Day 13 Astorga - Foncebadón: Just Got Real Now It's All Uphill

Astorga Cathedral - Start of My Day

Praying for Strength

And bringing chocolate.... One of the important things for a Pilgrim to remember is that Saint James' bones have been at rest for centuries. They will wait another day or two for your Santiago arrival. I was a day ahead of schedule and thought about taking an extra day in Astorga. I balanced that against my admittedly aggressive schedule over the potentially dangerous mountain passes and decided to press onward.

To give you some perspective on how others have noted the terrain on today's journey I offer a document dating from 1790:

The nature of the landscape is extremely rough and fearsome, and then from nearly the first of September until the end of May the pass is closed. The neighboring villages put up cairns to mark the route and if this is not sufficient, they dedicate themselves to guide, accompany, house and thaw out the poor pilgrims who insist on going to Galicia.

My trepidation was a bit justified as you can see. I decided against spending the extra day in Astorga in case I needed the extra day to get over the mountain but did not did rush out of town before stopping to visit the Cathedral. I prayed for strength and safe passage. Above all else, I knew I was divinely protected on my Camino but practically speaking I knew that no mortal soul had a "Get Out of Jail Free" card against gross stupidity. It was January and I diligently checked the weather before I proceeded into the eerily foggy day.

Entering Valdeviejas (Valley of The Old Women)

Change is the New Paradigm

The landscape, climate and townscape all changed kilometer by kilometer today.  Perhaps the greatest change is the village architecture. The villages are now made of stone with roofs of locally mined slate or even thatch.

Frost begins above Valdeviejas

Fog and cool temperatures gradually give way to freezing temperatures and frost on the foliage. That foliage is more alpine and soon will give way to scrub bush as each step brings a gain in altitude. There is other change as well; positive change. I am feeling unexpected but welcome energy off the charts as I climb. I guess wine, good chocolate and prayer are the answers to all Camino needs.

Flecha (Arrow) pointing to Rabanel del Camino

Where I Need to Be

Like many Pilgrims before me, I started my journey with a detailed plan on an Excel spreadsheet. This plan included daily destinations, daily & accumulated distances as well as sunrise & sunset. I however have learned a very valuable life lesson through international travel, trekking and endurance racing adventures that things rarely go to plan and that is not only OK but very good. And so it is with The Camino. I learned it will take you where you need to be which is not necessarily the same place as where you planned to go.

Walking into my planned destination of Rabanel

I originally planned to go to Rabanel del Camino. I arrived at Rabanel when a trekking day typically ends and I was looking forward to getting my back pack and hiking boots off. Rabanel did not greet me as expected though. I encountered a deer carcas in the open picked clean by either a pack of wolves or wild dogs as I entered the village which was made all the more ominous with the thick foreboding fog. I entered the village and also found no sign of life. There was no cafe, no bar or no albergue welcoming me out of the cold and the territory of the whatever devoured that deer.

The Flecha (Arrow) led me where I needed to be - Foncebadon

I clearly felt the energy was screaming at me to move on but that choice was not without its risks either. I would chance being high on the side of the mountain in the dark and all the danger that represented. I would chance running into whatever picked that deer apart.






I walked onward still with the knowledge this was the right choice and possessing immense energy reserves. The Divine was letting me know I was needed in the next village of Foncebadon and not the Templar village of Rabanel. I left and headed up the mountain trail. What I found were very clear signs that God and His Angels were with me on this adventure. I also would find an answer to one of the spiritual matters put forth for my Camino.

A Very Clear Angelic Sign

Eric is Most Definitely Not Alone

I made my way up the mountain as the sun began to wane. To my grand surprise, I saw something that left me speechless. It was a beautiful and assuring Angelic message. I came upon an unattended table with painted rocks and a box that said "Donativo" (Donation). Yes, I found it a bit odd to see this out in the middle of nowhere so I naturally went to take a peak. On this small table in a place it should not be - the remote mountain wilderness of Northwestern Spain - was a painted rock with my name on it. What was so amazing about that you ask? "Eric" has no Spanish etymology.  Keep in mind that the name "Eric" is of Scandinavian origin, so there's not even a Spanish equivalent. And here in a region where few if anybody spoke any English was a rock with my name on it. There was no other non-Spanish name on the table. This very much out of place painted rock was an Angelic message and I felt an immense presence of overwhelming love. I was innately confident I was on a journey I was truly divinely called to do. I knew I was absolutely not alone on it either. I left €2 and collected my spiritual token which I would carry with me for the remainder of my journey.

