Adventures of Lydia and Joe

Sorry, folks. No post tonight; too tired. Per FitBit we walked 17,151 steps today, much of it walking from Molinaseca to Ponferrada. Not nearly as difficult as yesterday but farther. We are happily ensconced in the Parador at Villafranca Del Bierzo, enjoying a treat. Took a taxi from Ponferrada. More tomorrow. Good night.

Morning pilgrims

Foncebadon, so near and yet so far

The Valley below us.

Color in the scrub.

Ever upward

The day started out with a plan that seemed simple enough. Yes, we know the trail from Rabanal to Foncebedon was mostly uphill. But we started earlier than yesterday and felt pretty good. After all, it was the same 5-6 km we’d been walking. So we took our suitcases down for Jacotrans to take to Molinaseca and began walking, water and protein bar in backpack. Shortly after we left town the trail started ascending and it rarely stopped. At first I was enthusiastically taking photos of our shadows, flowers, and the view into the valley. But about midway, exhaustion started to creep in. We drank water at intervals, munched on the protein bars, sat in the shade a couple of times. But it got steeper and rockier and so very difficult. My back was aching from the not very heavy back pack, sweat was dripping down my back, and the flies were relentless in buzzing about my face even with bug spray. It went from bad to worse, to a point where we finished the last of the water and the goal was still not in sight. It appeared in the distance and seemed to be an impossible 1/2 km away. I really didn’t think I’d make it. But I remembered why we’re doing this – to atone for our sins and ask God’s blessings on those we love. Somehow we made it!!! We stopped at the first decent looking cafe we found and had a much deserved ensalada mixta and macaroni bolognesa. I only had a bite of pasta, the first in many weeks. We were so hungry we ate it all up along with a ton of water. We invited some peregrines to join us and one was icing her shin. She was wondering where she could get some ibuprofen.

Just out of Rabanal

I had a litle pouch of extra strength Tylenol and offered them to her. She was so grateful. After a little rest, we asked for a taxi to take us down the hill. Apparently it’s more challenging than the uphill. But we’ll never know. Two charming hospitalieros offered to take us to Molinaseca for 20 Euros. We even stopped at the Cruz de Ferro, a tall pole with a metal cross on top where people leave stones (and their troubles behind) so I could fulfill a bucket list item and leave a stone. I forgot to bring one from home, so I picked one up at St. Michael’s Mount in Cornwall. The driver took a photo of us dropping our stone. Then we continued on down past Manjarin (great story featured in the movie “The Way”,) and several other small villages before reaching our destination, the De Floriana Hotel. It’s a giant leap up from a Refugio with a shower that has about  6 directional sprays. It felt so good to wash off all the muck from the day. After a rest, we went out into the village for a good dinner (Bacalao in a bubbling pot with potatoes and pimiento for Joe and chicken breast for me. Best part of my meal was the white asparagus at the beginning and the flan at the end.

Gaudi’s bishops palace being passed by a horde of cyclists

Another candle for Michael in Rabanal de Camino

We had our bags transported to Rabanal de Camino, a place I’ve heard of over the years as a “not to miss”. Then we took a taxi to Astorga so we could see the Bishop’s Palace designed by Gaudi as well as the beautiful cathedral. We visited the Cathedral first which has a museum so there is a charge for admission. In we went and down I went, missing a big stone step. Back pack flew one way, purse another. As I was going down I thought, “Please don’t let me break anything, especially my phone.” The only thing that was hurt was my dignity as I had to get up like an infant, rolling to my knees and pushing up with my hand. I did bruise my left knee and right wrist, but not seriously. So we carried on and had an early lunch at a cafe. As we approached the cafe, a hoarde of bicyclists road by. There were hundreds of them! People of every age in no apparent hurry. And as we were about to Sid down outside on the plaza, we noticed a small group of pilgrims clustered around someone in distress. Turns out an old man with a cane had missed the curb and fallen head first into a parked car. One person held his head and others applied gauze to his head cut. The police were there and they called an ambulance which had to come all the way from Leon to help him. Probably public services are slower because it’s Sunday. I’m so glad my fall was minor compared to his. So we ordered a small lunch that was more like tapas: croquettes of potato and cheese and tortilla espanola plus cafe. Then we were on our way walking out of town. I am embarrassed to say that so far my endurance is only 6 km. It doesn’t help that we got a late start and had the mid-day sun beating down on us. We made the 6 km to Murias de Echivaldo and called a taxi to take us the rest of the way to Rabanal. It is also a cause for humility when you whiz past people who are walking the whole way and you beat them to the albergue. We paid for a room for 4 so that we could have some privacy. It is clean and quiet. The refugio has a common room with wifi, several tables, and a fireplace. 2 bathrooms are located across the hall. There is also a small kitchen with a washer and dryer. All for 24 Euros. Now for the wow. We walked up to the Church, one of two in this very small village, and noticed a Monastery gift shop. The parish is staffed by Benedictine monks. Father Pio from Austria gave us a sello (stamp) for our credential. It was fun to tell him about our recent visit with Sally and John and show him pictures of the Monastary of Admont. Of course, he know it. I bought a little brass angel that came from Bavaria. We told him we were probably going to Vespers at the Church at 7. He asked if we were probably going or for sure going. When I said, “For sure”, he asked if I would do an English reading at the service. But of course! What an honor! So we went to a cafe for some supper, Ensalada Mixta for me (big, bright red tomatoes on fresh lettuce with slices of onion and lots of green olives) and fried pork steaks and eggs for Joe. Topped it off with a little vino tinto. We sat with some nice men from Virginia who followed my lead and had ensalada mixta also, but they included the tuna. Then I had to race up the hill to the Church to be early for Vespers. No problem. Another priest led the service which consisted of a lot of chanting of prayers and intercessions followed by a very short reading in Engish (me), French, German, and Spanish. It concluded with Benediction and the singing of Tantum Ergo. We lit a candle for Michael in front of Santiago Peregrino and said a prayer for him on our way out. Back to our Refugio to make a plan for tomorrow. I found a hotel in Molinaseca on the third try and arranged for Jacotrans to take our suitcases to the new hotel. The man actually knew my name! I guess we’re considered regular customers. When I finish writing and inserting photos, I am going to go to bed to get a much needed rest.

