May 1

Hospital de Orbigo to El Gamso 31 km. This day took me across the rest of the meseta to the edge of the first line of mountains leading into Galicia. The highlight was midday in Asturga, arriving on a Sunday at the center city as mass let out. Crowds filled the square while I drank coffee, watched pilgrims, locals dressed in traditional clothing, and assorted other passersby while the city bells chimed. Sometimes there is nothing better than a quiet cup of coffee on a city square where everyone moves at an unhurried pace. Visited the Gaudi mansion/castle and the cathedral then headed back out on the plain, trying to get a reasonable number of kilometers in. Arrived late afternoon at El Gamso to discover a Galician proprietor of the Albergue playing the banjo. Learning I was American and from the Appalachian mountains, he pressed me to play. I could only convince him with some difficulty that I was entirely unmusical. Rudy trailed through a little later, so he, Gloria, and I had a mediocre perigrinos dinner at the local market, planned the next day and retired early, but not before watching the sunset over the range that is tomorrow’s goal.

T. Hugh Crawford