THE HILL

Tuesday 5-18

Next stop, Rouen, about twenty miles... but first, THE HILL. A long mile that rises over two hundred feet. I must walk the entire length, but Cookie stays on his bike and pedals all the way to the top. Bravo! A feat I would not even attempt at this point.

After THE HILL it is smooth going the rest of the way to Rouen. We arrive in mid afternoon and walk through part of the city. There are many small, cobblestone streets with bakery vendors and cafés where people are lunching. The French always sit at the cafés facing the street so they can view the passers-by. A good custom I am thinking.

We ride on through town to the campground, about another twenty minutes away. We set up and then walk down to the small village of St. Ledger to have lunch and buy some food for dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow morning. Ah... the patisserie! Suffice it to say that the French know how to make bread and pastries (and they did long before Julia Child).

There is also a butcher in the village! Every kind of meat you can imagine, and some you don't want to. But the butcher is very nice and gives us exactly what we want. He cuts me a small breakfast steak (pay attention, my sister) and we also get some spaghetti bolognaise for dinner. A small “super marché” provides us with eggs and other supplements.

We lunch at a small pizzeria and after all the activity, return to the campground for a nap. Bad idea. We are both a little out of it now. The evening becomes a bit windy and chilly. I heat the spaghetti and turn in. A good day!