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<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Sorry,
disagree entirely. Walking up to Hunnto (or any one of a dozen different
spellings) and seeing eagles soaring BELOW you is amazing.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I
arrived at the highest point in the company of a 70 year old Belgian guy and all
we could do was grin stupidly and shake hands.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Reading Ben Nimmo's book Pilgrim Snail afterwards I could identify
totally with the overweight Canadien who huffed and puffed his way to the top,
grumbling in Joual all the way but he DID it.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I'll
admit you need to take your time - the Accueil in SJPP recommend 1hr45 to get to
Hunnto and I only took 1hr20 even though I wasn't in the greatest of shape. And
to do it soon after a west to east flight across the Atlantic smacks of
innocence or masochism.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I'm
not sure why anybody should consider the choice of SJPP as perverse, I think a
lot of people like to there because the Camino is seen essentially as a
Spanish journey and there is something about crossing a frontier on foot rather
than plopping down inside the borders by air or bus or
train.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>One
thing for sure, after 3 or 4 days in the mountains you enter the noise and
bustle of Pamplona and wonder how anybody can live in a
city!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Personally I would have said O'Cebriero was worse but then I attacked
that in the pouring rain with acute tendonitis in the left leg whereas
Roncesvalles was achieved in autumnal sunshine.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=578104811-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Chacun
a son gout si tu le prefere en francais.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> E. O. Pederson
[mailto:eldorpaHOTMAIL.COM]<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoBodyText>"80 % des pèlerins passant à Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
commencent là leur pèlerinage, ce qui est une aberration, l'étape de Roncevaux
par la montagne étant la plus difficile du chemin. On en parle peu, mais le
mauvais temps y est fréquent, on peut y errer pendant des heures, voire même y
mourir."</P>
<P class=MsoBodyText>St. Jean is the worst possible place to begin<SPAN
class=191040912-23052003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2> . . .
</FONT></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>