Foncebadón

We were in high spirits today as we walked into the Cantabrian Mountains, the steady climb was a welcome change from the flat, open Meseta. We took lunch in Rabanal del Camino, the Maragato village Tom stayed in ten years ago, and met a fun couple from New Zealand who told us to let them know if we ever made it out their way.

Afterwards, we pushed on to the desolate and wild feeling Foncebadón. Tucked into the mountainside, and along a Roman road, it is the place where Paolo Coelho describes wrestling a large, black dog in his book, The Camino. While we did encounter seemingly ownerless dogs on the way here today, they seemed to overcome by the heat to bother with any pilgrims.

We stayed at the Monte Irago albergue, described in the book with these descriptors "vegetarian options, fireplace, moderate hippie vibe, yoga" ... I would say all of this is accurate except "moderate". Within the first hour of arriving, we met two yoga instructors and a reiki master.Read more