Day 9: Leon to Rabanal

Well as we managed to sleep most of yesterday, i thought today was going to be more of a challenge than it was. The rest day obviously did us some good!

So we are sat here in a lovely relaxed mountain village, beer in hand, reflecting on the days challenege.

Last night after we had been blessed as pilgrims we went for an italian dinner. This is where we had another international language barrier issue....

Sarah asked "los banos, por favour" (the toilets please)
Barman "outside"

So sarah came back outside very confused and still needing the loo.

Two minutes later the same barman came out with 2 beers..... (dos cervezas)

Not quite sure Sarah's spanish is being understood by the locals. Still at least when riding today we have a new phrase for needing the loo...."two beers"

So, we left Leon at 7am this morning, hoping to avoid the heat....however the opposite was true, it was 6 degrees and bloody freezing.

It took 2 hrs of riding before we managed to remove our waterproofs. We made great time through the last of the industrial flat lands, with a few climbs before the cathedral city of Astorga.

We stopped for our lunch break and stretches. This included THE best hot chocolate known to man/woman, it was pure liquid chocolate. I think Sarah is a little annoyed that I did not inform her these existed before today.

Still after this we then knew we had 20km of climbing to end the day. Here the landscape changed again, we are entering the final mountains of the trip, and its nice to see some green plants.

We climbed through several sleepy little villages on the way, passing many Camino tourists taking photos and smiling (the pseudo pilgrims). You can tell the people who are doing the route in proper style as they either have the classic "pilgrim hobble" or the even more distinctive "pilgrim tan". Travelling east to west means one side of you gets scorched while the other just singed.

Tonight we are going to see some Monks sing vespers in latin, however I will be disappointed if there is not some Monty Python flagilation as well.

Tomorrow is another day of climbs but we are in good shape (or at least sarah is still cycling) and we will be another moutain range and into Galacia. I am not sure either of us want it to be over so soon.

For the post box game fans out there, I am sad to report that Sarah has won the Spanish leg of the game. Meaning that we are going to have to go to Italy in the spring to decide who is the international champion after i won the French leg.

James quote of the day.

"God opposes the proud but favours the humble"

There is a difference between proud and pride, something you are reminded of at the end of each day.