Scores on the doors - 27.8 km, up 393m down 845m
Sleeping in a dormatory is always a challange, at 8.30 pm when we got a few bits before the pilgrims blessing in the parish church, people were already in bed and the lights were turned off. We came back from the church and went to bed. Because of my cough I am snoring, I went to sleep and at 11:30 Lesley had to wake me as people were tutting. So then it was the case of trying to sleep on my front and not snore. I did not get a great night's sleep and heard the church clock chime 12, 1, 3, & 5, at 5:30 the first alarm went off. There are a sizable band of pilgrims who set off at 6 am every morning (with the Americans in the vangard) but at Rabanal they were starting even earlier to get to the Cruz de Ferro for sunrise.
We got up at about 6:15 (we had to be out by 8 anyway), joined the hospitalaros for brekfast and were on the road by 7:30.
As we walked the sun slowly rose behind us, it was a red sky but wasn't the forbodeing of dire weather as at home, perhaps the rules are different in Spain.
The path itself was great, whilst rising gently uphill it was good under foot, firm compacted earth, but with a bit of give to it.
The path slowly wound it's way up to the village of Foncebadon and on to the Cruz de Ferro.
Those with good memories will recal how just before we came to Spain we visited Weybourn beach and picked up stones from the beach to bring with us.
The reason to leave at the Cruz de Ferro, why you might ask? Traditionally pilgrims have brought a stone from home as a symbolic laying down of their burdens.
As the stone is left a special prayer can be said "Lord, may this stone, a symbol of my efforts on the pilgrimage that I lay at the foot of the cross of the saviour, weigh the ballance in favour of my good deeds some day when the deeds of my life are judged. Let it be so."
I very soon had need of that ballance as I thought evil thoughts the herds of bicycle pilgrims, who in a bid to be macho had to ride down the narrow pedistrian tracks, rather than the road, scattering us walkers in their wake. The worst being a group of about 20 German cyclists who created so much dust that everything in their wake was covered.
It was then a long hard decent to the village of El Acebo wher we stopped for a coke and to rest our feet.
Before continuing the downward slog. At Molinaseca we had a choice, stop for lunch (it was about 2) and carry on or just stop and get a room. We decided on the latter, and after last night went for a hotel, which overlooked this fantastic bridge and river
Sleeping in a dormatory is always a challange, at 8.30 pm when we got a few bits before the pilgrims blessing in the parish church, people were already in bed and the lights were turned off. We came back from the church and went to bed. Because of my cough I am snoring, I went to sleep and at 11:30 Lesley had to wake me as people were tutting. So then it was the case of trying to sleep on my front and not snore. I did not get a great night's sleep and heard the church clock chime 12, 1, 3, & 5, at 5:30 the first alarm went off. There are a sizable band of pilgrims who set off at 6 am every morning (with the Americans in the vangard) but at Rabanal they were starting even earlier to get to the Cruz de Ferro for sunrise.
We got up at about 6:15 (we had to be out by 8 anyway), joined the hospitalaros for brekfast and were on the road by 7:30.
As we walked the sun slowly rose behind us, it was a red sky but wasn't the forbodeing of dire weather as at home, perhaps the rules are different in Spain.
The path slowly wound it's way up to the village of Foncebadon and on to the Cruz de Ferro.
Those with good memories will recal how just before we came to Spain we visited Weybourn beach and picked up stones from the beach to bring with us.
I very soon had need of that ballance as I thought evil thoughts the herds of bicycle pilgrims, who in a bid to be macho had to ride down the narrow pedistrian tracks, rather than the road, scattering us walkers in their wake. The worst being a group of about 20 German cyclists who created so much dust that everything in their wake was covered.
It was then a long hard decent to the village of El Acebo wher we stopped for a coke and to rest our feet.
1 comment:
In Germany, the red sky thing works the other way round. Hope the feet are OK, Take it easy and get all your stamps.
love Birgit and Wade
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