Today was another long, 20-kilometer walk, but we dragged our feet, getting started late.
Today’s path was steadily uphill, but the ascent was so gradual we hardly noticed. We followed a gravel path surrounded by lavender and yellow bushes.
At one point, we met a French man named Kristof. He offered to push the stroller for awhile, and we walked in companionable silence, he not speaking English and us not speaking French. When we thanked him, he explained to us in French that he is named after St. Christopher, the patron saint of travels.
We took our time today, stopping for coffee and food in every town along the way. Addie found a little stray cat outside one of the cafes and she almost convinced us to bring the kitten along as our new camino companion. Addie loves cats, but this was the first cat to love her back. She cuddled this mangy little kitten with little squeals of “oh, sweetheart!“
We stopped at a guesthouse about a kilometer before Rabanal del Camino. We had an entire cabin to ourselves, with a kitchen and a living room with a wood-burning fireplace.
The owner drove Sandra and a few other guests into town for groceries, and we cooked rice and veggies. We were so happy to be able to eat some veggies and a non-fried meal. After over a month away, we loved cooking our own food, chopping vegetables and waiting for our food to be ready. It was the best meal of the Camino in our minds.
We wish we had more time in our little cottage. It is so far off the beaten path, a place we’d never visit if not for the Camino, and it is a beautiful little place.
Tomorrow is a short walk, as we are taking a taxi down the difficult descent into Molinaseca. So, we will sleep in a little and take our time to enjoy this quaint cottage.
It was so nice to meet you and the beautiful Maddy and Eloise. I hope our paths will cross again. You are an amazing family
So nice to meet you, too! I’m sure we will meet again along the way!
What a sweet little place. You never know what lies off the beaten path until you find it and to have it be a good place is just really special. Tell Addie, Molly the cat is waiting for her. (Run, Molly run). Just for fun, there is a snowfall warning for the mountains here, just in time for the May long weekend. So enjoy your summery days on the trail.