Aquitaine and the Camino del Norte: Day 7

Bonjour on Day 7!

I just walked 11kms from my Hotel in Biscarosse-Plage to the town of Biscarosse.

It was supposed to be a nice forested trail but it's designed to be a bike route and added way too many kms to my day. So I opted for a more direct route and walked roadside.

There was a large shoulder and I walked against traffic and felt safe. There was a bit of a climb on a few occasions but I powered through. I have decided that I either have to throw out my snacks and risk starvation in France OR send some gear home OR buy a small day pack and pay for a service to transport my gear each day. I am confident I can walk endlessly without this weight but with it I am an injury waiting to happen. The playlist I had kept me grooving and singing but when even that started to fail I got a boost from a driver. A guy in an RV and his family slowed down and cheered me on by fist pumping and flexing... I assumed it was an international sign for strength hahaha. I gave back a big smile and a peace sign and it motivated me to the end of the road. I saw some French wildlife... even they looked at me judging 🤣

As I approached town, the first thing that greeted me was of all things, the golden arches. I was aching for my first coffee of the day and I knew they would have wifi. As usual I had to show my record of vaccination. No biggie, I'm used to that but the pimple faced, pubescent kid at the door said (in French of course) that he would have to get the manager and I would have to wait outside. I don't have an EU health pass but I do have paper receipts and that has been sufficient since I arrived at every establishment. So I wait until the Manager, middle aged, French Karen comes out and reads my papers.... slowly. And she says, hhhmmm I don't know.... I said "Look Karen, I just want a coffee. I've been vaccinated, I have a mask and the place in EMPTY." I also added that I had been in France for a week already, 3 airports and restaurants daily and no one had an issue. Pas de probleme. I was about to give her my middle finger (in french) but she caved and let me in. I didn't linger after the place served its purpose.

A few more kms and now I'm waiting for a bus, then a train, then a bus, then a shit tonne of wine at the beach.

Tomorrow is a day off and then I offload some gear and start getting at least 20+kms in.

~ several hours later ~

I just sat on an empty patio for about 3 hours in a sleepy French town. The train arrived here around 230 and my next bus is at 530...so I walked over to the first Restaurant. The server looked at me like I was from another planet and said Non! Very firmly. She rambled on some other nonsense too but I said Je suis desole. Je ne parle pas francais. She then went off with her "not my problem" rant so I left. The next place, again, nobody there... I popped my head in and said "Bonjour" ready to show my 'health pass' and in the corner was a large, sweaty, disappointed with life, French woman sitting on a bar stool looking like she hated the world. So I asked "je voudrais une verre du vin rouge et une omelette sil vous plait" with a smile and she came back with "NON!" and somehow managed to tell me her kitchen was closed. So I asked for just the wine and she nodded and motioned me outside. The wine came promptly, thankfully, and when she asked me to pay so they could close I asked for another glass. For 2 glasses it cost me 3€.

I paid and then sat there having a liquid lunch with wifi. I called my coworkers, and a couple friends and caught up on my messages. Normally I would feel the pressure of precious time slipping away but today I enjoyed every second of it. Thank you to those of you who entertained me and gave me the encouragement I needed to carry on. There will be a video soon lol...of my French twirlie moustache just for you Taya 🤣 but for now

I'm on the bus now.... it will take an hour to get to Mimizan Plage. Hopefully there I will find something I can eat ... and also some more wine!! 🍷😁

~ a couple hours later ~

I was successful in finding food which baffles me. I'm in a seaside resort town so the choices are fast beach food like burgers and pizza, fried foods and ice cream OR fancy schmancy seafood and fish dishes for 60€ a plate. Magically, after wandering around town, a rotisserie chicken place appeared, no line, pas de probleme, sans gluten 😁 Yay food I can eat!

My hotel is lovely. 3rd floor with a view over the pedestrian street. It's a 2 bedroom. One for me, one for my imaginary boyfriend.

I am finally on the beach. I have seen many this week but finally my toes are touching sand and I can smell the sea in the air. The sand is cool and soft and the beach is wide and goes on forever in both directions. The sun is setting and I'm sitting on the rocks hopefully to capture the picture of the day.