pair lighter and more compact when telescoped. I'm pleased with the new ones.

Houses:  I passed this cute little cabin not far from a hunters' blind in the woods. Please note my lovely new poles leaning by the door. I also had my first sighting of a house with a thatched roof.



Lunch was a sandwich made from items pilfered from my hotel's breakfast buffet. The picinic location was on the grounds of a little church just around the corner from the thatched roof house. Is it bad to eat stolen bread in a church yard? Reminds me of "Les Miserables."


In another village, a church with an interesting top to its steeple.

Although my walk was only 4 hours long today, I'm ready to veg for 2 nights here at my destination, Vianden, Luxembourg.   High on the hill overlooking the town is an imposing castle, called a "sinister ruin" by Victor Hugo, the French poet and author of "Les Miserables" (which brings my pilfered bread to mind).  I have high hopes of visiting it tomorrow...hopefully by shuttle bus.


4 comments:

  1. I think visiting a castle that Victor Hugo thought sinister seems like so much fun. Don't get too scared. Your rest days seem like so much fun.

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  2. Mary, it was a great castle, and no longer the sinister ruin that Hugo saw years ago. A 9 year restoration process accomplished amazing thing, although I wonder how accurate it really was. Do you think knights really had a karaoke bar and bowling alley?

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    1. I picture bowling balls made from human heads. I finally figured out that it takes longer for your pictures to get posted than your words. That is why I did not comment on how adorable the cows were. They are that.

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    2. Mary, I have to email my photos to Bill, who then posts them. I can't do it from my phone, for some bizarre cyberspace reason. For reasons I can't understand, he isn't constantly sitting by his computer waiting for communications from me.

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