Finding treasure on the Camino de Santiago

24th May 2022

“Walk with your heart, your feet will follow.” Anon

Day 15 – Cahors to Montcuq

35.1kms and 50 728 steps Total: 389.1kms and 593 564 steps and 107 hours

The morning was cool and just right for the start of a long 33kms. I was rested and ready and raring to go. The views across Cahors as I climbed up the hill were breathtaking. I kept thanking the Camino gods and angels for the cloudy weather albeit a bit cool and practically marched my way up the path.

About 1.8kms in I spontaneously started singing, “and with a swing of her hips she started to strip to tremendous applause she took off her drawers…..”. A song by Chris de Burgh (who I couldn’t name at the time). I just kept repeating the same five lines at the top of my voice while genuinely swinging my hips. The new socks seemed good and my feet felt comfortable again. The song remained in my head and on my tongue the entire day. Every opportunity I got I sang it out loud. I was singing and dancing along today like there was no tomorrow. The weather was perfect and I was in Camino heaven.

The day was marked by me swinging my hips and dancing along to music in my head or from my phone. I was back in action and those paths and my feet were going to have to play along and sing along too.

I stopped for a coffee in La Bastide-Marnhac where I recall Warwick and I stopped too when we dipped into this Chemin in 2019. The coffee was super delicious and the little biscuit that came with it even better. I was determined to look after my feet today so my socks and shoes were off for the required 16 mins and I enjoyed the coffee. There was a beautiful old 2cv parked in the lot when I sat down. The fifth one I’ve seen since Paris. Warwick and I play a game of spot the 2cv when we’re in France, it’s fun!

Jennie and I met up in Lascabanes by chance and had a glass of rosé together and set off for our last 10kms. we both felt revitalized and ready for the next big leg.

We reached Montcuq around 17h35. A long day but thankfully cool and relatively easy walking. We asked about our Hotel La Barquelonne at the Tourist office and set off in the direction of it when it started raining. We started running (imagine running when you’ve just done 35kms), we couldn’t see it and as we were sheltering in the doorway of a hotel a man pops his head out of another door (looks just like Chris de Burgh) and shouts out “You’re here, I’ve been waiting for you!” I protest and say we’re in the wrong place he brings us in and there Jennie sees Pricilla and exclaims “We’re here!”

All is well. Wet from the rain, a quick warm shower and a strong G&T very well carried along in Daisy by the bag transporters. We make our way to dinner. Beef carpaccio (I know completely not me), mushroom ravioli (much more me), and delicious red wine (always me). We’re “joined” by Clare a British woman whose lived in France for 40 years who is in the town for a weekend wedding. She proceeds to tell us her life story. Jennie “counsels”, I eat. I do enough counseling at work. A delightful meal to end a successful beautiful day.

Camino gifts

– my feet working again beautifully

– my dancing 💃 mood and my music loaded on my iPhone

– Jennie’s company albeit quiet for the last 10kms