Monistrol D’allier looks like a town picked up from the mountains of Colorado and plopped in the French countryside. The town is situated on a large river, from which the area draws hydroelectric power. Our gîte for the night was across the river from the power station.
After dropping our bags in our lodging, we walked down to the river and stuck our aching feet in the freezing water.
As we walk, we periodically see little lizards that remind me so much of the anole lizards back home. It reminds me that there are some experiences that are shared across oceans, like cute little reptiles.
Today we washed our very sweaty clothes by filling a gallon ziplock with washing soap and water, agitating the slurry, and repeating the process with fresh water.
We also met some English speakers along the trail and at the Gîte. On the way to Monistrol d’allier, we encountered four Canadians who clearly were more used to hiking through mountains that us, as they passed us quickly while walking through a forested area.
At our gîte for the night, we also met two people from New Zealand, an older couple who had also lost their luggage in Heathrow. They, however, had time to recover it as they were visiting one of their sons in London for a few days.
Dinner was delicious again, but for the ambiguous aspic that was served atop the salad course but that abomination of gelatin was redeemed by delicious ribs and a pasta casserole.
Staying in our room was two French women and a Polish woman named Agatha. Agatha spoke more English than she did French, although she kept up well with our majority French gîte-mates. This is her sixth Camino and she shared stories of how her first pilgrimage made her addicted. I think I understand what she is taking about. Although I am incredibly tired every day and my joints and muscles scream for rest, I find myself pulled into the landscape. It is so green here and unsullied by human industry. The closest thing to a factory we have seen are the countless cow farms with huge, lazing bovines grazing in the most incredible hillside fields.