Day 2.6/35: May 3, 2017 San Martín del Camino to Astorga

Astorga, Spain


May 3, 2017
Astorga

27.8km; 6:42hr; 41100 steps; 233m elevation gain

Well, it was another great day on the Camino. We started out early, passing a couple more Meseta towns, with their requisite, identical church towers and storks. Spirits were high as we finally approach the foothills of the Cantabrian Mountains.

The last major Meseta town is Hospital de Órbigo. Coming into town we pass over the famous and ancient Roman bridge with 23 arches. This is where a heartbroken knight took on all comers, defeating them to cure his broken heart, then taking a pilgrimage to Santiago. In the busy summer months, there is a sort of perpetual renaissance fair here to commemorate the event. The real celebration I think is the end of the Meseta. After this town, there is a sharply demarcated beginning of a hill. I know it doesn't sound like much, but after walking across 150 miles of flat, it's a huge relief.

  

From here there are rolling hills until you come to a vantage point with the first view of Astorga and the mountains that we will climb on the next day. Astorga's cathedral is another achitchtural wonder, but distinctly odd. The entrance façade is decorated with dramatic relief sculptures. Typically cathedrals will display happy scenes of the nativity, or Mary-themed art on the Eastern (entrance) façade, and something more somber such as the passion/resurrection, or last judgment on the West near the alter. Here at the entrance we were greeted with Christ whipping the money-lenders in the temple, and the stoning of an adulteress. ************* or uplifting themes for a cathedral.

Continuing this odd theme, next to the cathedral there is a prison cell with a publicly accessible window. This is where "fallen women" were imprisoned. Pilgrims traditionally passed food through the window and contemplated the inscription above the door: "Remember how I was judged for your judgment will be the same. Yesterday to me, today to you".

On that happy note, modern pilgrims move on down the list of local tourist attractions to visit the chocolate museum and have a beer in front of Gaudi's Palacio. Most go to bed early and rest in anticipation of a long hard day tomorrow.

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