Day 6  Thursday 5th May - Astorga to Rabanal del Camino.

 Questions, Questions!




Now, before we get onto the nitty-gritty of today's update I have 3 big questions that need answers:-

1) Having gone to sleep with Man City winning 1-0 at 87 minutes, how the hell did they lose that? I'm no fan of City, but have some great old workmates up in the Republic of Mancunia who are true diehards (i.e. were there week in and week out before the Sheikh flashed the cash) So I'm really disappointed for those lads. Plus we all wanted City to beat Liverpool in the final, didn't we?

2) Why did my crappy old school (Grammar, you know!) not offer Spanish on its curriculum? Okay, I can just about get by; but judging by my retention of Deutsch and Français from all those years ago I'd be so much better at Español now. Seriously, what kind of establishment offered the ridiculously stupid options of French, German, Russian* and Chinese at O'Level?? Ffs!

3) Plates of meat. Feet. Aren't they wonderful things? But what are they Sensuous or sensual?




Answers on a postcard to:-

The Editor
Blister Mundo
12 Calle de las Verrucas
Buniononas del Camino
Castille y León
Spain

"Westward leading, still proceeding......"

And now, for the benefit of anyone still reading, is today's update.




With warmer temperatures forecast, and knowing that the last 3 miles were uphill, we set off in the half light at about 7.30. Within 20 minutes Astorga was behind us, and we strode purposefully through the cold and breezy castillian** air. Within an hour, with the sun now well and truly out of bed, it was time for coffee  in the village of Murias de Rechivaldo. The obvious, but obligatory photo of us at Café Cris was duly sent to Cate's brother Arthur..........I nearly had you there....  it's Chris, of course!




Following yesterday's refreshment repercussions we were determined to stick to a 3 stops plan. So with 12k on the clock, orange juice and bocadillos were the order of the day in Santa Catalina de Somoza. Sadly there were no signs of Samosas, or indeed, the magnificent old flying boat.




Today really was classic Camino. A long, straight(ish) walk along a path next to a very quiet country road. Lot's of birdsong; even some "cuckoo's" were heard. Storks with their huge nests on church belfry's. Clear blue skies etc.




Last stop was at the "Cowboy Bar" in the evocative half-deserted hamlet of El Ganso. After playing cowboys and Indians for an hour; ending a big shoot-out (obviously), more drinks were taken at the said named bar.




Then the final slog! Despite being a mere 5 miles, it really was a blinking slog. The map in our book indicated a gentle uphill (c500 feet) ascent through, what we had hoped, were shady woods. There was no shade! There were 1000's of dead trees that were about 10 feet high, and offered us absolutely no respite from the sun. We trudged (again) into Rabanal del Camino , still climbing, and right to the far edge of the place to find of bed for the night. 



And it's a lovely little Posada. We've got a decent room with a sun-drenched terrace where we can dry another load of hand-washed clothes! The glamour of the Camino never ends.

Hasta mañana!


* Russian taught by Mr Murray, who had played football professionally for Brentford, obviously!

** whilst I knew there were those who want independence for Catalonia and the Basque Country. Back in the 90's the also Galician's did some terrorist stuff too - 3 killed by a bomb in Santiago, the week after we were there in 1990. But hitherto, I'd no idea that there were issues in Castille y León. Although it's not got violent, there is clearly a desire to not be associated with Castille per se. We have walked past literally 100's of signposts where the words "Castille y" have been painted over, leaving just "León". An even less united country than I already perceived.












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