Field of Crosses on Camino de Santiago

Answer to a Spiritual Matter

Soon after this I was blown away once again by the Divine realm. I was suffering from a damaged marriage and sought prayerful guidance for direction on my Camino. I loved this woman deeply and felt very strongly about honoring my marital vows having already stood by her side through absolute hell.

The Angels Answered my Question

She is a wonderful and kind person who is struggling with her demons. We all are. I have deep compassion for her as she bravely goes through her challenges. This was on my mind as I climbed. I came through a field of crosses and then upon this. The Camino brings you to where you need to be and I needed to see and internalize this on the mountain that day. Whatever happens in this life crossroad I will strive to rejoice in the choice. I felt a great deal of comfort and love as I moved onward and upward.

The view was beautiful near Foncebadon

And a Glorious Sunset

I truly felt close to the Divine as I climbed upward. I had been in deep fog throughout the day. Eventually I would go above the cloud line and was treated to the most glorious sunset amid snow capped mountain peaks. I would not have enjoyed this had I gone where I wanted to go. The Camino brings you where you need to be.

Dalmatian greeted me as I entered Foncebadon

Followed by a Dog Sign

After a final climb I reached Foncebadon. Foncebadon is a very small village that is largely in ruins today. It is important because it is the closest village to one of the most important points on the Camino, El Cruz de Fierro. I will explain its significance when I reach it tomorrow. My Guardian Angel explained to me that dogs are very important messengers in my life. Dalmatians are especially important to me as I have two very special Dalmatian souls in my life in Beethoven ('94 - '08) and Suzy Q ('06 -  ). I saw a Dalmatian as I entered Foncebadon. I saw a Dalmatian as I left Burgos. I knew this would be a special place on my Camino. The Camino brings you where you need to be.

The Wonderful Albergue Monte Irago

Where Will I Sleep?

It was dark and I had trekked 7 km /  4.5 mi more than planned through difficult terrain. I really needed to find a place. I had heard of a hostel in Foncebadon so I looked for it. I did find it up a dark & lonely dirt road. There was an elderly couple who looked startled and not too happy to see me. "Cerrado, Cerrado..." (Closed) they exclaimed and asked me to leave. I came across the only other place where I saw smoke arising from a chimney.

I received a hearty and warm welcome from the man and woman at the Foncebadon Albergue Monte Irago and saw a sign "Abierto todo el ano" (Open All Year). Bruce Springsteen was playing and their fire was quite welcoming. What more could a pilgrim want? The man bid me good night and was on his way. As the only guest, I got that and much more. This would be one of my favorite places on my El Camino.

I got my belongings situated and my Pilgrim credential stamped and was offered some delicious tapas of Spanish cured ham, olives, cheese and a wonderful house made wine. I introduced myself to the woman. Her name was Katia. She was Austrian and actually spoke English fluently. I had not encountered a fluent English speaker in a week. Katia also rarely met English speaking people. It also did not hurt that she was very beautiful. We would click.

The wine flowed freely and the fire burned brightly. I was also offered a delicious meal of pork, eggs and a salad. The house made bread was also simply sublime. With my stomach full I was ready to enjoy more wine and good conversation by the fireplace with this woman who I would soon find to be quite amazing.

Bruce Springsteen with The Seeger Sessions Band was playing. Katia asked me about the geography and meaning of the songs "Erie Canal" and  "Old Dan Tucker". Being that I was from the Midwestern USA and born in the Southeastern USA and currently into some excellent wine I gladly regaled her with stories of both songs. Yes, I was wishing to impress and made sure to explain things from the perspective of someone who had little knowledge of US music or history.

I then wanted to know her story. It seems she up and decided to walk from her home near Salzburg, Austria to Santiago de Compostela and then onward to Finisterre. This is a distance of some 2250 km / 1400 mi. She then intended to walk back but was called to stay for awhile and volunteer in Foncebadon. Like me, she too was at a crossroad in her life. She was unsure what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She impressed me as an intelligent and mature old soul. I assured her she was where she needed to be right now and she should be confident that she will end up in the right place in her life. 

We stayed up until 1am talking about life. I also shared my story about how I came to the Camino and what I hoped to find out there.

It is said that the Camino offers all who walk it the opportunity for a love affair and it is up to each whether they take it or not. I will admit I felt an inexplicable deep connection to Katia and ended up thinking about her well after I left Foncebadon. Absolutely nothing romantic happened that night but I wondered if that indeed was the love affair the Camino offered me.

The Camino took me where I needed to be.

My Tunes for the Day

This album is pure gold and will forever remind me of the wonderful night I spent on the eve before I would go to the Cruz de Fierro.