Day 20 and others of the Camino

Lunch in a grove of trees

 We are on day 20 of the Camino. It has been an intense few days of walking after Astorga because we entered the mountains. Jess and I are obviously girls who have lived too long on a flat, flat island with no elevation and vegetation. The first few days of the Spanish plains we were in awe of the green fields and wild flowers.When we entered the mountains it was like two guajiras (ie hicks) entering a city. As we ascended we kept oohhing and ahhing and pointing out to each other the green and purple covered peaks and towns tucked into the mountains. We also took way too many pictures of ourselves with either a mountain background or with wild bushes and flowers. Our mountain walk was arduous, especially with our heavy packs full of food but it was possibly the most pleasant walk I have ever taken. The scenery was beautiful, the weather was crisp with fresh mountain air scented by mountain rosemary and these bushes with white flowers that line the whole path. 

New Friends eating lunch

The first day we walked from Astorga toFoncebadon, an abandoned town on the top of a mountain. From there we walked to a large city in the mountains called Ponferrada. Yesterday, in an attempt to cut off 7km from today's walk which included walking up a mountain,  we trudged 30km to a tiny town called Pereje, where the albergue only slept 30 people and the house was built a few centuries ago, as evidenced by the original stone walls. 

Today was even harder than the last few days, but we climbed a mountain with an elevation of 900m and entered  the state of Galicia. 

Tim the South African and Jess

More important than the walking, Jess and I wanted to prove on the blog that we talk to other people on the camino and have made friends. We have walked for the last two days with a very clever and funny South African called Tim. A great part of the camino is talking in depth with people from different countries and cultures. We have been lucky to be walking at the same pace as many interesting people and finally we have pictures to prove 

it. 

Our wounds have healed for the most part. We are healthy and happy and will be in Santiago de Compostela on Sunday June 3rd. We are not sure what we are doing after that, but we will find a way to spend our time and pictures will be posted. 

For the entomologist

Hens in the city

First mountain view

Mountain rosemary

Spanish Suburbs outside of Astorga

Stork nest in Villafranca

Jess and Tim navigating out of Villafranca

View of Villafranca

Cows blocking the path in Galicia

Forest path