Lectoure to Condom

Bonjour!

I loved these trees.  There were four of them in the hotel courtyard.  

As I left Lectoure this morning, there was the weekly market. Look at these beautiful strawberries.

and these luscious vegetables.  I never met a vegetable I didn't like.  I know that makes me weird but I would rather have a good salad or great vegetables than either the meat or the dessert. I even loved every vegetable as a kid.

The view from Lectoure and the day ahead...22 miles of up and down.

Look a cross with a rooster on top.  There must be a story here but I don't know what it is.

The third man from the left is the guide and the other three are fairly fit looking men in their thirties.  I passed them as I was coming out of town and they were definitely American. They were all whistling "Whistle while I work" as the guide led them.  Gag! As they walked through town, they were four abreast not letting any of the working people in vans and trucks pass them. It was like seeing 30-year-old cub scouts high fiving each other.  I rarely want to barf when I see handsome men but this was the exception. Maybe I am a bit of a hiking snob but exactly why did three fit men need a guide? Especially one who led them in whistling and told them when they could take a photo.

So there really is a grey goose.

I have seen so many tractors and working farmers. They always wave!

Such beautiful scenery.  The yellow flowers were just a little taller than I am.

I have always loved blush roses.  So dainty and so delicate.  Something I have never been.

I don't exactly know what this is.  A tree house?

This was one of the highlights of my day.  I thought it was going to be men/horses training with a carriage like trotters.

But when I got close they were pulling a plow with a motor. The motor sounded like a lawnmower.

Look at this beautiful house with immaculate landscaping.

About midday, I walked through the town of La Romieu.  According to legend, this town was formed in the 11th century when a Benedictine monk returned from a pilgrimage to the Compostela de Santiago.  

The collegiate church is called the Collegiate of St. Pierre (There is that St. Pierre thing again. I might remind my brother in law Dave St. Pierre that this is the walk of St. James) The church was closed until 1:30 but I could peep through the gates for this photo.  I would have like to have seen the church but with a 20+ mile day, I couldn't wait for an hour and a half.  The good news was that I was able to purchase a Coca-Cola Zero and eat my Foccacia bread sitting on a bench beside the church.

I think it is a town that loves cats because I saw this statue...

and this statue.

Talk about your gorgeous flowers.  Look the yellow ones are double irises.

A chalet high on a mountain top.  Not too shabby. I seemed to be in the high rent district for much of the day.

More of those gorgeous yellow flowers.

I LOVED this.  How true!

Even your basic dunce could figure this out.

I had a little excitement on the trail today. It was so windy that trying to keep on my hat was a major ordeal.  It made me keep my head down and limited my vision to right past my boots. I was watching a very fast lizard but when I looked just past the lizard there was a snake moving faster than the speed of light.  All I saw was a whipping tail.  I must have looked like one of those cartoon characters.  My feet went sideways without me and then the rest of me followed.  I don't think I was ever in any danger because that snake was more afraid of me than I was of it.  I hate being startled.

Dennis elected to skip today which was probably a wise decision due to jet lag. He met me on the trail about a mile out of town.  It brought back warm memories of the time he surprised me on the trail when it was my birthday. Tomorrow he will begin on the trail.

This mural was in the town of Condom.  I walked from Le Bastard Hotel to the town of Condom.  Many jokes could be made just from that but I won't go there.  Teehee!

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Condom.  OK, brother in law Dave...here is a funny for you!

The inside of the church was really exquisite.  I love those Gothic Cathedrals.

And it had many many beautiful stained glass windows.

According to Wiki "Statue of three musketeers and D'Artagnan outside Saint Pierre de Condom cathedral at Condom, which is in the Gers department in the Midi Pyrenees region of France."

And the beautiful Ponte des Carmes across from our hotel.  Dinner is soon and I am starving so until tomorrow!  Bon Soir!