Stage 12: Brengues - Cabrerets, 30kms, Very Hot, 35 (3). Saturday Aug 29/15

It Wasn't Supposed To Be Like This!

First of all my friends, I feel as badly as you that I can't post any photos. I think that things will change in a day or two and then I'll go back and put the photos into the various stages. At minimum I will have access to Annemarie's iPad, so thanks for waiting. I have heard from a number of you about this technical problem. I have some nice photos to share and would very much like to do so too!  Now I can! And I have added photos to the prior two posts.

Today was blistering hot...a scotcher indeed! My trusty little thermometer charted 35 and I felt every bit of it! I'm drinking local water everywhere. This farmer left water out for walkers...its behind the sign! Just leave a few coins.

I poured some over my head after a refill of my water system!

Lots of climbing today and some amazing views of the limestone cliffs and the troglodyte buildings.

These are abodes where there is a facade across the mouth of a cave with the living area in the cave and for all intents it looks like a house. They are often still occupied.

Last night at the Gite, it felt more like I was staying in someone's personal home.

In fact I was, but his friends were staying here as well and they invited other people to dinner. So we all sat outside on the deck overlooking the valley and the cliff walls.

The food and drink were excellent and we had a great time as the moon found its way up over the valley. Claude's friends are noted cave divers and were in the area for that reason. So I had lots to ask about the karst in the area and learned a little along the way.

Mostly French spoken at the table, but from time to time I was able to follow along. A moon rise over the cliffs too!

Today Jacques and I had a Gite booked, but when I arrived I didn't get a very good feel for the owner. He told me that I would have to sit out in the heat for almost 2 hours until the Gite officially opened. He didn't offer me a drink, and when I asked him for water he asked me if I had something to put it in. 35 degrees and no offer of water! I've learned in my travels that when things don't feel right, simply leave and go find anther bed. So that's exactly what I did. I later connected with Jacques and he came in late, but fully understood my decision. We plan to reconnect for lunch on Tuesday in Cahors, where he will leave le Chemin.

I walked down the road 4kms further along the river to the town of Cabrerets and called a couple of places, but all were full. I finally connected with a nice lady who said she was looking out her door, but couldn't see me! The town is pretty small.

I walked to her hotel, but they were full too, but they managed to arrange a small private room in a Gite. So I have a bed and a roof tonight, complete with a view over the river! Very simple place, but the shower has water and I stood under the very cold water for a full 15 minutes cooling off. Splendid!!!

Just spoke with Annemarie as she is now in Paris and will transit this way tomorrow arriving at 19:00. I have two short days planned as my feet need some time to heal and I'm hoping the rest day in Cahors will fix them up. I've never had this problem on Camino, so new territory for me. At least Annemarie has the new shoe inserts with her, so hopefully I'll get things in line again soon. Always new experiences when we walk, but I could have done without this one.

A few more photos from the day....I'll soon try to transfer the other days posts over here and add photos.

Happy 35th wedding anniversary Annemarie. I really wish we could have spent it together, but we will celebrate in Cahors on Monday. Looking forward to that!

A happy camper again!!!

Stage 11: Figeac - Brengues, 30kms, very hot, 34 (3). Friday Aug 28/15

Technical Issues!!!

So followers of this blog, I have a few problems today. The blog is not accepting photos and I get an error message 403, whatever that means? I'm looking into this. But as you can imagine, a bit frustrating. Sorry about that. However, I have learned that I can post text, so that will have to do until I find a fix for the problem. However, Annemarie arrives in three days and I can probably exchange iPads with her to post to Pamplona, so not all is lost!

Another example today about how the Camino seems to provide. The walk today was beautiful and I'll come to that in a moment. I typically never get blisters. I carry the first aid to deal with them, but usually walk without getting them. However, I now have two and have discovered why. The foam pad on my shoe inserts has separated from the plastic in the heel area, leaving my foot in direct contact with the hard plastic. I have a blister on each heel at the back bottom where I have tough callus build up from al, the training and walking here. Darn. I have sent desperate pleading emails to Annemarie who is Vancouver and will fly out today in the hope that she will be able to get me another pair on her way to the airport. Fingers crossed! In the mean time, I am in a small village tonight and my host told me he will drive me back to Figeac to see if we can find something temporary. How nice is that?! So will see what we see. My good pal David in Melbourne taught me a good lesson when we were down there. He suggested that if a blister forms to take out the shoe liner and walk without it as it heals in order to change the strike area. So image that to fall back on tomorrow if all else fails. But that won't help my Achilles issue much, but it's just for three stages, about 80 kms. Nice to have friends with knowledge!

Left early today well before 7 to beat the heat, and arrived before 13:00, so made excellent time. I wish I could show you the sterling sunrise and the beautiful light as I walked along on top of a hogs back ridge early in the day. But I can't. 

