Saint Jean Pied Le Port at last! May 13

Branka and Linnea enter the Saint Jacques gate in Saint Jean Pied-le-Port

I have arrived in Saint Jean Pied Le Port, the final stop before climbing over the Pyrenees on Friday and Saturday.  It is quite cold and has been raining, but it is very exciting to be here.  I met new pelerins at the Saint Jacques gate to the village. Their clothes and especially their boots are spotless and they look full of energy. The mud will probably never come completely out of my boots.  It is cold and we had rain this morning.  It is a French holiday (again!) Ascension Day, so although the tourist office is open the bookshop connected to it is closed and the post office is closed, too, so Steven and Lisa cannot get their mail until tomorrow after 9 a.m., too late to cross the pass.  I have confirmed my reservation at Orisson, 10 km up, and we have managed to get a reservation for Steven and Lisa in a tent at Orisson for tomorrow night.  Tonight we will meet with Pierre and the Suisse for a celebratory dinner.  Even though it is cold and rainy apparently there is little snow in the high pass on the Route Napoleon. so I should be able to make my dream come true.