Tuesday, October 6 (just in case I mess up the posting date again)
From Rabanal -- We went down for breakfast -- typical breakfast for Spain -- bread or a sweet roll and coffee. But we were also able to get some cheese.
The temp was high 60s to low 70s -- we started about 9:45 am and it was off to climb to one of the high points on the Camino. The terrain and trail changed dramatically. It was a very hard walk for me today. The trail was dirt, but very rocky, full of sharp stones, huge slabs of slate to walk on or over or around. The trail was mostly a descent. We made it to the village of Foncebadon -- I tried to use the internet connection at the albergue (pilgrim accommodation -- dromitory style) but it was hopeless. More coffee. Then off again.
At the pass over Monte Irago, there is an iron cross and traditionally pilgrims take a stone and leave it at the cross. We made it to the pass, and there was a huge mound of stones around the cross. I climbed up a bit to toss my stone to the top (leaving the stone is symbolic of leaving my sins there at the pass and traveling with less negative spiritual baggage to Santiago), when I was startled by a figure coming toward from the other side talking into her cell phone! John and I had to laugh at the incongruity of it all!
So far, the trail had been good. And I had had a chance to look more at the flora and the insects! So here is my naturalist´s moment:
scrub oak, wild blackberries (pretty sweet), yarrow, mountain ash, a purple flower like a crocus but growing up out of the ground without leaves -- we later found out this is wild saffron! The insects are fascinating, too -- lots of flies, grass hoppers, ants, and dung beetles. So amazing to watch one rolling a little ball of dung -- ah, those Egyptians with the scarab beetle rolling the sun across the sky!
Made it into Molinaseca just fine!
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