First signs

Pons is where we saw our first sign of the pilgrims trail to Santiago de Compostelo or Compostelo de Saint Jaques as the French call it.
Unfortunately we have not yet obtained a Credential, the pilgrim's passport that is stamped as you go along, and so we were not qualified to lodge at the hostel provided in Pons. The rate, according to the tourist office, is eight euros per person per night for a gite style house that sleeps up to eight pilgrims and has kitchen and bathing provided. I think it might be a good idea to get a credential just for the luxury of the occasional stay.

Once again today we have been stopped and welcomed by strangers. A chap accosted us offering a load of plums, some nice conversation and a fill-up of water along with loads of encouragement. After we had left his place and wandered off south the kind soul chased us up in his car giving us two large scallop shells, the symbol of St John or Jaques or Iago. Jeremy has pierced his and tied it with a bootlace.

A lady asked why we were doing the pilgrimage and we said for "spiritual reasons" which seemed to satisfy her. I also forgot to mention yesterday that we had been stopped by two young and brusque gendarmes who asked us suspiciously if we were lost and what we were doing. As soon as I mentioned the St Jaques they said oh, ok... And sped off. Jeremy says he's using that in future, especially if he's travelling with a bagful of knives or weed.

In Pons there is a lovely and typically French roundabout decoration depicting five bemusedly lost pilgrims. I told jeremy to go stand amongst the life sized statues and point in a random direction. He refused hence no picture of him doing rhat.

We had a lovely argument about washing clothes in a laundromat. So much so that jeremy stormed off in a huff. I bellowed at him to grow up and come back. All dreadfully amusing and very Powell.

We are another twenty klicks further on but with walking round in Pons the feet have covered twenty five we reckon.

He beat me roundly at Gin Rummy on three hands. Buggered if i'll play poker with him!