Today (9-23-13) I finally made it to this iconic spit on El Camino de Santiago. It was a little anti- climatic por que I inadvertently took a detour & missed it. Only when my path crossed other pilgrims & I could ask “Did I miss the Cruz de Ferro?” Was I able to retrace (400 meters) & place those stones I’ve carried from all over NYS! The rest of the day was eventful, so I’ll save that for another post.
El Ganso is described as “a hauntingly crumbling village” and one of several semi-abandoned Maragato villages in the mountains of this region. The stork nest too is abandoned now, at least until next spring.
This clock is atop the city hall building (I think) in Astorga. On the hour the two figures strike the bell. A bit a “coo-coo clock”. Very cool. When I heard it, I was on my way to buy lettuce & tomatoes for a dinner with an Australian family ( I crossed over the Pyrenees with them 3 weeks ago.) they’re cooking dinner at their Albergue & I joined them for el primerio plata.
This is an image from my room at The Hostal Peseta in Astorga. I think is reflects how this is really a First World country, for all it’s antiquities, look at all the antennae for wifi & communications. Plus, the air conditioners & other utilities.
A woman from Ireland tok my photo here ( in San Justo Vega, near Astorga). When we exchanged names she smiled & said her maternal grandmother’s maiden name was “McCarron.” She encouraged me to look on-line for the “McCarron” website, based in Donegal, Ireland. So, my Canadian cousins by the dozens, ever heard of that site? By the way, I have never heard of St. Toribio either!
This was taken 2 days ago with a famous statue in front of the Parador Hotel in León as we were headed there for their (fabulous) breakfast buffet.
Walked to Villar de Mazarife (pop. 400) today, but I am staying at a Casa Rural in nearby Villavante. Nice sign, eh?
