Big stones cover the way
Nevertheless the way is pretty tough: it goes from 550m up to 1100m, down again to 900m (steep!) and finally up to 1060m (Paliri refuge), and when we reach Paliri by 12.00 I'm a wreck. Our water was just enough to quench our worst thirst; the only source on our way has been overcome by the advanced summer.
Although I haven't eaten much in the last 48 hours (measured against my body's consumption of energy) and I'm feeling quite exhausted I can't eat anything, not even a chocolate bar finds its way to my stomach, I just can't swallow it down.
Well, as I already said we finally manage to get to Paliri, where about 15 people are already hanging about. I drop my rucksack, get my drinking-cup and one of my bottles and fall down the way to the source (it's about 50vm downhill) where I simply lie down with my face under the water stream filling me up to the gauge line. I think I drank about three liters within ten minutes; it's surely a good thing that this refuge (like all others, as we'll see) has plenty of good drinking water.
Refuge Paliri
After waking up from my quasi-coma I discover that this refuge is well-equipped: a water closet, even a shower, and what's even more astonishing at the back of beyond, electric light (solar panels and batteries)!
I'm recovering my strength with instant tea, instant tea with milk, concentrated instant tea with milk and finally three plates of creamed asparagus soup; I literally have to accustom my stomach to food intake. All this surely sounds a bit dramatic and it definitely wasn't fun, but it wasn't dangerous, too.
Of course my digestive system is offended by this drastic treatment, and it takes vengeance upon me by giving me the runs, so I visit the john and I'm really impressed: French style (a hole in the floor), with (broken) water flush, a water tap and a red plastic bucket (just guess what it is for). The operating instructions are pinned to the door (and they're multi-lingual and with pictures!), but it's really not difficult to find them out by yourself. OK, we're in the uncharted backwaters of the world, and the WC is at least utilizable (even if it includes some gymnastic exercise).
Shortly after our arrival we have taken our seats at a table with two benches underneath a huge pine-tree. The gardien (guard) of the refuge wanders by and asks if we have seen a cow. We haven't, but there are lots of lizards that obviously stand the heat much better than we do. We pass the time with sleeping, writing (me, this), and playing skat, and towards the evening Markus and I are going to have a shower. The shower, that's some planks and a hose right next to the source, and combined with the chill water that comes out of the hose it's an original thing. And it really serves its purposes.
Right now I discover stains of rust on the inside of my stainless steel drinking cup, and I make an experiment: I pour hot water with salt in the cup and leave it for a while. After some time the water has turned brown. The only reason why I don't throw away the cup immediately is that I want to see the faces of the people in the shop where I've bought it.
While we are having dinner a young woman drops in and collects the fee for gas usage and camping (10 FF). Later that evening we're talking to a couple from Nürnberg/Bavaria (where the famous "Christkindl" market takes place) that did the tour from north to south and we're enjoying the bottle of Muscat that Thomas has brought with him in the sweat of his brow. They tell us the latest hut gossip, read: changes to the info the Velbinger gives us (and of course they have this travel guide, too). Like everyone would expect, the night that follows is short and eventless.
Refuge Paliri's surrounding