Day 21: San Martin to Astorga

Left nice and early. 2 euro wine is definitely not my friend. Met an old guy at a fuente in a forest. He was gas, I think get was just a local who had cycled out there and was waiting for peregrinos to stop by so he could have a chat :) Emilio. He took a picture with us and we had to give him the dos besos and we were off again. We stopped for penny sweets in the town before Astorga. We were like kids! Astorga is a lovely little city. It's amazing how some places give you a bad feeling and you can be in other places a few minutes and instantly feel that you like it. Well, this city is famous for chocolate so really, what's not to like :) The cathedral here is beautiful and next to it is a building designed by Gaudi. There is a similar one in Leon. It looks like the castle that you see at the start of Disney films. I was knackered, didn't even have the energy to shower, passed out for an hour and woke up as stiff as a plank. Won't be doing that again. Went for lovely dinner and watched the Spain vs USA basketball final. Bought some chocolate :) Went to the plaza. The old people here are very sociable- all sitting around or walking around the plaza. And they are usually very glam and well put together. Bed early.

Day 20: Leon and San Martin

Slept out! Didn't leave Leon till about half 8. The yellow arrows - that we follow everywhere- lead us around the sights we had visited last night in our choo choo.... Anyway, quite a slow day. Heat kept us quiet and thinking away to ourselves. Met Sonia and our Italian buddy. Not a very nice town but had a spectacular sunset and a 2 euro bottle of wine with Sonia. All the Italians think that they are speaking Spanish. We haven't a clue. On our way down to the shop some Spanish cyclists stopped us for directions to the hostel and we were chit chatting away and on of them goes- "how many days have you been walking now?" Us: "18". Spanaird: "Wow, mucha crema!!" As in, ye are so white :) Feckers.

Day 19: El Burgo Ranero to Leon

Poor Maura was a bit traumatised from waking up in the middle of the night to a cat sitting on the floor staring at her but we did sleep. But, with all the creams we have been putting on she decided to leave out her contacts. So there we were, at half four in the morning, herself blind and I wrecked, chomping away on the driest loaf of bread imaginable, under the stars, bricking it! It was cool though, trains passing in the distance, shooting stars- although it was all a blur to Maura :) we eventually came to a village but everything was still closed so by the time we got around to having breakfast we were starved. 2 coffees, toast, a croissant and a kit kat later we were out the road again. Met sonia somewhere along the road and we landed in Leon at about 2 o clock. Sonia was staying with a friend of hers and Maura and myself got a pension - one room with two beds all to ourselves... Luxury. The landlady even washed our clothes for us. Inside in the room I said to Maura, "there is an awful smell of smoke in here". Later, when we went out to see the place- it transpired that the town hall, on the street adjacent to us, was actually on fire! Mental. We went up to see the cathedral. Not as spectacular as Burgos on the outside and we weren't allowed in because there was a wedding on. The stained glass inside is meant to be lovely- better than the Harry Clarke's?
I'm not sure. Anyway, we were so knocked, we went on the tourist choo-choo thing. We were moving!!! Without using out feet!! Amazing. I hope that wasn't cheating. We decided to go out for a proper real dinner and then we had to go to the farmacia for supplies. We had to a bit of blister surgery and between the lot we didn't get to bed till about quarter to 12. Lights out in the albergues is usually half 10 :)

Day 18: Moratinos to El Burgo Ranero

Got to Sahagun today, the official half way point of the Camino. I never thought we would get there :) Heat was unreal today. Stopped in for coffee and the news was on. Where we were was in the orange alert zone (better than red, I suppose!) and a doctor came on advising people to stay out of the sun and avoid physical exercise. Lovely! It was properly hot, the kind of hot- we discovered later- that dries out your mouth to the point that it's hard to swallow. But that only happens if you run out of water. And we never be that stupid... Cough. I was never so happy to see the town!! It was lovely hostel too with a big garden and a kitchen so we were able to cook away. We decided that we would have to get up really early to avoid getting fried again so we were on bed for 8. Sonia said that she came in later and everyone was flaking around, packing bags, talking, getting ready and that we didn't even twitch... Absolutely unconscious!

Day 16: Fromista to Carrion de los Condes

Nice walk today. The time goes differently and the walking doesn't seem at all as hard. Got to Carrion. Went to stay with the nuns. Woke up with bites yesterday, not sure whether it was mozzies or chinches (bed bugs...ew) but we had to go through the rigmarole of putting every stitch of clothing into the washing machine, going down to the super for black bags and bug spray, putting the boots in one, the backpack in another and my clothes, after they had dried, in a third; spraying the crap out of them all with the spray before leaving them all tied up and out in the sun. Dose. Had a sing song with the nuns and the rest of the people in the hostel and then we went to Mass. Had a blessing after. Priest spoke very good English except for, "You can come up one by one and I will put my hands IN your head" :) Priceless.

Day 22: Astorga to Foncebadon

Beautiful walk today. Things are starting to get green again. I think the legs are on autopilot now at this stage. We had today's stage done in no time. So we decided to go up the hill a little further. So we are staying in a tiny village up a mountain. Views are amazing. Tomorrow is Cruz de Ferro, the highest point on the Camino. Traditionally, people carry stones from the place where they start and leave them here. Maura has a couple. We should get there at sunrise tomorrow which should be nice. Quite cold up here. Sat out for a while to see if I could get rid of my Camino tan and now I have a white handprint on my red back where I tried to put on suncream :) ah well, at least I saved the part where the straps will be sitting!

Day 14: Burgos to Hontanas

Left hostel early. Most of the morning with sonia talking about why we are here and what the camino is or what it can give us. Or what doing a pilgrimage does for us. What is the act of pilgrimage. Stopped after first 10km for breakfast. Met an actual shepherd! Entered the Meseta. Lots of fields, nothing around for miles. Stopped again for picnic at the 20k mark. Met a guy from Cordoba who was averaging 60k a day. Talked to him with sonia for most of the way in. Hontanas is lovely little village that just appeared out of nowhere. Went into one hostel but left. Other hostel was a million times better. Went for food. 30k is a lot. Tired feet. Went for a siesta. Woke up feeling way worse :) mapped out our route and days. In bed. It's 8.30 p.m.