After a train ride over the mountains from Basque country and across the Meseta (high plains), we woke in Astorga to cold pounding rain. So we did what any tough, determined pilgrim would do: took advantage of the warm bed, a hot shower, and lingering breakfast of tortilla de patata and pan chocolat with cafe con leche. Then we toured Gaudi's palace with amazing stonework, a thousand years of religious art, and then the old stuff -- roman stone art, celtic pottery, "modern" human arrow points, and old Neandertal stone axes and spear points. We put on all our gear and headed out into the continuing rain to start the climb from the plains toward celtic Galicia. But first we pass through the wild open hill land of the Maragatos. Famed as horsemen and muleteers who could transport wheat or a king's gold across the mountains ahead, recent DNA research shows the Maragatos are descended from local Neolithic people mixed with the north-African Berbers who likely brought them horse culture. Wild and independent, they still occupy this rugged open land.
After a long gorgeous wet and windy climb, late in the day, we came to the village of Santa Catalina de Somoza, with curved stone walls shining in the rain, and a warm fire within -- we are grateful!
After a long gorgeous wet and windy climb, late in the day, we came to the village of Santa Catalina de Somoza, with curved stone walls shining in the rain, and a warm fire within -- we are grateful!
