It was very cold and crisp when I set off at 7.30 a.m. after a quick breakfast in the hotel. I tried to walk in the sun as I made my way to Brierley's picturesque route: "one of the most serene and naturally beautiful paths of the Camino for a glorious 8 kms".
I stopped at a "kiosk" set up in the wilds by a young hippie couple, where you could help yourself to all manner of drinks and fruits for free (donations accepted!) They were even heating water over a wood fire. I settled for a long rest on their sheltered bench, covered in Indian fabrics. I passed half an hour watching pilgrims come and go, some reluctant to help themselves, others eating greedily at the watermelon and other fruits. I finally took a ripe banana and gave them a 50 cent donation. The French couple with the donkeys also arrived, and the donkeys were reluctant to leave the lush grass growing beside the kiosk.
From there it was a short walk to a splendid lookout, and all of Astorga was laid out below me. As usual it was a hot hour's walk into town at midday. The last straw was a footbridge high above the railway line. When I finally entered the town I had to fight my way through an extensive market, which was packed with people and slowed me down quite a bit.
It was great to spot the Cathedral up ahead, with Gaudi's Episcopal Palace on the right and the Hotel Gaudi on the left across the square. My room was €45, not bad for such a historic spot. There was no plug in my bath, so I went down to complain. It took the lady ages to find one for me, but I was persistent.
As I was leaving my room at 1.30 p.m. for a late lunch, I met the couple from Sydney I'd chatted to in Leon. So we went off together for a traditional Maragato meal at Las Termas Restaurant: tomato salad, meat stew (with many different kinds of meat, including tripe and pigs trotters!), then chickpeas with cabbage, followed by cinnamon pudding for dessert. There was a generous amount of red wine, too much for me!
I had to sleep it all off before going out for a 6.00 p.m. visit to the Episcopal Palace (not quite as fanciful as the Gaudi buildings in Barcelona, but getting that way!) and finally the Cathedral, a mix of Gothic and later styles.
There was no Internet at the hotel, so I had to go round the corner to the Albergue to use theirs. I just had a hot chocolate before going to bed. On the news it showed the funeral of the politician Isobel Carrasco, who had been assassinated outside her home in Leon. The funeral was at Leon Cathedral, where I had been watching the wedding on Saturday.
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| Wall painting |
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| The Way |
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| Roadside stall |
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| Resting at the stall |
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| Mules |
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| Reluctant to move on |
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| Episcopal Palace, Astorga |
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| Interior of palace |
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| Maragato meal |
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