Rabanal del camino–18:17

The first turn I took this morning was wrong, and I went a about 45 minutes into beautiful woods along a magnificent stream. It was raining harder by the minute. After turning around back into Villaviciosa, I caught a glorious bus just in the nick of time to Gijón where there are no albergues…. Darn, I’m in a hotel.

The features image shows a symbol ☣ that is NOT for the Camino, but some other local hike. Good to know.

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At the point where the Primitivo splits from the Norte, I briefly remembered last night’s talk with a French woman who has walked many different routes over the past 10 years. She thought I could and should do it. So I became part of the 25% turning left.  And then I went up and then down into Valdedios to see the monastery and then straight up to see the same monastery from what the guidebook calls a hilltop (translation: punishingly hard place to get to). Rain, chills, mud, but … quite nice really. I am the only one in a beautiful, new, municipal albergue in Palo de Siero.

Bercianos

“Your up and your down and your up and your down,” goes Moby as I try to keep up with Brendan, a cop from Australia, doing pause pushups.

Peony

Marilyn Chin

Why must I tell you this story, O little one
You’re just a bud-of-a-girl, who knows nothing

Now you are full-faced, bright as sun
Now you open your skirts pink, layered, brazen

Suffering is alchemy, change is God
Now you droop your head, heavy with rust

Sit, contemplate, what did Buddha say?
Old age, sickness, death, no one owns eternity

Detach, detach, look away from the sun
Let your petals fall aimlessly

Don’t despair, little one, we are done

23 KM today.

The first 15 KM were in the rain and mud, but the smell reminded me of Seattle! The rain was so nice to feel on my face in the place of sweat. The terrain was pretty flat and I could have kept going, but there is also a beautiful Swedish man staying here so atleast ill have something to look at :).

Rainy wet day. Stuck to my minimum mileage. Feeling good. No pain at all.

Mansilla de Las Mulas

Albergue Gaia

One of the nicer Albergues on this trip

Heat, hot showers, clean bunks – 5 Euro

And the newest pair of rain pants were a dud, sweet.

Leaving sahagún in the morning, going to see how far we can make it today. Excited to get to Leon.