Day 21–to Acebo—a day of pain and pleasure—May 12, 2024

I started out from Santa Catalina de Somoza just about dawn at 6:30 AM just as the sun was coming up.

It was a gradual climb up From 3,000 feet up to Rabanal del Camino at 3.900 feet, and on the way, the scenery began to change to forests from endless farmlands.

People place these rocks with sayings all along the Camino Santiago, and this was in the woods.

Now the vegetation changes to heather and scotch broom.  Notice the snow capped mountains in the distance.

This forest was not a plantation of trees like earlier, but just random looking trees and some look like they had effects of a forest fire.

In some places, the trail was overgrown with Scotch broom, and the trail became rougher and rockier as we approached Rabanal del Camino.

In this town, it took a bit of checking before. I finally got my eggs and bacon with OJ and coffee breakfast at the Tesin Café around 10 AM.

At about noon, I got to the next town of Foncebadon where I stopped for some more orange juice and watched a bus unload bunch of tourists who had day packs. They began  to walk from there to the next mountain top so they could get a taste of what it was like to walk the Camino Santiago— about 5 km.

From there, it was a continued climb up until we reached this trailer serving up goodies and drinks so I stopped for some hot chocolate where Mariano caught up with me we talked for a bit and then I left while he was enjoying his drink and talking to other pilgrims.

I then reached the summit and the Cruz de Ferro at 4,900 feet. This is where the bus load of tourists had arrived and were waiting for their tour bus.

I then dropped down to what looked like an abandoned town called Manjarin.

The trail began to get very rocky as I approached the second summit called Punto Alto at 5,400 feet. Just small cairns marked this summit.

I took out my trekking poles for the first time since my first two days when I crossed the Pyrenees from St Jean Pied de Port, France.

It was then a very steep descent all the way to my stop for the night at Acebo, some 6 km away.  I was very cautious to not fall, twist my ankle, or damage my repaired knee.  By the time I got to Acebo, my arms were sore from having to balance on them on the way down. It was brutal.

I was so glad to finally see the rooftops of the Acebo village.

I was hoping to stay in the center of Village, but there weren’t any vacancies so I ended up at the end of town in a brand new albergue called la Casa del Peregrino and it was brand new.

After staying here, I was really glad that nothing was available elsewhere in town. This has got to be the Cadillac of all albergues. I got a dorm room with four bunks and I got the bottom bunk bed and it was right next to the bathroom, which was convenient for my frequent visits at night—the shower water was hot and plentiful provided I kept elbow pushing the timed faucet that they seem to have at many albergues.

It was just €12 to stay in the bunk and another €15 for a fabulous pilgrim set meal which consist of French onion soup, fillet of cod, smothered with pesto and an array of steamed vegetables—bottles of red wine were included for those that wanted it. Finally,  to top it off, was cream Brûlé or strawberries and cream for dessert.

I also got a one hour massage for just €50 plus a tip from an Indian fellow that slathered me with oil and gave me a double time massage that worked out all the kinks and aches and pains I had.

It was truly a wonderful experience.