Finding treasure on the Camino de Santiago

19th May 2022

“Be strong, Be Brave, Be Fearless” Anon

Day 12 – Figeac to Cajarc

33.3kms and 53 712 steps: TOTAL- 310.8kms and 477 294 steps – 88 hours of walking

I know that many of you probably skip the kilometer and step count. So go back for a minute and actually take stock of what I have walked in 12 days and how many steps I have taken and how many hours I have spent doing it. This is not to get your sympathy but simply to alert you to the task at hand! It requires much self talk, motivational music (Bruce Springsteen , Sound of Music, Queen etc) and a little craziness to keep going. So, sit down, grab a wine, coffee, whiskey or whatever takes your fancy and before you continue, simply think about the magnitude of the kilometers and steps I’ve done so far and give me a “Salut!”

I woke up early, out the door by 6h30. Day starts with gorgeous views and huge climbs. My body is aching and I am wondering how on earth I’m going to get through the day of another 30 plus kilometers. I’m sore everywhere there’s a place to be sore.

I get 9kms in to Faycelles and I stumble onto Cafe Petite Pause and I stop of course. I haven’t had any coffee yet. It’s time. I find a seat. Go to the bar order a double espresso with a petite peu of milk (a little bit) and hope for the best. The coffee arrives while I’m unpacking my breakfast of yogurt and biscuits and fruit. I take a sip thinking it will be ok and wow, a cup of coffee almost makes me cry. A delicious cup of Illy coffee if the branded cup is to be believed. Yum! I work my way through my food and savour my coffee. My crown and I have become quite popular on the route. Some locals comment about it, and say something in French that sounds like “You’re a Queen of the road”, all in French of course.

I’m nursing and caressing my feet and having what can only be described as the BEST coffee on the Camino so far, when new Pilgrims join the area and ask me a question in French. They want to know about a water fountain. I find out they are Claus from Austria and Monique from France.

I decide to order another coffee (a lot I know, but a girl has got to get her coffee when she can!) the owner looks at me and repeats “Encore?” With a curious look on his face. That second coffee was my life saver today. It gave me the vooma I needed until my mojo kicked in today. And I still had 24kms to go!

I finished my coffee and started off on my walk. Telling myself I would stop again in 9kms to air my feet and rest. I entered a forest, a climb up again and suddenly there were a few butterflies and I kept hearing Ella my 3 year old niece singing words from the Fearless song. “Be strong! Be Brave!”

I could here that little voice and feel her encouragement and love and I basically skipped the next 11 kms. Singing the words at the top of my voice. Including her little song that goes “Thank you father thank you father for our ….. and our many blessings and our many blessings, Amamen Amamen!” I was laughing and smiling and skipping (well skipping like a Pilgrim) with her beautiful little face in my mind. I kept finding heart shaped in the foliage, flowers and rocks. A game I know she’d love. Thank you Camino Angel.

I wandered into Gréalou at around 12h15 with 21kms if the 33 done. Feeling on top of the world. There was a little Epicerie selling groceries that had tables outside and I proceeded to have a picnic. I was just setting in when along came Ann and Charles. They joined me (hadn’t seen them since two days before, it was lovely to see them).

It’s always a joy to bump into people again once you’ve sort of formed a relationship with them. Relationships form quickly on the Camino. So you get really fond of people very fast. It’s lovely to bump into them when you think you’ve said goodbye. Ann and Charles are funny, interesting and lively to walk with.

We were not even half way through our lunch when Jennie arrived. We all laughed and chatted for awhile and then started off on our last 13 kms. What fun. Lots of chatter, silence, crunching feet, advice on feet, rain some hail and cloudy and sunny all together. We all walked into Cajarc ready for a rest. But motivated and feeling good. As much as it’s lovely to walk alone on a hot day when you’ve got many kilometers to go a bit of Company is so good. Even if you don’t talk. Just someone’s presence is enough.

We found our hotel after wandering around for 20 mins again. But what a reward. Cajarc Blue. A trendy hotel just out of town owned and run by a husband and wife team. Beautifully decorated and just so classy. And guess what, a pool! Delicious.

The dinner was also delicious. Chicken salad with the perfect egg (we were told), duck and a mélange of vegetables and a beautiful pastry. Decadent, divine, yum yum yum!

Camino gifts and treasures

– today my biggest gift was Ella in my mind singing to me and making sure I’m ok and just the inner feeling that I can do this