Via Podiensis (October 27, 2013) - Day 49 Saint-Antoine to Lectoure

Another super day for walking in sunny conditions covering 24 kms in a little less than 6 hours. Nice easy walking in pleasant scenery...a good Sunday walk.

Last night's supper was a hoot...went to a local restaurant where there were 17 pilgrims including ourselves...2 women from France, 2 couples from Belgium and 8 women of various ages who are walking for 4 days utilizing a baggage transport service.

The noise level at the table was incredibly loud...I gave out a new record 18 Canadian lapel pins including 4 to the restaurant staff.

The food itself I would rate as ok but not of the caliber we have been fortunate to have over the last few weeks.

Vegetable soup

Rice with calamari

Cheese with lemon sauce - YUCK!

My head felt like it was going to explode as I left the restaurant as the noise from the group of 8 ladies was unbelievable. Cyrille thought this would be a good time for me to taste Armagnac before leaving for the Gite.

How to describe Armagnac...well think fire in a glass! It took me 20 minutes to drink what may have been half an inch of the stuff. I even had 2 small fruit flies somehow find their way into my glass. Wow the only other time I have had something this strong...read awful was in Kathmandu many years ago. 

As we left the restaurant it started to really pour...and we had left clothing on the line outside! A mad dash ensued to get back to the Gite...I came in last place!

There was a time change tonight so we gained an hour however we screwed up with setting an alarm and we got up after 7:00...big mistake! The group of 8 ladies were already downstairs and as impossible as it would seem the noise was even louder than last evening. Wow was I glad to get out of there.

Returning to the room to complete packing up I noticed that one lady had a cosmetic bag that must have weighed at least 2 kgs. Why for only four days of walking?

Today was as quiet as the breakfast was noisy...no incidents of any kind. I gave out 5 Canadian lapel pins...old gentlemen walking with a cane whose niece was in Canada, a couple of women pilgrims and a couple out walking. Some pictures from the day...

Chateau de Flamarens

Thousands of well placed onions and rows

Pyrenees in background

WW1 - CastelArgay where 12 soldiers died

As of today I have completed 1,269 official kms (not counting the uhmm detours!) which means more than 50% of the long walk completed!

Future Pilgrims

We are at the Occital Etoile where we have a dorm room for the 3 of us...6 pilgrims could sleep here...no one has chosen the top bunks! Demi Pension is 22 euros. We had a great reception from Jean-Paul, a hospitalier who has completed le Chemin 4 times on the Arles route. Man that beer sure tasted good. He is very comical and knows pilgrim ways well.