Typical dove cote
Leon’s shelter. Something for Animal Cops
Tosca and Leon together in their shelter
The famous advertising for Osborn, along the Spanish road
Again such an old bridge from the middle ages
House of mud blocks with old charts. Back to basics!
Elderly youngsters. Stork nests on the church towers
There you walk. Stress? The walking itself not really at all. As long as the animals go smoothly, it is nice. I hardly meet anyone. The villages look inhabited in the winter: often shutters closed. Does someone live here? Me lonely? Yes, but that does not bother me, also because of the company and the care for the animals. What is the purpose of this trip? Back to basics? Doing something original? I am too old for a peak performance . Endurance is still possible. Mama Alice? I also know that once this trip is finished, some people might show interest, but you should not tell them than 5 minutes about my experiences . Then you become boring. So why doing this? I am Who am (Descartes) is for me: I am, who is walking. A thinker, who else ?, once said: je pense, donc je suis (I think, so I am). For me: I walk, so I am. I certainly think that’s just as strong as a statement! An old lady, from Rijksweg in Wahlwiller, once said to me: we walked once a week with the (dog) cart to the market in Aachen (beginning 20th century). 15 km? Just like a river flowing is a metaphor for the course of life, thus is the same for my trek.
But now the story of today.
Nice weather, this afternoon even with sleeves rolled up in the sun.
Changing landscape, often something like our South-Limburg, only of course less beautiful ?! But first the morning. At exactly 8 o’clock the owner of the courtyard where the animals were / were tied, was present, to open the gate. She was a little younger than me, I guess, with 3 still visible teeth and not a word to exchange. I liberated my sweethearts very early. See pictures. Tosca had been tied up for 16 hours. How did he handle pis pis and cas cas? Leon got bread and concentrates. To my surprise Tosca was not hungry. During the day Tosca was active like always and Leon pulled and dashed aside less than usual. Are those animals made of iron? The dog is like the boss. I allowed Leon some more grazing during the day and he seemed to enjoy that. leon’s hair is disappearing under the straps of the pack saddle, so I removed the chest strap and the pelvic belts. After all, a 70 kg horserider also only uses one belly belt. That went well too. The pack saddle stayed in place.
Fitness in the center of the village
A dog on fitness
When I arrive at the inn I call the phone number that is on the door. Soon after, a lady arrives to open the door. There is indeed hot water, loundry powder and a centrifuge and an electric heating. O.k. Then quickly doing the laundry. Leon and Tosca waited outside until I had finished setling. A passer-by beckoned me: walk with me. I have a fenced pasture for your horse, with a fence that can be locked. Someone else had already offered the local soccer field for Leon, with nice and tall grass, but that was not closed by the manager of the albergue. Tomorrow morning 9 am. he said. Too late, I said. Good, 8.30. Bale (o.k.). And the farrier? There is no one in the entire environment. Today I did not notice that Leon suffered from the lack of iron at his forehand. In case he suffers, I still have the hoof shoes with me. Nice is that I now know what raduro? is. Which Spanish teacher knows that? I do, namely farrier. Reminds me of that toddler
one person may love old cars, the other one loves old buildings, old tools, old bridges, old ferry axes, old people
of one year old, living opposite of earthmoving company Mertens in Mechelen (Nl), whose first word in addition to the words mum and dad, was “maishakselaar” ( corn cutter). And one of our children, when one year old had learnt from his mother Sonja the word berenklauw (Bear’s claw, plant). But hope that raduro does not mean horse butcher.
By the way I’m sorry that always the same unlucky head is on the selfie, but Tosca and Leon have not yet been able to learn to take a picture. After all, there must be proof that I am walking this tour myself, instead of spending a year in a hotel at the Spanish South coast and inventing a blog with all kinds of pictures stolen from internet .
It is now 9.45 pm. I sit here at the bar to eat my supper, 3 raciones tapas with a lager, with the new money I pinned with Leon. Mmmmm. I just booked the albergue for tomorrow. Mi problema esta mi caballo. At the telephone: “?Caballo si … ..? And further: ….”No problema? So, I repeat, caballo no problema? Well, then it will be fine. I even äm in a better mood. Oladeladio! When calling an albergue I do not talk about Tosca anymore. Then they are going to make objections. Well she is also satisfied on the mat in the front porch of the inn, with a nice full tommy, asleep.
