It was a good day today. We wondered how we would feel after logging so many kms yesterday, but the 27 kms we walked today went well, and ibuprofen helps to ease some of the sore muscles that are accumulating as we go along.
We left Astorga at 7:20 a.m., but not before taking a shot from our room, which reminded us so much of our daughter Jennifer's painting of the view from her room during her studies in Paris, France. What do you think, Jen?
As we left the city, we also passed another of the famous architect Gaudi's works, the Episcopal Palace (which doesn't look anything like our house!)...
...as well as the cathedral and what appears to be Mary Poppins on a corner of one of the turrets...
The weather was fantastic again today, and we feel truly blessed with all this sunshine. The first part of the day took us along a path of fine gravel, with lots of yellow broom and heather and other bushes along the way...
We climbed gently for most of the morning, stopping for coffee and croissants in Santa Catalina which you can see Diane approaching below...
...and as we left this village we get a clear view of the mountains to our left, still covered with snow. At this point we are just over 1000 metres above sea level...
Many of the villages along this part of the way were semi-abandoned, but a renewed interest in the Camino and the huge annual number of pilgrims passing through the past number of years is bringing new life, and new buildings to many of these places. In the village of El Ganso you can see how decrepit some of the buildings have become (not me, the building!!)...
As we near the village of Rabanal del Camino, we find ourselves on a 2 km. long twisting trail...
...and all along the trail is a fence against which people have constructed simple wooden crosses from the loose wood lying the trail..Think of it: 2 kms of personal testimonies of the love of God in Jesus Christ crucified for the sin of the world....the first and second crosses pictured below were our own simple constructions...
We had a delicious outdoor picnic lunch in Rabanal from food we bought in a small local tienda (grocer), consisting of bread with goat cheese, potato chips (hey, potatoes are vegetables, aren't they?), chocolate bar, bananas, yogurt, and we saved the oranges for later.
From Rabanal it was another 5+kms to our day's destination, and most of that was uphill, with some very steep sections. The vegetation and feel of the trail reminded us of hiking on Blackcomb or Whistler...
It also included several muddy spots from an overnight rainfall, and it is always entertaining to see Diane's sister Chris try to negotiate such obstacles. Good thing Jeff is such a good leader and guide!
When we finally arrive in Foncebadon, we are at just over 1400 metres above sea level and have an awesome view as we look back and down from where we came today...
After just over 27 kms of hiking, we are glad to see the very small village that is our resting place for tonight...even the cattle there came out in procession to say hello!
We discover, happily, that a simple pilgrim's menu is available already at 6, and we had to put in our orders in advance. First course: spaghetti soup. Second course: chicken stew. Postre (dessert): ice cream for everyone else but rice with milk for me (to counteract the vigorous activity of last night's white beans!).
Total distance: 27.2 kms
Time on the road: 7:25
Total distance to date: 556.2 kms
Walking days remaining: 12
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