continued as promised.......

First let me give you a run down.  You talk about the great unwashed well it's me.  No correction, my body's clean.  I am wearing a block U utes shirt that hasent been washed for at least 10 days.  My socks have only been rung out in the sink.  My walking shorts have never been washed......what nickers........I have on brown sandles and a dirty ball cap that stinks of sweat.  I know I tried to put it over my eyes on the bus but couldn't stand the smell.

I have brown stripes on my calves where the sun has been baking me.  I have not shaved for a week and the hair on my head has been allowed to grow since  I have left home. In fact I am trying to remember what side I use to part it on.  The only thing that would top me off is instead of having one of those flight pillows around my neck would be to have a toilet seat.

I think you got the picture.

Ok this is true, true, true......picture the above with the addition of having toilet paper stick to my shoe in the air port.

So ok here we go........so remember I am thinking that I can just get to the bus and no problem.  And you remember that the trains out of here were booked three days forward.   ( some mother just pulled her kid back from starring at me)   So any way I find a hotel that is just two blocks from the big cathedral that I showed you.  I have nothing to do but walk around.......and this place is as big as the Vatican.......and take pictures.  I am over there so much that they want me join up.  There  are people busking on the street.   Singing, Indian dancing, three piece band...stuff like that.  I am watching these people all day every day that I am marooned here.  They are thinking that I am a talent scout...?hell why else would I watch them for three days.

I bought my ticket on Sunday, I can't leave until Tuesday, I have watched on t.v. and in Spanish. "Lady hog catchers, nude survival.......I'm dead serious......locker bidders, car restorers ( my favorite) okey mud cat noodlers, the list goes on.  So finially I can't stand it any longer and I go to the bus station that is just a block away 90 min early just for a change of pace.

I am watching the marquee for my bus and it's not showing up.  What is showing up is three different departures that say France. And I am wondering if any of the three might be my bus.  If I miss my bus now I will cut my wrist.  I am trying to ask the ticket lady why my bus is not on the marquee and a real nice young lady comes to me, who can speak English, French,  Spanish.......as soon as I get home I am taking a corespondent corse..........and she says let me speak for you.  So we find out my bus will either be late by 15 min or 30 min and will be on either 1,2, or 3 platform.  Just watch for me she says I am going to Paris as well, I won't let them leave you.

While we are waiting another victim of the camino comes limping out to where we are she has a scarf wrapped around her knee and can hardly walk.  I took another ace bandage out of my pack and asked my new friend to ask her if she wanted my help.  Tell her not to be afraid I said my wife is a doctor......I couldn't resist......she got on a different bus then us but was very grateful.

I had a 12 hour bus ride to Paris......remember I took the 180 mile an hour bullet train three weeks ago and covered the same distance in about three hours.

To be continued........