Day 34: Santa Catalina to Foncebadón

After a night of not much sleep (except for the snorers, who slept great 🫩), we were ready to go early this morning. Even though we only got a few hours of sleep, we agreed that La Boheme was a pretty cool place. The owner, David, has been building the place for almost 10 years, and he runs it single-handedly. I was pretty impressed with his operation and appreciated his generosity.
Our 16 km walk was really nice today. We started before the sun rose and enjoyed the glorious sky as it changed colors with the rising sun. We walked the first few kilometers near the road, then the trail veered off through the forest for most of the morning. We had a steady incline for about 10-12 kilometers, and tonight we are at 4500 feet in elevation. We are in a little mountain village tonight in a nice albergue with a private room and shared bathroom. After last night, we feel like we’re at the Ritz. 🤣 We had another really good communal dinner tonight with our table mates from England, France, Korea, Germany, and Denmark.
Tomorrow morning we will walk to the Cruz de Ferro, or iron cross, the highest point on the Camino Francés at almost 5000 feet. For hundreds of years, pilgrims have brought a stone from their home or elsewhere to leave at this sacred spot, symbolizing the laying down of burdens, a special prayer or intention, or whatever is on their heart. I’ve brought an agate from Unga, near Sand Point, and will leave it at the iron cross tomorrow.Read more