Albergue La Senda, Rabanal

Tylenol has become a dear friend! Tomorrow is an uphill slog to Foncebedon and then the Cruz de Ferro. I picked up a rock at the St. Michael Mount in England which I will leave at the Cruz de Ferro. (I forgot to bring one from home.) It symbolizes leaving your burdens behind and trusting in God to provide what you need. I will think of all of you and ask God to bless you and give you “enough”. I’ll have to insert more photos tomorrow. They’re taking a long time to upload.

Tomorrow’s journey

Here we are all bright eyed and bushy tailed after a good night’s sleep and a wonderful shower and small breakfast. The little tin pilgrim by the pool greets us as we walk by. We set off with a bounce in our step and uncertainty in our hearts. It’s a good clearly marked path and we walk and rest and walk and rest and (yes, Julie) hydrate. As noon approaches, I check our guide and see that Valverde de la Virgin is next and has a restaurant. So we’re ready for a good break because the guidebook says that the next town, San Miguel, only has a man who hands out candy to pilgrims as they pass. Turns out, the one restaurant we saw looked awful. So we were sure there would be another one. We keep walking, getting more and more tired. A local assuresd us there is a restaurant just ahead on the right. “Just ahead” is a relative term but it really wasn’t too far, Casa Gloria. It was a nice little restaurant with table cloths! There was no written menu and no Pilgrim’s menu but there was the ubiquitous “menu del dia”.  He started naming off dishes. Scrambled eggs and pimiento sounded good for me and ham and artichokes sounded good to Joe. Turns out those were the starters! We wound up with those starters, an ensalada mixta, and another plate for Joe with some kind of chopped beef, peppers, and French fries. Add a little wine and bread and we had quite a feast. I thought we could take a taxi about 5 km out from our destination and walk into the town.  Then we came to our senses and took a taxi all the way to our hotel in Hospital de Obrigo. We have a very nice clean room with two comfortable beds that we immediately put to good use with a two hour nap. We awoke refreshed and decided to go into town to see the ancient bridge associated with this town. It seems there was a knight who was jilted by his lady love. He decided the only way to get over her was to put on a heavy collar and joust with 200 Knights on the bridge. He did so, took off the heavy collar and went on with his life. That is why our hotel is named El Paso Honroso, the Pass of Honor. The young lady at the Reception desk provided us with a map of the town and pointed out the location of the bridge, the Church, and several restaurants. We found them all, took a photo of the bridge, has a good dinner (trout with fries for me, paella for Joe, and a shared plate of white asparagus, plus flan and ice cream, wine and bread) and finished just in time for 8 pm Mass. I didn’t remember to take a photo of our dinner until the trout was beheaded and deboned. Not very appetizing so I skipped it. Next time. There was a little general blessing for Pilgrims at the Mass. We also got a sello (a stamp) for our pilgrim credential. As we were walking back to our hotel, I saw an albergue that looked like it had things for sale.We forgot our shells at home so I bought new ones. I also learned that there is an albergue in Rabanal, our next destination, that will rent a 4 person room to us for 24 euros for just the two of us. We’ll have to share a bathroom but that’s ok. So the hospitaliero called and made the reservation for us. He was such a gentle man and assured us that even if Joe uses a machine at night he is welcome to any albergue. However, we prefer the small hotels because of privacy. When we got back to our hotel we arranged to have our luggage transported to the albergue in Rabanal. So we’re set for tomorrow. We’ll probably take a bus to Astorga and then figure out the rest to get to Rabanal. Counting on St James to help us with a plan. Julie suggested the screen shot to show you where we are right now and where we plan to go tomorrow. 

