Day five
The frantic buzz around the boulaingerie for the early morning purchase of the baguette is like a hive that has been agitated. The cars drive up and out jump the owners, run into the shop & out again in minutes with their purchase safely tucked under their arm. We stride in with confidence & place our order - amazing - we get our goods without it being opposite to what we put forward. I eye off the pastry delicacies that my father called 'ooey gooey' but the thought of carrying such a delicate piece of pastry wonder in my backpack and the end result of mangled cabohydrate warns me to just select a small pain du chocolate instead. We are baptised with the sprinkling of cloud mist that speckles our hair & eye lashes. Today is the first day we have felt cold fingers as we clasp the poles but the inevitable hill straight away has us warming up quickly.
Today is also the first time I see the incredible white fairy floss spider webs weaved intricately through the bushes and wire fences - with the mist and cloud they look very much part of a movie set based on a theme of mystical. I remember seeing these on the Spanish Camino so it must be a spider found around this part of Europe. I know that by the time the sun comes up they will all have magically disappeared.
I feel humbled as I walk this trail. I don't take it for granted at how lucky we are to have the chance of doing this, the fact that we are more or less fit enough to manage, the fact that we have enough time. and that I have a husband who is so willing to join me on this journey even though he has issues with the inflammation of knees with the challenge of steep hills. As you walk you are often lost in your own thoughts enjoying the serenity of the natural world around you. The patterns of the earth freshly ploughed, the scratching of the hens, the tractor noises starting their day. It is a wonderful experience to be able to be totally removed from the fast paced life of the modern city and associate now with the farmers life and its total simplicity. Because of the lack of internet and certainly no television at our gites or no radio you are quickly out of touch with the outside world. It was with shock therefore when we sitting at the bar yesterday filling in time before our gite opened that we watched the television fixed on the wall. It was clear by the words Las Vegas and then the images that were being displayed of the horror that was unfolding. I feel so upset that with such carnage by just one man but with so many guns and that still there won't be any action taken by the American government to rein in the gun ownership. The right to bare arms in order to protect themselves is such a farce. I feel sick and so sorry for everyone. It is hard to believe that this happened when we are walking in such serenity.

We are not feeling embarrassed at our walking rate as we appear to be walking at the same rate as several groups that we have became members of. Our paths will cross several times during the day and you know you are accepted by the fact when you catch up with them at a bar or rest stop you are given the three cheek kiss ( note to those confused by the order present your right cheek first & then left & back to right)
It is so lovely to be included and with the help of the young French people who make sure to explain what is being said we have enjoyable conversations that makes this experience even more special.

We walked part of the way on the trail with Barack from Israel. Again he was another person who has just got a week off to walk. I love how little things of coincidence happen in life. Barack explained that his wife is pregnant so was unable to join him and when I asked him when was the baby due he answered 10th December ( which is G'a birthday date) and here's another funny coincidence- I am forever taking photos as I walk and the sight of one of the cows sticking its head out of the fence to nibble on some grass was too beautiful todresist. It was only when I was right up close to the flow that I saw her tags on her ears 3 digit number but the last two were 65 which is the number of our route. GR65

We arrive in Aumont Aubrac to find our gite also has the customary bar but this stone walled building that used to be a farm house has a lot of character. As you wander onto the premises we meet Vincent who is the proprietor propped up at a table in the garden peeling endless number of potatoes. This is in preparation for the dinner tonight where Vincent will present the regional dish onf Aligot. We find out more about Aligot at dinner when Vincent comes to the table to show us approximately 3 kilos of cheese that he had sliced which is then put into the big pot of mashed potato. We watch engrossed as he uses a large wooden stirring pin to stir the pot and to pull in the mixture which looks like large lumps of string. He looks like a wizard when he hovers over his large pot on the stove stirring and stirring this mixture in order to feed about 30 people. He comes around to the table and spoons the mixture like toffee over two spoons and delivers it to our plate. This is accompanied by roast lamb. We are advised to eat the Aligot quickly otherwise the cheese will start to harden. It is very nice but it is also incredibly rich and I can only succumb to one serve. Dinner is lively as there are another twenty people sharing the meal apart from our group of ten and with wine flowing, the fire crackling and the many conversations prattling the time passes quickly. It makes it hard to return to the room and try to record all the events of the day as by then the fatigue has usually set in and I am having trouble to stay awake to write.

Our New French friends are finishing their walk in five days at their town of Conques but they have invited us to join them on their itinerary for the rest of their trip. While it is probably a little less than what we should be walking each day we are happy to have their company and walk with them as we are finding that they are very generous with their patience and time and are providing endless information on translation and explanations. Apart from that we are enjoying their company and it is also nice to know also that they are enjoying being able to practice their English which hasn't been used for awhile in a non stressed environment so it is nice for both of us. I can already hear the difference in their confidence speaking English since day one.

PS apologies if the map is sometimes erratic as it seems to not always know the little villages we stay at.Today I think it worked