September 14, 2011

Well, first the dinner update from last night. Turns out that there was another place at which to eat in Villadongas. There´s a highly recommended bodega there. Bodega is like a wine cellar, and this one was a pretty cool restaurant complete with large fireplace grill where they cooked. They had a decent peregrino menu. I had stewed fava beans for the first course. Don´t usually like them, but another peregrino recommended them. Very nice! Second course was steak grilled on fireplace. Good flavour, but chewy as all get out! Forgot about the difference in how cattle are raised between Europe and North America.

Now, the positional update.... today was supposed to be a short walk to Hospital de Orbigo. Unfortunately, it turned out to be too short as I arrived there at 10:00 in the morning. This was much too early to stop. Too little to see to use up the time. So, I´m now in Astorga, 272 km from Santiago!

Astorga has the bishops palace designed by Antoni Gaudi; just waiting for the museum to open. The cathedral is wonderfully abroque on the outside.

Astorga is also the start of the climb in the mountains of western Leon and Galicia. The plan (such as I have any plan) is to walk to Rabanal tomorrow. This is about a 200 m climb over about 20 km. The theory is that this positions you well for the morning´s ascent up Puerta Irago, at 1505 m, the highest point on the Camino. it is also where you will find the Cruz de Ferro. This is a small iron cross erected atop a tall pole. The pole is in the centre of a large mound of small rocks brought from around the world and deposited here.

At least, that´s the plan for now!