Day 20, April 26
15 miles, 233 miles total
Altitude: 400 feet
Weather: partly cloudy & damp; light rain 34-60F
Cahors
Au Revoir Joanna
Kenny, it’s yours! Thanks for all the training I did at your Virginia pool.
Author: Linda
Ring around the Posies ~ Day 19 ~ April 25, 2014
Day 19, April 25
11 miles, 210 miles total
Altitude: 300 METERS
Weather: partly cloudy & light rain 50-60F
Vaylats
Joanna, from London joins me
Within the Monastere des Filles de Jesus cloisters, nuns joined hands forming a circle around a newly planted flower bed and began to sweetly sing in French. They stood in innocence and faith typical of children. Juxtapose these 19th century buildings stood a nun trying to capture the Sister’s photograph at this sweet moment with a digital camera.
These retiring nun radiate with smiles felt from the heart.
Christine said, “The smile is the universal language on the Camino.”
Guess Whose Coming to Dinner ~ Day 18 ~ April 24, 2014
Day 18, April 24
12 miles, 199 miles total
Altitude: 984 feet
Weather: partly cloudy 55-70F
Limogne-en-Quercy
Joanna, from London joins me
Gite owners who provide half-pension ask themselves this question every day. The thought of having more than a day’s food stocked in the refrigerator is unquestionable to the French; yet, they need to be able to provide dinner and breakfast for complete occupancy at gites. Tonight’s cassoulet dinner was magnifique !
Still looking for Gite that served escargot.
Misty Morning ~ Day 18 ~ April 24, 2014
Day 18, April 24
12 miles, 199 miles total
Altitude: 984 feet
Weather: partly cloudy 55-70F
Limogne-en-Quercy
Joanna, from London joins me
Walked through morning mist.
Bits and Pieces ~ Day 17 ~ April 23, 2014
Day 17, April 23
19 miles, 187 miles total
Altitude: 488 feet
Weather: partly cloudy 55-74F
Cajarc
Joanna, from London joins me
This Parisian family is doing the Camino in bits and pieces on summer holidays. This is their third journey on the Chemin Saint Jaques. Teenagers develop their own tastes and preferences usually centered around their peers; yet, these young men voice the strongest desire to return as a family to the Chemin. Walking between medieval villages offers more character development then family vacation to Orlando and Walt Disney’s interpretation of medieval castles.
Cajarc is a medieval town nestled below chalk mountains where we have just finished a four course “Pilgrim’s Meal.” These prefix value meals are offered all along the way to Santiago as a means of supporting pilgrims.
Jolly Green Giant ~ Day 17 ~ April 23, 2014
Day 17, April 23
19 miles, 187 miles total
Altitude: 488 feet
Weather: partly cloudy 55-74F
Cajarc
Joanna, from London joins me
Like Virginia, each day in spring nature makes dramatic changes. The trees are now washed in green leaves as though the Jolly Green Giant lives here.
Fields of newly plowed soil have furrows as heigh as 18 inches. The soil is so rich in color it looks like pools of melted milk chocolate. Crops surely thrive.
Joanna’s wisdom, “It takes as much time to get over pushing yourself at a fast pace as it does to walk at a leisurely pace.”
Rawhide ~ Day 16 ~ April 22, 2014
Day 16, April 22
15.5 miles, 168 miles total
Altitude: 196 meters
Weather: cloudy, sprinkles 40-50F
Figeac
Joanna, from London joins me
Head’em up. Move’em out. Rawhide. (from 1960’s Clint Eastwood western TV show)
I helped move a flock of sheep into a meadow.
The real fun was helping to move a herd of cows. Just as I surmised from the past two weeks of close encounters with cows, they are quite interested and comfortable with people. In helping move a herd across the road, I found myself penned between the fence dozens of huge cows staring straight into my eyes within a hand ‘a touch. I simply edged along the fence toward the barn and they moved into the barn as pretty as you please. The farmer remarked at how calm my presence was around cows. He and the cows could tell.
$49.33 plus Towel ~ Day 16 ~ April 22, 2014
Day 16. April 22
15.5 miles, 168 miles total
Altitude: 643 feet
Weather: cloudy, sprinkles 40-50F
Figeac
Joanna, from London joins me
The price of our four course dinner with wine in 13th century room above lodging in 15th century room with WiFi and towel (first towel supplied by gite).
PS
Croissant, home made jam, and hot chocolate for breakfast; plus, I was offered free phone service to USA. Viva la St Joseph’s Gite.
Marrs ~ Day 15 ~ April 21, 2014
Day 15, April 21
15 miles, 152 miles total
Altitude: 721 feet
Weather: cloudy 45-55F
Livinhac-le-haut
Joanna, from London joins me
Did you know most businesses in France are closed on Monday? Now I know that to be a fact as the only provisions for lunch to be had on my walk today was a Marrs candy bar from an Esso gas station vending machine. Duck dinner more than made up for the short comings.
Joanna and I walked in the morning mist. Our gite has blue shutters accented by the Wisteria in full bloom.
Cinq Senses ~ Day 14 ~ April 20, 2014
Day 14, April 20
0 miles, 137 miles total REST DAY#2
Altitude: 918 feet
Weather: cold and rainy 32-45F
Conques
Joanna, from London joins me
SIGHT
Wild flowers, stone walls, endless beauty, open expanses, old, very old buildings, pilgrims walking
HEARING
Massey Ferguson tractors in the field, Citroens down shifting up hill, donkeys braying, chickens clicking, church bells, rippling streams, French mass
TASTE
Rich wine, smoked duck, bread and butter, cool water, pastries, pastries, pastries
SMELL
Wood smoke in the air, lilacs in bloom, incense swung in church, my sweet sweat, fragrant manure, odoriferous feet
TOUCH
Morning sun on my left arm, the sting of wind and sun on my face, walking poles rocking in my palm, silk sleeping bag, ill fitting pillows
My friends and I snuck lunch into our convent room. I figured out how to turn on the radiator as it is cold and rainy. We tossed crumbs from our napkins out the window for fear of being found out and thrown out of our lodging. Like hiking in the woods, leave no trace behind.
Linda Scandore 