11 October 2006

Dear Aymery

Leaving Astorga, you enter an area known as the ‘Maragato’. This region is the home to an ancient group of people who for centuries made their living as muleteers, transporting goods across the length and breadth of Spain. Much of their unique culture is slowly disappearing but one of their gifts to the modern pilgrim is some wonderfully delicious cuisine. The walking was terrific. The sky was moody and overcast with tendrils of fog and skiffs of rain – a ‘soft day’ as the Irish would say. I saw my first thatched roof, fallen in on an old building.

Rabanal del Camino is a rather haunting place. It is busy here as pilgrims seem to stop here to ready themselves for the push up to Cruz de Ferro and O Cebreiro. The weather is cool and damp. This village is definitely off the beaten path in Spain. I checked out the albergue and decided to take a room in a nice Posada. After being cool and damp all day, I just wasn’t up for spending a night in an unheated place with only cold water for showers – brrrrr. Met up with Carina again! She’s staying at the albergue – wished her well for her cold shower – lol. We went out for dinner and were joined by Fr. Winfrid, the German priest I had met in Hospital de Orbigo. We had an excellent dinner in the Posada and I slept like a rock.

Ultreya