What a difference a day makes. Yesterday was about 22km, a couple of small hills, but we arrived in Astorga a bit shattered after seeming to struggle with every step. Today was the same distance, a slight but steady climb all the way, probably less interesting than yesterday but we enjoyed every minute. What’s up?

We awoke to the plaza being set up with vans, trailers, tables, awnings etc for the Tuesday market. All the bar and restaurant tables, chairs and umbrellas had been moved out last night. I would liked to have stayed a couple of hours to watch from our balcony the set up and the market get under way.

We had breakfast with Trish and she is now over her foot issues and was feeling very happy and confident. We absorbed all her good vibes. The walk out of Astorga was lovely and cool, and quickly started the long slow climb we had all day. Mainly through what we would call scrubland, lots of broom and small scruffy trees.

Ahead of us and to the left was a mountain range with a little bit of snow left on the higher slopes. We will be crossing these mountains for the next few days. I think the mountains were helping make us feel so good after the flatness of the meseta. Near lunch time we stopped at the very, very sweet village of Santa Catalina de Somoza for a Zumo naranja, freshly squeezed orange juice, nectar from God. Some of the villages have the suffix Somoza which means under the mountains

While there we met Victoria and Craig who we hadn’t seen for a few days. They had a rest day in Astorga so were looking bright as a button. Picked up a whole bunch of good vibrations from them. Mind you they are always happy and positive – allowing for Craig’s very dry sense of humour.

An hour further on we also stopped in El Ganso which has a kitsch cowboy bar complete with guy in costume playing a banjo. He looked like Liberace wearing a sombrero. He didn’t want to be photographed, maybe he was too embarrassed. We went into what was signposted as a supermercado but turned out to be a bit of hippy heaven. Lots of lovely natural food, handmade trinkets, etc. Barbara bought a little scallop shell pendant, unbelievably made in Espagne, not China.

We ate under the shade of their verandah. The table next to us was covered in a log cabin quilt and hanging from the beam was a little timber hanging sculpture exactly like I make from driftwood at home. More feel good factor.

Apart from the cowboy bar and hippie heaven, El Ganso is a hauntingly crumbling village of collapsing thatch cottages. The first of a few we will pass through in the lonely mountains. These are semi-abandoned Maragota villages. Maragatos rang the bells at the Astorga town hall. Remember? Hope you’ve been paying attention.

Before we left home we had read the Camino in spring is the time for wild flowers. We had no idea what this really meant. I may have mentioned flowers before and maybe included a few in photos. Since St Jean we must have seen 100 different kinds of flowers, half we could recognise and half are completely new. For anyone interested in flora the Camino is the path to heaven. Now that we are getting into the mountains there is a whole new range of sub alpine plants to admire.

Near the end of the day we crossed a modest little bridge over a cool mountain stream. At first the stream looked as though it had islands of snow but looking closer it was thousands of tiny daisies. By now the scrub had changed to oak and pine forest. At the bridge was a tent shelter and a guy dressed in a medieval knight’s costume. On his shoulder was a hawk or a harrier. He was from the Asociacion Gaudisse who do charitable work to assist children. You could get a sello, stamp, for your Pilgrim’s Passport if you wished.

Which reminds me. Trish told us that this Saturday there is to be a jousting tournament at the Puenta de Orbigo we passed over yesterday. We saw the wooden lists, palisade and a spectator gallery on the grass beside the bridge and wondered if something was up. What a sight it would be to cross the bridge with a tournament happening alongside.

Tomorrow is one of our biggest days. 32 km and we climb to the highest point on the Camino at 1,515m. We will be tired peregrinos tomorrow night but hopefully it will be as good a day as today.

Of course today’s Ipod tune has to be The Beach Boys: Good Vibrations.

I’m pickin’ up good vibrations
She’s givin’ me excitation
Good, good, good vibrations.