Day 21 - Heading into Astorga

Our private room  at San Martin del Camino was such a luxury. (We no longer need to worry about bringing ten friends home with us so that we can sleep through the night.). The usual exit by 8 am rule still applied. 

The breakfast was typical, cold toast and coffee.  The broken coffee machine meant that we had "instant coffee" which tasted shocking compared to our usual Spanish coffee. All of the pilgrims are very tired of bread. It comes with every meal and even as a side dish with sandwiches! At breakfast it seems like last night's supper.  But we can always find a bonus on the Camino. Our treat was homemade apple butter which we slathered on our toast. 

As Ada's foot was still bothering her we opted to take a bus into Astorga. About six pilgrims met at the bus stop in front of the Municipal Alberge. As we waited, we watched a local baker deliver her loaves of bread across the highway in a wheelbarrow.

The bus trip took only twenty minutes. The bus dropped us at the terminal in the city centre near the cathedral. We went into the Gaudi Hotel for cafe con leche while waiting for the tourist visitor centre to open. There is lots to see in Astorga. Many pilgrims get to see very little due to time constraints as they follow the suggested stages of the Camino Frances to Santiago. 

We were advised that the cathedral was open for Mass until 10:30, so we could tour it for free.  Any more masses and we will be converted by the time we get back.  We visited the Gaudi museum and it was impressive both inside and out.  It houses a large collection of pilgrim artifacts.  

We met another pilgrim who avoided carrying a backpack by booking "Benito", a donkey Sherpa.

The backpack does feel very heavy at the end of the day.

We walked the Roman wall and viewed the remnants of a Roman aristocratic house which had thermal baths (hot and cold).  The early Roman sewer system from Astvrica Avgvsta is connected to the current system in Astorga today.  

In the Plaza Mayor we saw the town clock with costumed characters which gong the appropriate time.  We had lunch in the Plaza and when we requested a red and white wine to go with our salads the waiter brought us a bottle of each! It was at least 27 degrees in the shade today and the forecast as we head to the mountains tomorrow is predicting thunder and lightning.