9/16. Austria to Germany to Spain to the Camino
Sally woke us up with a 15 minute warning. Thank Heaven we were nearly all packed and ready to go. It’s about a 1 hour drive to Linz station and our train departs at 6:32. We arrived to a nearly deserted train station. We found our platform, train, and car but no one was around so we didn’t know if we should just open the door ourselves or wait for the train staff or what. Finally a train person came along and he told us with gestures and German to go ahead and board. We were the only ones in the car until after the first stop. Our next anxiety is getting from the Munich Sration to the Munich airport in time for our flight. Stay tuned.

No worries! Our angels are all around and told us to get off one stop before the main Munich station, cross to the next platform and get the S8 train which would get us to the airport in about 20 minutes. One traveler even escorted us part way. We were over an hour early for our flight to Madrid. The Iberia flight was smooth and uneventful. Then a taxi to the Chamartin train station for almost the last leg of today’s journey. No problem there. A young groom to be was being feted by his friends and they celebrated all the way to Leon. Taxi to our hotel in Virgin Del Camino. A bit of supper and to bed. Sorry to be so brief, but we’re exhausted.

View from the Eisenhofer front yard

Gmunden

Gum den Rathouse

We set off for two lakes today with lots of mountains, rivers, and some charming villages on the agenda. First was Gmunden with the Traun river, lake and mountain. Its city hall is adorned with flowers and has a carrillon of bells made out of fine Austrian ceramic. The little winding streets lead to St. Christopher Church and a town gate that is marked 1278. We had lunch in a local farm where everything was sourced on the land or nearby. Joe and I had pork schnitzel and a salad. I also had a delicious tomato cream soup. We ordered a side of saurcrout just to taste it. It was good! Then off we went again to be surrounded by lakes and mountains that seemed to jump out of the land. No foothills, no warning, just land, water, and high mountain. They’re actually the beginning of the Alps, but they looked pretty high to me. Lots of mountain climbing and hang gliding. We got to Hallstatt and the Hallstatersee (lake) with its village of alpine houses that marched up the hills with no access roads. Everything must be carried up on stairs. They each had carved wooden porches with cascades of red flowers in flower boxes on each porch. There were many tourists, mainly Chinese, but also Koreans, Americans, and other Europeans. The village is so appealing that the Chinese have recreated it in China for people to visit. The area has been mined for salt for thousands of years and is still mined  today. You can tour the salt mine by riding up a gondola and then walking up a steep path. We passed! What we didn’t pass on was an ice cream Sunday. I had to order an apple strudel because I won’t see that on the menu anytime soon. After a leisurely stroll in the village and a stop to purchase a magnet for me and some salt candle holders for Sally we decided it was time to head back to pack and get ready for our travel day tomorrow. I want it known that there are no better hosts than Sally and John. They treated us royally, Sally prepared delicious meals (tortilla soup for supper tonight) , and their dog Sophie is my new best friend. Thank you, Sally. Thank you, John. And now for some photos and then to bed.

Sophie

Admont Abbey Library

Sally and John have planned our two full days together so that one day we see churches, the Benedictine Abbey with its church and library, and a non-church museum of carriages on the first day, and a trip to the local mountains and a lake for a naturalist day tomorrow. I don’t think I mentioned that Sally is a high school classmate who, with her Austrian-born husband of 52 years lives part time in La Canada, and part time in Losenstein, Austria. I was matron of honor in her wedding. Then they lived abroad for 25 years and we reconnected a few years ago. They have two adult children and 4 grandchildren. Because they lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, they have a perspective on the Muslim mind-set that is drawn from personal experience. John is also a history buff who likes to talk about history from a wholistic viewpoint. He is fascinating to talk to and learn from. We had a wonderful day together. The Admont Abbey is the largest Benedictine Abbey and its monks serve 30 local parishes. It has a beautiful church and an amazing library and museum. I’m too tired to write much more but I will add a few more photos. In addition to the Abbey, and some beautiful churches, we also drove through a National Park with a rushing whitewater river and visited Gruber’s Carriage Museum. It was an unexpededly large and beautifully restored collection of horse drawn sleds and carriages from the last 300 years including hearses, fire wagons, beer wagons, sleds for hauling enormous logs, toy sleds and carts for children and many others. There was also a huge collection of tack including bridles and halters of every description and ornaments for horses and carriages. We had lunch at the Abbey and Sally made us a delicious goulash for dinner. We are so spoiled and so blessed to have such good friends. Tomorrow a big dose of Mother Nature.

