We walked two big days with the two metre Dutchman because the next day, today, we cross Lake Geneva in a very crowded boat. It was strange to not be walking and it felt like a day off until we got to our morning destination – Vevey.
The young girl in the tourist office had little knowledge of the Camino until we arrived. Now she knows that the ViaJakobsweg that we’ve been on until today, joins the ViaFrancigena at Vevey. This is the Camino we walked last year. She also now knows that the ViaFrancigena starts in Canterbury in England, travels via France past where we are now and then ends in Rome.
So now we have turned left – meaning the Alps are in front of us, not beside us – and they will now get closer every day until we cross them very soon. This will take us through the Grand St Bernhard Pass which it s usually closed to walkers until mid June because of the snow and ice, but the sun has been hot recently. And then into Italy and the Aosta valley, just north of where we started to walk last year.
Our walk today mostly followed Lake Geneva around its eastern end. Large grey rocks were the sun baking chairs, while gravel stones were the sands of the shore. While a few people swam, a couple of people were in small boats, many others picnicked on beautiful grassy areas and there was a beach ball court. In the background stood the Alps so it was a special treat for Philip who had not so far seen mountains close up. Tomorrow we will get even closer up, and he will finally be able to authenticate his Swiss walk for his lovely daughters with mountain photos and their names.
I am writing this in a one street village with a huge forested hill at each end – quite a picture.
