I woke up at 6 o'clock, packed everything, and loaded my bike. Sister Bénédicte went to the bakery at 6:30 a.m., and by 7 o'clock, she was back with delicious croissants and, of course, French bread. There was homemade jam, cheese, fruit soup, and even Lotus Biscoff cookies, which they found to be the best. Some of my readers and sponsors will be pleased and proud of that. Also, plenty of fruit, especially lots of bananas. I even got three to take with me, plus half a baguette for my lunch. At the table sat a homeless person (SDF) with his breakfast; he told me that he lost his house and is looking for new accommodation. For the time being, he is a handyman for the two remaining Oblate sisters. All the rooms of the former sisters are now guest rooms, and the nuns run their B&B excellently. When I wanted to pay, they refused my money and said that the accommodation was a contribution to the Rinus Pini Fund.
After staying in religious institutions for three days, such as the Abbey of Scourmont, the Parish Center St Etienne in Châlons-en-Champagne, and here with the Oblate Sisters, I can now confirm that Christian charity certainly still exists. Nowhere did I have to pay, and everywhere my stay was seen as support for the Rinus Pini Fund.
Domaine de la Tuilerie: The B&B of the Oblate sisters in St Parres-aux-Tertres
Saint Benedict, who wrote a rule for monks in the 5th-6th century, emphasizes that "every pilgrim should be treated as if he were Jesus Christ himself." I don't pretend to be Christ, far from it, but I feel very well treated. Incidentally, the Annunciation sisters are also fervent supporters of the Rinus Pini Fund from the beginning. We also recently received a donation from the parish of Saint Francis in Kessel-Lo, where a collection was made for the fund when the children from Rinus' class at the Ark made their first communion. So we have many kind supporters who have been supporting us for 3 years, and we are incredibly grateful to them.
I've experienced true charity not only from people of the church as around noon, I was in the small village of Yrouguerre and asked a man if I could charge my bike battery. No problem, and he also brought me a large bottle of fresh water without me asking for it. He works in the 20th arrondissement in Paris in Citroën's Service après-vente and spends his vacation here in his swimming trunks under his shady awning. I didn't dare take a photo. A super kind man.
Tonnerre: St Pierre church, Notre Dame church and la Fosse de Dionne
Today involved a lot of cycling, 125 km in total, from the vicinity of Troyes through Chaource and Tonnerre to Vézelay under scorching heat. Fortunately, some sections had roads with trees offering some shade, but other sections through the expansive, just-harvested grain fields sizzled in the heat. So, I drank a lot of water and no beer. I had taken a cold Pelforth Brune with me this morning, but at noon, I discovered that my delicious brown beer had apparently exploded. Fortunately, it was in a Delhaize bag, and only my half-baguette was drenched in brown beer: not bad with some French Gruyère on it. My hat now smells like Pelforth Brune too.
Along the way, the landscape is wonderfully beautiful: forests, meadows, grain fields, and the closer to Vézelay, the more corn and sunflowers. They are harvested later when they start to fall, and then the beauty of the sunflower field disappears.
Near the small village of Bouilly, there's a section of the old Roman road that's 10 km long. My brother-in-law Eric and Magda's best friend, Monique, would take it amiss if I didn't share their love for all things Roman. They are both classicists by training. He got involved in politics and was one of J. L. Dehaene's Toshiba boys. She made a career in education as the principal of a secondary school. Such a nearly straight Roman road is a nice treat. A whole experience to cycle on a 2000-year-old road.
The Roman road. Tympanum of Pentecost. Tympanum of the South portal.
Around 4:30 p.m., I was happy and relieved to arrive in Vézelay. Since yesterday, I've had an annoying problem; my right buttock is a bit chafed despite wearing special cycling shorts. So, I stopped at a pharmacy to buy a cream that I had to apply myself, the lady said… On Magda's advice, I had also bought talcum powder. When I arrived in Vézelay, I took a shower right away. The first thing I did afterward was apply cream and talcum powder. We'll see in the morning. Then I did a little laundry and set out to visit the Basilica of Mary Magdalene, just 50 meters away.
The tympanum of Pentecost is still there, and you can spend hours looking at it to discover all the details, such as the various peoples who can be converted thanks to Jesus Christ: a sort of people with large ears.
Interieor of the basilica . Capital with Samson and the lion. Meal with the hospitaliers
The Hospitallers, the hosts who take turns doing this volunteer work for a week, are a family from Charleroi this week: mother, father, daughter, and a niece. They prepare a pilgrim's meal in which I gladly participate. A colorful group from young to old, men and women, from young people of 16 to the oldest (me, Grandpa Yves). The abbot and another father stop by briefly at the beginning. They are part of the Fraternité Monastique de Jérusalem. He blesses the meal succinctly. It becomes a cozy couscous evening, preceded by a lentil entrée (energy for the pilgrims), and the meal is concluded with a crêpe suzette with watermelon pieces. Delicious. Then we all do the dishes together and head to bed. I'm almost falling over. First, I quickly put my contribution in the donativo boxes: one for the meal and one for the lodging: a bed in a dormitory for 12, 1 shower, and toilet. Fortunately, I have my fitted sheet where I can slip in. That's enough with the warmth around me. Tomorrow morning, a quick return to the Basilica and then back on the bike to Autun, 90 km away.
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