We are reunited at Astorga!

From now on there will be 2 stories to tell - Amr’s camino day, and my bus experience. I have to say I was a little nervous at first, as I realise I usually depend on Amr to do the talking, so probably good to be forced to be independent! Anyway, for me all was good - once we looked at the map we realised how the road and bus route went, and Amr walked me to the bus stop (short walk) and set off walking at about 9.30…later than normal for walkers, and from now on he will be earlier. My bus was supposed to arrive just after 10, but one sailed past (? not in service), and another turned off before my stop…wondered if I was in the right place, but all was well, after 10 minutes a third one came heading for Astorga - cost €1.55, a bit cheaper than a taxi! Got here about 11, a really cold day again - 4° early, and rose to 11° by then…again, glad of layers.

Checked into hotel (their computer knew my passport from last time!), room ready by 1pm and bags arrived while is was there. So I set off walking round this lovely little walled city, high on a hill. It has a chocolate factory and is famous for it, also some special pastries. Many churches, and of course an enormous cathedral. The main plaza looks like it is being set up for a huge chess tournament. I walked along the walls in a park area, and there were some ominous clouds flying overhead even though mostly sunny in Astorga…poor Amr texted to say there was a storm right over the camino, and I could see where a cloud was doing that…the hardships of being a pilgrim! Back to hotel and got room key, relaxed and waited for Amr who arrived a close to 2.30.

So, Amr’s story - he says it was fairly boring countryside at first, but improves as you approach Astorga. Then they had the rain…and even hail! He says about 40 minutes of rain with 20 mins of hail…just small, not worrisome, but a pity for his first day back walking…he met up with Antony, the Oz doctor - who we’d also seen briefly at breakfast, we seem to be on the same schedule, but am sure he’ll be ahead soon. It was fun being able to see his location on the app, but for ages it kept saying he was 5 kms away, prob as the crow flies.

Sunny here by the time he arrived, though we had a short shower too, and amazing to reunite, even though that sounds a bit silly! After a bit of unwinding, we went and shared a salad for lunch, and did more walking round the town, and visited the cathedral at a very good time when there were not many visitors…late-ish afternoon.

Now back from dinner..no photos because we ate before thinking of it! But again Antony walked into our hotel and was wanting dinner - a typical Astorga dish, which was what Amr was planning…called Cocido Maragota - a quite heavy dish that comes in 3 “courses”…the first is a collection of boiled meats with potatoes, then a plate of chickpeas and cabbage and then washed down with a broth! Antony joined us and both the boys loved it. I had a garlic soup with bread and an egg yolk in it and very flavoursome, then ashamed to say a vegetable lasagna (was desperate for veges)…it was delicious but could only eat barely half. So all content and ready for bed.Read more