Finding treasure on the Camino de Santiago

20th May 2022

“Butterflies, flowers that fly and all but sing!” Robert Frost

Day 13 – Cajarc to Limogne en Quercy

17.8kms and 28 711 steps. Total – 328.6kms and 506 005 steps and 92 Hours of walking

Breakfast in Cajarc Blue was yummy. A proper buffet with delicious baguette and cake. A really good coffee and Rocamadour goats cheese. Yum! The hotel was just perfect and so well looked after and loved by the couple who own it.

We only left at 8h30 which worried me because of what the heat might bring, but I knew it was a shorter day. Walking through old town Cajarc was like walking through a movie set. It was very quiet and really pretty. Old bicycles with pot plants everywhere leading down to the River Lot. We walked along the River for awhile and then ascended up towards Gaillac. Walking along The Lot felt so peaceful and cool and dreamy. As we got to the top of a steep hill I brushed against a bush that “bit” me or strung me. It was horrible. Luckily I walk with a little can of Evian spray and I sprayed it on and put some Lanolab on and it helped. Thank you Robyn ♥️

Jennie and I walked together to start but she eventually took off as I dawdle along taking pics and checking things out. I was loving the walk, singing along to my own tunes when I came across the three Amigos as we’ve taken to calling them. Three retired male friends who we’d seen last at Conques. They were so cute, carrying very heavy backpacks and all with identical sleeping mattress, bags and kit. Obviously been shopping together. We thought they might have stopped at Conques. Anyway as I was coming up a steep hill they’d just been resting and were packing up and one of them, Patrick who could speak English asked me where in South Africa I was from. I always wear my beaded flag on my shirt so easy to spot. Often get asked.

We had a little chat going up another hill and he explained that he and his buddies were walking to St Jean Pied de Port then going home (close to St Jean) and retiring in September to walk from St Jean to Santiago. They were all retired their wives not yet and they were doing this together. We ran out of words and I rushed up on my way.

At the top of the hill I stumbled on Place de L’Amitie, a little place to stop, have a cold Perrier and some cake if you want, A Pilgrim’s dream. and there having something was Jennie, Charles and Ann.

We chatted for a bit and then set off together to find our Chambre d’hotes near Limogne en Quercy, because as it turns out they were staying in exactly the same place. La Hulotte.

Just before we left I went to fill up my water bottle. I had been aware of the little blue butterflies here and there, but suddenly there were what felt like 100s around the water fountain and around the area behind the little “shop”. I was so excited as I’d been wanting to capture a photo of a blue butterfly for days. And they were just so elusive. They just came out for a few minutes to tease me every so often and here they were dancing for me like they were on show. Joy joy joy!!!!

The walk was hot but peaceful and beautiful. We reached La Hulotte and what a haven it was. We had a fully equipped kitchen for the four of us and the gardens were simply gorgeous. Dinner was cold courgette soup, local pork sausage with delicious roast potatoes and veggies and a chocolate dessert. Yum! And wine of course.

Camino gifts

– feeling on top of the world as I took off this morning

– seeing and photographing all the blue butterflies

– the lovely La Hulotte Guest House and all the time we had to just be

– sharing dinner with Ann, Charles and Jennie

– somewhere to wash and hang my laundry 🧺 (small things really matter)