Las Botas

Thursday September 19

Today, Diana and I were the last walkers to leave the aubergue for the first time.  We shared a room with 8 French men and women who were up and out by about 6:45.  We dallied a little longer so I could talk with Kate and Diana could have another cup of coffee.  It was a relaxing start to what we planned as a more laid back day.  We only planned 10 miles of walking.

The sunrise was spectacular with wispy clouds over the Villares de Orbigo where we had  just left.

The terrain was rolling hills with some fields and woods, a couple of milk farms outside of Santibanez de Valdeiglesia and we saw different types of hay baling.  It was a pleasant walk, but the path was a bit rocky.

     Pilgrim statue in the middle of nowhere.

We crested a hill and was surprised to find 'David' and his girlfriend managing a health food cantina.  It was amazing and out in the middle of nowhere.  They had coffee, a variety of teas, fruit, toast, juices, jams, marmalades, honey, peanut butter (!!) and invited pilgrims to make themselves at home and take what they wanted.  They live under a lean-to serving pilgrims in what he terms his 'simple life'.  It was so lovely, we of course, left a donation.

The main target for the day was Astorga, a walled historical town on the top of a hill.  We got a great view of the town from the stone cross on the hill approaching it. The mountains beyond will be next.

As we entered the Astorga, we ran into one of our Aussie friends and were delighted to find a vibrant town with many squares, shops and people.  Our first stop was to the outfitters store to find new shoes for Diana.  The sneakers she got in Pamplona were not working with the rough rocks we were walking on and didn't fit so well.  My feet have been hurting and I got new insoles (from Germany)  that make me feel like I am walking in new boots!  So we are both set.

I've been wanting to write a tribute to my boots (las botas) for a while.  They are not a very pretty fashion statement and are very dusty, but have gotten me through a lot of miles!  The soles are thick and I can walk on rocks, there is plenty of toe room for me to wiggle them and give them a stretch when I need to.  I know of three times that the ankle support saved me from a sprain.  I actually think my blisters were a result of small stones that got in my boots!  Anyway, they are healing and I'm still walking!

Astorga has an amazing Gothic cathedral and a bishop's palace designed by Gaudi in the late 1800s.  It looks similar to the building in Leon, but has amazing stained glass.  Again, another treat on the Camino to see his work.

Bishop's palace - Gaudi

                               

                                    Gaudi angel - bronze

We had another treat in Astorga as we were walking in the plaza when two people we met the first day (Michael from England and Kate from New Zealand) flagged us down.  There were hugs all around and a photo op.  It was great to see them!

We walked a little further for the day and are in Murias de Rechivaldo, a small village with an amazing aubergue that is centered around a wonderful courtyard in a traditional village house.  We are discovering that although the streets in villages we walk through appear so austere and closed up, behind the doors are wonderful courtyards and lovely homes.

This is the second night in a row we feel like we are in someone's home.  When we arrived, we were served lemonade and shown to our beds.  After washing up and doing laundry, we had a drink and set about email and was treated to our hostess creating the amazing paella we had for dinner in front of our eyes.  Dinner was a very convivial affair with a number of Danish and German people who used English as the common language.

                                              

       

My angel card today was 'humor' and although my heart is heavy right now waiting to hear news of Hildy's condition, there is often humor in some of the situations we find ourselves.  Probably the most common is the time limit we encounter with bathroom lights.  I find myself either waving my arms around hoping to turn them back on or groping around in the dark trying to find my way out or to reactivate the light switch.  It is rather comical and has happened on numerous occasions.  Other things that we have to find the humor in is all the crazy things we see in our "dorms" most nights - I haven't yet figured out what people are looking for with all the rattling and groping in their packs.  We do have good laughs with people on the Camino as we try to understand each other and misuse words in each other's languages.  It has been fun.  I think if we can find the humor in the small things that happen each day, everything is better, including hurting feet.

Hildy update:  The surgeries on her leg/knee and elbow (which since Saturday has been an open wound) were successful and those parts of her body can begin to heal.  The shoulder surgery is scheduled for Monday when the specialist will be at the hospital.  She has been moved out of the regular ICU (intensive care unit) to the  Neuro intensive care unit so they can do more tests on her brain.  John reports that he is impressed with the neuro team and how communicative they are.  We are ever hopeful and thank everyone for their care and concern.