Spinach dumpling at the Abbey

Illuminated Music from the library collection

The Zurich train station is Huge! We had no idea where to go to get our train. It was late when we arrived so the information desk was closed. So we went to the ticket office were there was a long queue of people, all with problems that couln’t be resolved by buying a ticket at a machine. We were concerned because we only had so much time to make our connection. After a few prayers, others problems got solved and we were able to ask our questions. The clerk was very kind but said he didn’t know either because the platforms for that train had not been officially announced. He did have an idea and told us where it probably was. And he was right. So we get on our sleeper car and try to get bedded down as soon as possible. Our next door neighbors seemed to think they were on a “talking” car instead of a “sleeping” car, and kept me awake for a couple of hours. Joseph of the clean conscience was asleep almost immediately. Before we knew it, it was 4:30 am and time to get up. The train stopped in Linz at 5:01 precisely, and we had about 5 minutes to get off. Then we had a coffee while we waited for Sally and John to pick us up Just after 6, they rolled up as promised and we had a grand reunion. We’ve heard about their village for years and we can hardly believe we actually are here. (My English majors will have to correct the tenses; I’m tired!). It took about 45 minutes drive to get to the house and what a charming place it is. They have spared no expense in repurposing the house and updating everything. It is lovely. We are happily ensconced in our own apartment complete with sitting area, dining table, and kitchen. Having already taken a nap I can assure you it is very comfortable. Sally made us a simple breakfast of sausage and eggs and freshly baked rye bread. (OK, I had some bread; but still not pasta! And I walked over 6000 steps today.) Then we were off to their village of Losenstein. We explored the square and all the little shops and churches. We lit a candle for Michael and his family. Then we had a drive around the area. We are at the foot of the Alps. There are mountains and beautiful meadows everywhere and a beautiful river running through it. We had lunch at a little bistro where we sat outside in the barely humid comfortable weather. I would have taken a photo of the food, but we were really hungry and ate it all before I had a chance. Joe had a meatball soup and I had a carrot soup and we shared a refreshing mixed salad. Then a leisurely drive home through more beauty to take a much needed nap. Sally had prepared a chicken paprikash and fresh veggies for dinner. It was so delicious. Sally is a really good cook. After some more chat we prepared for bed. Joe’s already sawing logs and I’m not far behind.

Our train compartment

The village church

Reunion!

Montmartre

Soup d’onion

D

Dahlias in Luxembourg Park

When you wake up in Paris and you have a train to catch in the afternoon, you can’t let a perfectly good morning go to waste. After a rather puny breakfast for which we paid 7.50 euros a piece, we checked out, stored our luggage and set out for Luxembourg Gardens, one of our favorite places. We walked past the Pantheon (St. Genevieve) but did not go in because they charge admission. Many important people are buried there. The park is glorious any time of year, but right now the dahlias are in bloom along with some of the largest thistles I’ve ever seen. We strolled, we sat, we strolled some more. We remembered being here with Katherine and Chris when they were 5 and 3, floating a boat in the pond, the Punch and Judy show which the kids loved even though it was in French, Katherine’s pony ride. I haven’t mentioned how warm it is here compounded by humidity. Any semblance of fashion has fled for me as the sweat rolls into my eyes and my hair curls up in knots. Oh well. Because of the humidity we could only walk in bursts with short rest periods in between. So who had the brilliant idea that we should go on a farewell boat rise? That would be me. After all, it was all down hill. And besides, there were yellow arrows at intervals on the sidewalk guiding us, just like on the Camino de Santiago in Spain where we are headed in about a week. On the way we came upon Les Deux Magots, a cafe made famous by all the literary people who have patronized it for the last several hundred years, including Ernest Hemingway. We had a quick lunch of different kinds of omelettes and listened to a slick New Yorker try to schmooze a Brazilian lady with his many and varied accomplishments as well as his linguistic ability. When will people get it that Portuguese and Spanish are two different languages?! Somehow we made it to the boat rides do it was worth it! The Pont Neuf Navette was leaving in 10 minutes. I remember that they charged 5 euros for a 1 hour narrated tour. Now the same tour was 14 euros each! But we could sit and rest while we floated along with a breeze to cool us off. We mostly ignored the narrative and reminisced about other times on this tour – with the Villegas clan, with the Kisers, with the Gutmanns. I love this boat ride! We were able to get a cab quite easily. He transported us back to our hotel and waited while we grabbed our bags. Then off to the Gare de Lyon and this train. We had to wait for almost two hours and the heat and humidity were making it hard to breathe or think. Happily there was a piano available for anyone who wanted to play, and a young man distracted us from our discomforts by his charming tunes. Now we’re nearly to Zurich where we will change trains for Linz. Tomorrow, Sally and John. Can’t wait!