First, a farewell to Rabanal with a gorgeous sunrise:
The scenery has suddenly changed to ferns, cows, trees:
Passed a few little towns, eating lunch on the way. This one hut/stop was actually a town, Wise Pilgrim wrote: “Manjarin wins the prize for the least inhabited inhabited town on the whole of the Camino. Exactly one person lives here year round, joined occasionally by friends and pilgrims. His name is Tomas and he holds himself to be the last of the Knights Templar. No services…
Climb up wasn’t bad, but the downhill was long and rocky so took it very slowly. This sign at the top of one downhill wrote: “a pilgrim without good humor is like the empty world.” And, really, everyone was good humored about the long trek down. I finished my book, In Love with the World by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Incredible. So many things to ponder as I walk.
This is what part of the descent looked like looking back up:
I just took it really slowly and at the bottom our whole group collected over time for lunch at an albergue run by a guy from Houston who lives there for the season, then goes back home for the winter months. It was so nice to chat with someone who spoke English, got a great salad instead of the usual meat/cheese/giant bread sandwich. And they made the best hot chocolate yet, so two more people joined me when they saw mine. The owner and I then exchanged stores about the Rice and A&M bands competing at football games. Flash from the past! There were four of us at the table with Texas roots.
Then I got to my town for the night, Molinaseca. A beautiful town. Here’s a day shot, then a night shot. Sue said it looked like Diagon Alley.
Tomorrow’s a long one, passing a town that has a castle – wish I could see, but won’t have energy probably. I’ll just admire as I pass.
Reb's Walks! 