Molinaseca, Spain

We awoke to rain but since the prediction was scattered showers, we set out as usual. Just made sure I had my down jacket, rain coat, and spare dry socks and shoes. Well, a scattered shower just parked itself in our neighborhood because it rained steady all day. We figured on a couple of tough climbs because we were going to visit Cruz de Ferro where everyone leaves a stone. I had brought my surrender stone from home. There was another hill to go up and over after that. Getting up to the Cruz de Ferro was easy. There was even a coffee shop with a roaring fire right below the Cruz. It was crowded with perigrinos however so it was hard to get a fireside seat. We did get a few moments at the hearth, then it was time to go. I left my rock, and my spirit lightened. We didn’t stay long with the rain pelting on us. Every once in a while, there was another rough shelter for us. Some with coffee set out, one with church music, but many were just rude roofs. By midday, I was soaked through both sweat and raindrops. No matter the wet, we kept going just faster to stay warm. It took a long time to find a good lunch. It was around one, we found an Alberque open with a hardworking woman making coffee and tortas. We each had a coffee but split the torta. So hard to leave the warmth and set out in the storm. We gave up following the Camino because of the mud and rocks. The Camino followed the road so we walked the road. That way we could move faster and it was safe enough because there were few cars. The flowers were gorgeous, poppies, lilac, heather and a few unknown species. It feels like an Elven kingdom out of the Hobbit. Even the pilgrims look otherworldly with their coverall ponchos and special rain gear. We were ever so happy to arrive here and find our hotel. We are drying out all of our gear and hoping for better weather tomorrow. We won’t go far, we made a reservation in Cascabela at the Santa Maria. That’s 15 miles from here. Luckily, the restaurant across the street was serving pilgrim meals so we had a sustaining dinner for ten euros each. Our hotel keeper, Matteu was there, and it seems I’ve got the air kiss status with him because I speak Spanish. It’s that old man phenomenon again!

Rabanal del Camino, Spain

We have left the Meseta, or high plain behind as we enter the foothills of the coastal mountains. Tradition has it that as you walk the Meseta you are plagued by your dark side of doubts and fears. Once you begin to climb, one’s thoughts become lofty. Certainly that seems to be where we are heading. As we left Astoga, We came upon a little shrine filled with pilgrims at prayer and lighting candles. I went in and lit my candle for Dave Nuebacher and prayed while Norm waited outside. We hiked own and our talk moved to deeper topics, of love and caring, of being aligned with what truly matters. The path wound up the mountain and in a most harmonious way we matched our pace and forged onward. The sky was grey overhead, but the rain didn’t arrive until we reached our destination. We walked 13 miles today, an easy day. For us. We had fruit and nuts for lunch by the trail side reaching Rabanal del Camino by two.

Astorga, Spain

It was a long day of rolling hills until we finally reached Astorga. In Hospital de Orbigo the two Camino choices finally converged and the one route became crowded with pilgrims. We went over a big hill, then at a fork near a farm we veered right but lost track of the Camino markers. We were following a family with two children but soon began to doubt the way. We stopped and turned back meeting up with several travelers. We wound up shouting to a fieldworker who confirmed we were on the right road. There were few markers because the road was newly graded and hadn’t been marked yet, nor was it on our maps. In the end, we just had to trust we were headed for Astorga. At the top of the second big hill, we began to spot a few Camino markers. Then we came upon a roadside stand where a man and his partner were giving away fresh fruit, and juice. Norm had a slice of watermelon but I just had apple juice. It was called Cantina de la Casa de Los Dioses. We wondered how one could create a life based on greeting passing pilgrims, but were grateful nevertheless. We were ever so happy to finally spot Astorga and slowly descend. We had to walk through most of the town, though it was charming. The sign posts clearly got us to our hotel where our packs were waiting. Of course, now that we are sending our bags ahead, we have a new arrival procedure. We must reserve our next hotel the night before so we can submit our pack shuttle order to Jacotrans. Here’s where I made a serendipitous tech discovery! We can make cheap calls in Spain from my very own Iphone using Skype. All we needed was a wifi signal. So I called our next hotel, Posada de Gasper, reserved that room, then called Jacotrans for the luggage transport. All of our work was done, but we were almost too spent to go out. After baths, and a bit of a nap, we rallied and wandered around Astorga. We had arrived too late for sightseeing, but did find a wonderful place for dinner where we had a pilgrim meal for ten euros which included a lemony fish soup with shellfish, freshly made fries with meat, and lemon tarts for dessert. Norm had a beer but I enjoyed tinto de Verano which has just appeared on menus since it’s May. We slept early, but not so soundly. I accepted my nocturnal restlessness and found myself doing my foot and calf exercises at three a.m.

Villadangos del Paramo, Spain

It was quite a weight off our backs to hike today! We put out our packs in the lobby before eight to be transferred to our next hotel with 7euros attached in an envelope. Then off to breakfast and the post office to pick up the smaller packs we had mailed. Soon we were breezing down the highway as free as birds. It was the day I picked up four old man admirers as we walked. Norm was amused when first one, then another old guy struck up conversations with us. Then, just because they were not busy, they wound up walking a ways on the Camino with us to show us the sights, and make sure we knew the route. An Old Man Magnet, Norm named me. I’m glad I still have the touch. At lunch we met up with a pair of Irish pilgrims and enjoyed a rousing discussion of world politics. The wound up here at our same hotel. We spotted some large green lizards but they were too quick to capture with photos. Also saw a nesting area for crows. We arrived at Hostel Liberty by 2:30, ahead of our estimated arrival time. A kindly bicyclist loaned us his phone and helped us reserve tomorrow’s inn. So we are on track for our next chapter.