I left Astorga at 7.45 a.m. It was still very chilly at that hour. On the way out of town I felt some twinges at the back of my heel. Was this the beginning of the dreaded tendonitis, which has caused many a pilgrim to abandon the Camino? I hope not!
The detour I made to Castrillo was not really worth the effort, but I had to find out. The restored Maragato village was just like a film set, but the residents' cars were in the way of good photos. There were several "authentic" restaurants, not yet open at 11.00 a.m., but waiting for an influx of tour buses for lunch. I stopped at one for a coffee, just to use their loo, and was served by a lady still in her dressing gown! There were no other pilgrims in sight: they had all stuck to the main route.
I had already fortified myself with a "green smoothie" at an organic restaurant El Llar in Murias de Rechivaldo, where the lady insisted on telling me every ingredient that went into it, including numerous herbs, parsley, pineapple, banana and lots more!
The way to Sta Catalina was a picture: yellow and white gorse lining the route. I finally arrived in hot sun at El Caminante, where I had a beer and a free tapa. Their interior courtyard was so pretty with geraniums and other pot plants, it tempted me to ask for a private room there (€20). The private rooms were upstairs overlooking the courtyard and the Albergue downstairs.
Outside, I got talking to an American lady who was rounding up a group of people to go and have dinner at San Blas Albergue just down the street, so I went along with them. They included a father and daughter from Sydney. Her feet were all patched up with blister dressings, but she was very cheerful about it and told me about a reality TV show she watched at home called RBT, featuring all the stupid and ridiculous excuses made by drivers to try and evade fines.
Dinner was mixed salad followed by trout and chips, then yoghourt (€9.50).
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| Castrillo de Polvazares |
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| Castrillo de Polvazares |
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| Castrillo de Polvazares |
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| The Way |
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