Day 34 / Thiviers -Périgueux/ 42.7 km

I wake up. Somewhat exited. Today sunny weather is predicted and I decided to run in shorts ! A man can be happy with simple things. I never thought although I would be a man exited  to wear shorts. At 8 I leave the house where I slept. Great place, except for the presence of a cat which isn’t even there. The sky is still grey and I start to doubt if it is  a good idea to put on my shorts. It’s chilly.

I start running after buying lunch. I exit the village via a departmental but  almost immediately start running through fields, leaving society behind me. I put some music in my ears will which remain there for the rest of the day. The grey sky is gradually replaced, initially by blue sky and clouds, eventually by blue sky and sun only. The run is mostly through fields (often wet and muddy) and forrests, sometimes a streep  climb, often long decending trails. I make great progress. I have lunch with a view on a castle and watching a hawk (I suppose)climbing high in the sky. 












I start entering Périgueux ( a fairly sized city) what is probably the only disappointing event of the day. I pass a combination of Leclerqs, Gramverts, autocars,...along a busy RN. Luckily the road is downhill and I’m able to leave the commercial excess quickly behind me and enter the pleasant city. The terasses are full with people.Small streets. Busy. A lot of (touristic) shops. A pleasant city centre to walk around. I buy an ice cream to celebrate the weather. Afterwards I briefly visit the Cathedral, compact, but in perfect state.







Suddenly I see a handsome pilgrim with shorts taking a picture of me. I wish him a buen Camino.I go to the place I’m sleeping. An apartment managed and hosted by the French fiends of St. Jacques. Clean, well organised, 5 other pilgrims are already there. After cleaning myself up  I do some more sightseeing and have a apero in the sun. I think it’s around 20º. I’m somewhat sunburned. I have a summer feeling. 



Around 19.00 dinner is served for 5€. Salad, pasta and a carrot mousse (the ladyhost keeps repeating it should have been a carrot cake). With my 50 I’m the youngest at the table. I’m a teenager compared to the other guests, not only physically but mainly mentally. Some people seem to be born old. The food is tasteful and nutritious. I serve the other guests, I volunteer to wash the dishes. I’m the perfect pilgrim. 

Lessons learned :

- shorts run faster
- being young at heart should be a moral obligation.


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