Walking the Camino de Santiago
The main street of Rocamadour is very touristy during the day, though in the evening, after the tourists left, it was actually quite charming. This is one of the most visited Catholic shrines in France, with over a million visitors per year. Not bad for a place with a population of about 600. Date: 01 September 2023 Place: Rocamadour, Lot […]
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The town and shrines of Rocamadour are built into the side of a cliff. This stair is the main access to the old medieval town. It is just the first of many such stairs I will climb today. I took this photo at about 11:20 AM. It was very hot, as you can probably surmise by the colour of the […]
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Dominique and I walked through the ruins of the Moulin de Tournefeuille. This old mill site (and probable defensive work) straddles the narrow canyon to Rocamadour. It’s the first of a series of mills on the canyon river, but it’s by far the most spectacular. It was a strange feeling to be walking down these stone stairs down to the […]
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As we passed the cemetery, the climb began. We soon walked under this long bridge. I wasn’t sure whether it was for pedestrians or for cars, but it definitely made for a dramatic exit from Gramat. Date: 01 September 2023 Place: leaving Gramat, Lot Département, Region of Occitanie, France Maps! The site I’ve been using for my daily maps, Gronze.com, […]
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Just past the dolmen, we sat down for a picnic lunch by the side of the gravel road we were walking – a road which was not on any of our maps or GPS. It was remarkably difficult to stand up after lunch. At some point, the fence became a wall of sorts. Clearly, there had been a gate, or […]
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It might not look like much, but this is the remains of a collapsed Neolithic dolmen, a kind of tomb or ritual gateway. It’s roughly six thousand years old. It’s clearly seen better days. Unfortunately, these days its location is on private land, so this is an extreme telephoto shot using the maximum magnification available on my phone. I think […]
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As I said yesterday, Paul obtained the key to the village church for us to visit. It looks quite unassuming on the outside, almost run-down. But on the inside, the sanctuary is a neoclassical marvel – a total surprise when you enter the doors. Quite moving and affecting, I think because of that surprise. While the church clearly needs some […]
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Today would have been Francine’s 63rd birthday. Last year, when she turned 62, having been born in 1962, she proclaimed that it was going to be her year. She called it her “golden year”. Maybe it was. This is the year that she was swept up in the arms of Jesus. I have no doubt that she is in a […]
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My beloved bride Francine passed to God at just after midnight on June 21. On behalf of our family, I ask for your continued prayers. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine,et lux perpetua luceat eis. Grant her eternal rest, O Lord,and may everlasting light shine upon her. Our family thanks all those who supported us through Francine’s terrible final illness. Funeral […]
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Finally, we come to the crypt chapel set aside for the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament. It was not majesty here but intimacy. Every inch of the chapel is decorated – and I know some might say over-decorated – to the glory of Christ in the Eucharist. I could feel the presence of Jesus close to me. Great carved and […]
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