Camino Photo of the Day: Of Penguins and Orangina

This is my mascot, Dobbles, apparently enjoying an Orangina. Some explanation is probably in order. Very early in our Camino adventures, Francine and I both got into the habit of taking a “mascot”, a little figure or plushie that we could use in whimsical photos. The first was the rooster I picked up in Santo Domingo de la Calzada in 2013. I had to replace him in 2016, and Francine brought a little sheep that’s still on a shelf in Pistachio House. Dobbles is my most recent. He accompanied me throughout my 2023 Camino, and he will return with me to France and Spain later this Spring and Summer. I took this particular photo while enjoying my lunch in Cahors; it was part of a series of photos I took that day as part of “Dobbles’ Big Day in Cahors“.

And as for the Orangina – this was my go-to hydration drink in the French towns and villages. Plenty of electrolytes, as it’s basically just orange juice made with fizzy water.

Date: 04 September 2023
Place: Cahors, Lot Département, Region of Occitanie, France

Maps!

The site I’ve been using for my daily maps, Gronze.com, while otherwise great, unfortunately doesn’t have maps for this variant. So here’s a map from my book Practical Pilgrimage showing the entirety of the three main variants and larger sub-variants. I walked the GR6 from Figeac to Rocamadour and the GR46 on to Cahors.