After our usual breakfast of toast and coffee we headed into more rolling, scrubby farm land. The first job of the day was to play with calves. The farmer gave us the ok and we spent a good bit of time petting and watching them awkwardly bounce around their pens. It was so much fun. Nothing cuter in the world than a baby animal and we have been so happy to see babies everywhere on our journey.

The path meandered up and down and finally came to this man selling refreshments. We had watermelon and a cookie. Good thing because the walk into Astorga was much longer and harder than it looked and I had yet another cathedral to see before lunch.

Alexandra and I were the only one in the Astorga Cathedral. If you look closely you can see her hugging the pillar. They are massive, reminding me of the great pillars at Karnak in Egypt. The Retalbo was beautiful with several smaller ones in the surrounding chapels, gold, gold and more gold.

After a quick snack we went to see the Gaudi Castle next door to the cathedral. Gaudi, the famed Spanish architect, designed it to be a house for the Bishop but was never lived in and other designers finished it. Whimsical inside and out, it has a beautiful chapel and Camino artifacts.

Finally it was time for lunch and we wanted pasta and salad. That was a lot of walking and sightseeing on our tiny breakfast and snack. The portions were so big that we took the leftovers with us for supper. Then to the local chocolate and pasty shop where we were gifted some extra treats because we were on our way to Santiago.

Another nice but cold Albergue was only 6km down the road. It had a washer and dryer and one room with real heat. Alexandra went to bed early in all her clothes, sleeping bag and two heavy blankets, warm at last.

Just two more weeks and 300 Km left to go before the grand finale in Santiago. Both of us agree that it has gone by so fast. So we will savor all the adventures we have left. I’m sure it will involve more baby animals if Alexandra has her way and I’m ready for more churches.