Day XX: Astorga -> Rabanal; 12.9mi.

🛏:

Albergue Gaucelmo, donativo €. This albergue is owned by the Confraternity of St James (in England) and managed by English volunteers (“hospitaleros”) who come for sixteen days at a time. It’s a “donativo albergue,” which means you pay whatever you’re able or what you feel is reasonable.

I began our trek today disproportionally ecstatic about our guide books’ indication that we would be passing a ‘Cowboy Bar’ today. It’s probably all of the old school country music I’ve been listening to.

Since we put in significantly heavy mileage at the beginning of our trip in an attempt to “stay on track,” we’re now definitely on track and are able to slow down a bit, cut down on mileage and enjoy the towns we’re staying in and passing through a little bit more. After lunch at the Cowboy Bar and passing a road side crochet stand (if you know me, you know how fitting this was), we ended up in one of my new favorite towns with the majority of the afternoon remaining.

We checked into our albergue, which we intentionally chose because of our guidebooks mention of an “afternoon tea” and then we wandered down the street to a quaint shop that advertised smoothies. I’ve been craving a smoothie recently and it didn’t disappoint. We spent an hour tanning, reading, journaling and sharing our love with the dogs and cats that approached us in welcomed abundance before walking back up the hill to attend tea.

“I’m so excited!” I squeaked as I walked into the cozy common area where the tea was being prepared. “It’s just tea,” one of the two kind hospitaleros said in an attempt to ensure my unexpected enthusiasm was in check. “I know .. it doesn’t take much to excite me,” I said. Honestly, it was equal parts excitement about the tea as it was to not be walking and have spare energy mid-afternoon.

After spending some time by the fire after tea time, I wandered across the street to the monastery for vespers. I haven’t been to anything like that since I lived in Seattle. It was beautiful and just as entrancing as I remembered.

🎒:

I was instructed to take a whistle along on this trip. In-tune with my bringing sentimental objects when possible trend, I opted to bring this. It was my grandpas. My dad thinks it was his old police whistle. But regardless of its exact story, it was my grandpas. I think it’s the sole item I brought that I haven’t “had to” use yet, which I count as a good thing.

🎧:

I’ve been on a several month long Goo Goo Dolls kick, with no sign of an ending anytime soon.

“All the talk and all the likes were all the empty things disguised as me.” (Sympathy)