Astorga to Rabanal del Camino

Wednesday 25 May 2016 - Day 28

Astorga to Rabanal del Camino - 21km

Not the earliest of starts... it was hard to leave our lovely room. Stopped for some breakfast as we left town. Walked with Becky as far as the tiny medieval hermitage Ecce Homo, and then she strode off to cover more ground than me today.

I caught up with Valentine, a young Austrian man, whom I hadn't seen since just after Pamplona, when Becky and I came upon him crouched on the road studying a snail. Today was his first day back walking after having time off in Astorga to have a wisdom tooth removed. Walked with him to the village of Murias de Rechivaldo. The way was mostly alongside the road, climbing gently towards Santa Catalina de Somoza.

Lots of today reminded me of home. The wildflowers were beautiful. Saw many new people today.

Stopped for food in the Cowboy Bar in El Ganso. It was a popular pilgrim stopping spot, but the guy was a little gruff. As I left town I discovered a much nicer place, a little shop with lovely handcrafted items and really fresh food made to order.

Walked mostly alone today, and for maybe the first time I was passing people. Blisters hurt but I listened to some music and found a 'zone'. Since Leon, a group of college students from the USA have been travelling about the same distances. Today I had the opportunity to have a good chat with some of them as we neared Rabanal del Camino.

What a beautiful village! Stayed at Albergue del Pilar. Only €5, but a huge room of beds...38, the most for me so far. Also, a unisex bathroom with 2 showers and 2 toilets. Happy to have the college kids beside me... felt a bit like school camp. Bunks packed VERY tightly together. Mine was butted up against another, I was glad that it held a woman.

Met Ursula, a 70 year old on her 5th Camino. Also met Louisa, from New Zealand, who started in Leon... ended up having dinner with her. Also booked in for a massage. The lady did a great job on my lower legs and feet. She even did some first aid on my blisters. Miles contacted me to let me know he had my precious folder of trip paperwork. Didn't realise I'd lost it and can't believe I'd left it in our room in Astorga .

The highlight of the day was attending the singing, in Latin, of the hours at 7pm, by 4 monks from the Benedictine Monastery San Salvador del Monte Irago. I was given the privilege of doing a reading in English. The German version was read by Antonia, with whom I shared the taxi into Los Arco a few weeks ago. We were both happy to see a familiar face. Antonia was stopping for a few days of retreat at the attached retreat house. Wow!

Had Sergio, a lovely Spanish Camino cyclist as my top bunk buddy tonight. When I returned from dinner the heater had been lit in the bunk room, and it was right beside my bed. It was boiling hot... luckily it stopped after not too long. Slept okay considering the number of pilgrims sleeping in the room.