Because I only got breakfast at 8.30, the hostess first tried to pin me at 9 am, I could leave only late. My colleagues from work would arrive in Durbuy 18.6 km. from here, around 11. Covering that distance in two hours is too much for me. Maybe I could do it in 2.5 hours, without a horse. I walked across busy roads, unpleasant but faster than the indicated dirt roads. At 12.30 I arrived in Durbuy. The gathered crowd of ladies of my office, with leader Thomas, was having lunch. After 21 kisses and one handshake my cold cheeks were reheated. Bacon and egg tasted well. Weeks ago I was supposed to arrive today in Haybes in N France, so the hotel there was booked. Meanwhile, I was already 80 km or so more north in Belgium, on my way back home, so after lunch we had to drive 80 km by car from Durbuy with the ladies plus Thomas back South to Haybes in France. Again we rejoiced the hotel with boss Delphine with our presence. Delphine must have thought: first he comes with a group of handsome sportsmen and now with a group of beautiful, intelligent girls, so called wise wives. Introducing a cultural element in the office outing we wanted to visit the exhibition on the complete destruction and rebuilding of Haybes during the First World War, la grande guerre. The exhibition space, the church, was closed. So we had to be cultural ourselves: aperitif, dinner, interspersed with practical information, jokes and other exciting stories.
Meanwhile, I had to arrange accommodation for tomorrow, preparing the route etc. During the drive from Durbuy to Haybes and indeed yesterday while walking, I saw that around here it also often is difficult to walk on the small roads, because of guardrails, no sidewalk, much traffic, including trucks. Alternatively I can choose then forest trails, but those are not on the maps. There are no cheap pilgrim shelters. Behaving like real Eves the ladies advised me, pseudo-Adam, about what is wise and what is not. So what is finally decided? Tomorrow I’ll drive from our hotel in Haybes in the North of France home with the ladies. I will NOT be dropped in Durbuy, as intended, but home in Vijlen, along with horse and dog. That’s good, because Sonja’s birthday is celebrated tomorrow. Tomorrow from Vijlen I will be driven back again to Durbuy, where I will continue walking towards Vijlen with dog Tosca and without horse Leon. Tomorrow I get picked up in Sprimont or wherever I will arrive and I will driven home to Vijlen again. etc. until I have walked the entire distance to Vijlen.
That decision relaxed me so much that I finally could surrender completely and could start misbehaving. Of course we have still behaved, because we don’t know how to do otherwise. The room layout went smoothly. Dinner was plentiful for me, thanks to the many leftovers that were dumped on my plate. That’s fine about dining with ladies .. and being a pilgrim eating plenti is important. And thus another beautiful day came to an end.
Tomb Cages ” 
Entrance Durbuy