Before I left home I did research the Cele Valley variant, the GR651,

and decided to walk it because it goes through amazing country side and because only a few go this way. Yes, Carol's Mom in Naramata, Penticton, I do like to walk alone with just the sounds of nature around me. Very special.

This limestone gorge runs for some 110kms and follows the Cele River. It's a challenging route as I'll have to climb up the steep walls and along very narrow trails, Cliff side. I wish I could show you the photos. You'd be so proud of me that I was able to walk these narrow, exposed paths!!

Very hot up there. The history behind these high paths is apparently the result of pilgrims trying to avoid thieves in the valley. They found their way along feeling safer up high. Eventually protective garrisons were placed on the path in the Middle Ages to assist the pilgrims. I walked through one today and there is a church from the 12th C up there too! Very cool! 

I'm staying in a very nice gite tonight, and the owner flys for Air France. He is about to retire, and some of his friends are here tonight, so it should be very lively at dinner! A late meal at 20:00. 

No sign of Jacque yet. Hope his injury is behaving ok. He is now 2.5 hours behind me. 

Any way, must go and see what I can find in Figeac to help my foot problem. It will be tape and stuff tomorrow to protect. Fortunately, a rest day three stages from now to let them heal a bit. Looking forward to that!!

Update:

I now have been to Figeac with our host Claude and we have visited a cobbler where we found some shoe inserts that should help me for the next few days. The wife of the cobbler had a little English from a year she spent in England many years ago working as an Opare. She convinced her husband to drop everything for me and repair my boot problem while she helped me to find inserts. They wouldn't accept any money for the shoe repairs. Another nice tale from the road:-) Annemarie has replied to my messages and emails and will pick up new inserts on her way to the airport. How nice is that?!

I will only walk 24 tomorrow with the blisters needing some time to heal, then two days into Cahors...can't wait! A rest day!

Jacques did arrive. Just in case you were wondering. 

More photos from the walk today. Rob, the first is for you...first straight road!

Not a Templar church, but exactly the same shape. I was fooled too!

Bon Chemin!!

Stage 10: Livinhac - Figeac, 28 kms, Sunny & Hot! 32 Thurs. Aug 27/15

"Monsieur, vous marchez magnifiquement!"

The sunrise.

Having learned about upscale Camino camping on the Frances with Annemarie, it turns out that it's even better on the GR65! We finished up our beers and purchased some interesting stuff in tins, and went back to our place and cooked up a seemingly healthy meal, complete with a bottle of wine. Not half bad! Good internet and I was able to connect with various family members, so all good. I was even able to get a couple of fresh eggs from our hostess who has her own chickens, and I hard boiled them last night for breakfast today. 

We were up and away early as it promised to be a very hot journey. Look at our generation selfie!

The light this morning was great and I took full advantage.

We stopped in town for some additional food for the road and as we headed off Jacques found his way into a conversation with a lady from France. Knowing enough about threes' company, I headed off on my own, which was the intent anyway as Jacques is still a bit hobbled. 

 The first hour was the usual uphill slog, but as I recovered and after wiping the sweat from my eyes I realized that things were changing. The landscape was different...rounder?

The further I walked, the clearer this became. The landscape became almost flat compared to the last 9 stages.

It seems that we are coming off the Massif Central. Does this mean that life will be a bit easier for a while and that there will be time to let the mind wander? I guess time will tell. There was certainly some hills today, but nothing like we have previously encountered. The big challenge today was the heat. Everyone was feeling it...even this fella.

All types of signage on this route.

 I passed by the Chapelle de Guirande, but for some reason it wouldn't open until 10:00. Having no reason to wait, I took a photo of the church and the inside through a screened window.

Continuing on, the heat became more oppressive until I reached a water font and took out my trusty bandana and soaked it and myself in the cold water. Spectacular!! A man and his son walked over to me and in French proceeded to ask me the usual questions...where I'm from, where I'm walking to, what's my name, am I going to Santiago, where did I start today. I did my best to give complete answers and he actually understood me quite well. Then he said, "Monsieur, vous marchez magnifiquement!" and as I was standing there a bit taken aback, he said the same thing to me in very clear English, "Sir, you walk magnificently!" Another day on the Camino.

I stopped to eat some of my sandwich at some point and I soon had the company of birds and a dog wondering if I might share.

Then I did some real estate work, and Annemarie I have two options for us! 

Ou,

The second has a better location, but the first is nicer and a bit pretentious;-) I'm good with either, and we can step out our door and voila...we are on Camino!

A few scenes from the day.

I was flagging at one point, so finally I pulled out my music and some good ol' rock & roll! Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to make it in to your next bed. 

Tomorrow we head out and take the Cele Valley deviation off the GR65. This is supposed to take us into some beautiful gorges and will take four days to transit. Odds are good that I'll have wifi,but one never knows. So postings may be delayed a day or so, but I'll write each day.

A great dinner out!

And a few more...

From the light through the church windows as it plays on the floor. I've never seen this as clear as today in any church in Europe!

P