DAY 24 To Riego de Ambrose

We left Rabanal in full rain gear.  The weather service forecast rain for pretty much all day.  They are idiots, not one drop.  I felt as though I was walking in a sauna.  I quickly shed the pants.  Vic doesn't seem to mind them as long as it isn't hot out.

The walk started with a 377 meter (1,236 feet) ascent to Cruz de Ferro.  We then descended 607 meters (1,991 feet) to Riego de Ambrose.  We walked in the mountains all day.  The views were incredible.

We walked first to Foncebadon.  Stopped and ate at the Tienda Bar.  They charged $4.90 for two fried eggs and sent them out to me with a burnt black bottom.  No way Jose, I'm not sucking those eggs down!  I sent them back.  They cooked me some fresh ones that weren't burnt.  The cook came out with the burnt eggs I had sent back and ate them across the table in front of me, glaring the whole time.  What's up with that?  I took the high road and told him buenos Dias on the way out.  I would encourage everyone to eat before getting to Foncebadon.

We continued on up to Cruz de Ferro, the highest point on the Camino at 1,528 meters(5,013 feet).  This was supposed to be a special place where pilgrims leave a rock or item they have carried with them on their Camino.  The rock is symbolic of the burdens they leave behind there.  Cruz de Ferro is not special!  It has become just another crowded tourist photo op on the Camino.  I observed no prayer, reverence, meditation, spirituality, or emotional thought.  The behavior there reminded me of monkeys chasing tossed peanuts at the zoo.  My sincere apologies to the monkeys.

We walked on to Manjarin, a one-man village with a primitive Albergue.  We then walked next to the snow covered north face of the mountains next to us. It was cool and cool at the same time.  Some people chose to walk the highway.  I told Vic she could walk it and I would take the paths.  She walked with me and was rewarded with both naturally beautiful views and foot pain.  The rocks were often large and loose. Making for a somewhat more challenging descent.  We planned to stop at El Acebo but instead blew through there like a May tornado in Oklahoma.

We found a Pension (like a very small hotel) that had four rooms to rent.  They had one with a private bath for €40 and threw in 2 cold beers as a welcome beverage.  What can I say, she "had us at hello."  We met the oldest person in their family, she is 100 years of age.  They treated us well and we both recommend Pension Riego to all weary peregrinos.

Tomorrow we will arrive in Ponferrada.