Foncebadón to El Acebo

June 3rd - Foncebadón to El Acebo
Hmm - we seem to be getting into a pattern- one good sleep, one lousy sleep, one good sleep and last night - one lousy one!
We stayed at  El Convento in Foncebadón and the rooms are all downstairs, not exactly in the basement but it does kind of feel that way. Our room was small and interestingly had an Italian couple, a Mexican couple, a Hungarian couple, a Dutch couple and us. Quite an international group to sleep together! Everyone behaved themselves reasonably well - only a couple of light snorers. But the beds were uncomfortable and the room airless and somehow with everyone getting up to pee at least once a night it made for a difficult night.  I was on an upper bunk of a very narrow bed without a ladder so getting up and down was quite a challenge but eventually I figured out a way to do it without maiming myself. The Hungarian guy kept offering to lift me down but his wife looked lighter than I am so I declined. He was a strong looking man though so might have actually managed it without collapsing!

The way today was equally beautiful as we crossed the hills climbing up to about 1530 meters for the first third of the day. And today was the day where we came to the Cruz de Ferro. This is a spot where long ago the Celts left offerings to the gods to ask for their assistance in getting them through the upcoming terrain where they were apparently in danger of being attacked. After the territory became Christian, the church put up a cross since people still wanted to leave stones for the gods. The spot has become symbolic for pilgrims who carry a stone for themselves and/or others from home and leave under the iron cross as a symbol of putting down their burdens so they can move to a better or happier place in their lives. As a symbolic act, many of us take it very seriously and leave our rocks with tears and determination to leave things behind.

As we started downhill the path became very rough and hard for many people - especially those who were in a hurry to put on a lot of kilometers. It's a day I love but as I listen to many others I hear that they don't.  We are staying at an albergue at the Meson El Acebo and are washed, our clothes have been washed and have dried in the sun and we've been fed. Now for a good sleep I hope.