Back to the Mountains

“Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?” 
Garth Nix, Sabriel

Sunday September 15th, 2019
Astorga to Rabanal del Camino
22 km, 30,000 steps, walking day #25

I left Astorga under cloudy skies. It had rained the previous night and the smooth stones that paved the city were slippery.

A pilgrim crossing Plaza Mayor before sunrise. 

I had checked the weather forecast for Astorga, and for my destination of Rabanal del Camino. I thought if I timed it right, I could just manage to avoid any rain en route.

Leaving Astorga in the distance.

The road today was quite straight. It was pretty much a slow gentle climb all day.  Over the 22 km we gained about 250m in elevation. Rabanal del Camino is at 1100m above sea level. I kept my eyes on the dark clouds and rain to the south of me. Thankfully, they remained to the south and by the end of the day they had cleared away.

I thought this was a beautiful combination of dark and light sky, 

different greens, and deep red earth.

I love how they paint their doors such bright colours. 

There could be anything behind these doors, from a courtyard to a workshop.

This is what I meant by a map at the entrance to a village.

These places are truly tiny - just a few blocks long, 

and then you are in open fields again

Nice view through the gate.

A beautiful stone wall with colors very typical of the region. 

At home we buy tiles that imitate these colours.

Quince is ripe. In this part of Spain quince is made into traditional regional pastries, and quince jelly has begun to show up at breakfast.

This part of Spain is the home of the Maragatos, who form a small ethnic and cultural community with distinctive dress, cuisine, customs and architecture. 

Traditional regional pastry. The man and woman are in traditional dress.

Main Street, which suddenly becomes countryside.

Rosebushes just grow up out of the pavement.

Many of the buildings are abandoned, but the area is seeing some resurgence, 

thanks in part to increasing interest in the Camino de Santiago.

By early afternoon the skies had cleared. For the past week the mountains have been the backdrop to our days. Today our path led straight towards them. Tomorrow our path leads straight up one of them, which will bring us to the highest point of the camino (1515m above sea level).

I think it's that high one directly in front of us.

Every sign is decorated. They just can't help themselves.

They love, love, love their preserved meat here.

It's a special skill to cut the jamon (ham) off the haunch.

That's some fancy cross.

My room key for tonight. Very quaint.