window proved effective and it was 6.45am before we felt it appropriate to recognize the dawn. We made our own breakfast at 7.30. Nice homemade malty bread with 3 sorts of jam although none readily identifiable. One of the two ladies who runs the place turned up with a wheelbarrow to take our bags across the lawn to Reception for later collection. We left the place spic 'n span and took photographs of each other By common consent our stay here has been most enjoyable with every effort made on the part of the owners. We were then driven into town to continue our walk and to have pointed out to us the many houses bought locally by foreigners.Today's walk was across country in easy stages, mostly by farm
paths and through woodlands. All downhill parts that were wooded were universally slippery and dangerous.As our good deed for the day we helped a lady from Frankfurt, travelling solo, over some stepping stones. We passed a large wild-fowl lake not shown on the map.Arrived in Condom for lunch - a simple menu du jour in a roadside cafe, steak/frites & Tarte Basque (almonds). We then found our way to the The Hotel Continental, down by the river bridge with the day full of southern sunshine, heat and shade. The hotel has a nice garden at the rear for eating with yellow umbrellas and blue shutters. We had a cup of tea there. Our room is cool with white walls. We took an afternoon stroll to buy tomorrow's fruit (we are all becoming a bit obsessed by the lack of fresh vegetables in our diet). Des noted the 280 names on the War Memorial for a town of 8,000. We inspected the Cathedral of St Peter where the magnificent Gothic tracery has not been overly restored. In a remarkable exercise of civic priorities the cloisters, with beautiful fluted pillars, have been surfaced over and now house the Hotel de Ville while a large tent like structure covering the space provides an assembly area for functions.
Yet again the supper menu was duck although this time the joints were baked slowly in spicy herbs. Liz was delighted to get an omelette instead. The promised lemon tart did not materialize. We sat outside to eat and it was all very pleasant. We forewent an Armagnac despite being in the centre of its production!
