Today, just as I was leaving Granja de Moreruela, I came upon, which was for me, one of the most important points on this journey. Here the VDLP continues north until it reaches Astorga and then merges with the Camino Frances. The other part of this juncture is the beginning of the Camino Sanabres which heads west then north to Santiago. If you look at my post of April 3 you can see a map showing where the route takes a decided left turn. Camino Sanabres keeps the tenor and tint of the VLDP, while heading north puts you onto the densely travelled and far more active Camino Frances. As much as I loved the Camino Frances, this pilgrimage is entirely different and I wanted to keep that vibe all the way into Santiago. The other reason this point is special to me is it represents a pretty decent accomplishment. I’ve been walking for a month. I’ve covered over 400 miles or 2/3rds of my journey and have about 2 weeks left of walking - the end is in sight. However, for quite some time we’ve been getting pretty strong winds and some formidable gusts all coming from the west. So, today as I turned onto Camino Sanabres I had to lean into an incredibly strong headwind. I’ll just have to wait to see what tomorrow brings.

The place I stayed at last night is brand new and trying to go upscale (very pricey but the only reservation I could get). This shot pictures Alejandro, my private chef, preparing my breakfast in the inn’s kitchen. Scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit, pastries and coffee all for 8 Euros. I got started a little later than usual. It was nice to luxuriate in high comfort and be waited on before I hefted my 20 lb. pack and started the day’s journey.

Sign marking the split

There she is! Finally

The old and the new. I suspect it’s used for cold storage.

A small church which some town folks had just locked up as I came by. They agreed to unlock it and give me a few minutes inside.