Astorga - Day 27 - Rest Day

I have to be brief as I have spent far too long today posting blogs.

Yesterday as a treat, we checked into the Hotel Astur, a three star hotel which is on the Plaza Major. We join the Camino Frances route when we walk tomorrow and it will be a different experience. We are all wondering if the busy route, thick with Peregrinos will be a rude awakening. We shall see. More on that In a later blog for sure!

After a leisurely breakfast we went sightseeing. There was a museum, a cathedral and a Gaudi designed castle to see and the city itself. This walled city has record of Peregrinos passing through for centuries.

 

 

Looking back from our approach of yesterday.

Peregrinos at rest after a hard morning of sightseeing.

This is the Plaza Major in Astorga. Our hotel is on the right. Yesterday at the sidewalk cafe outside the hotel, Barb and Ian enjoyed the Spanish version of a margarita, which (initially at least) consisted of about 3 ounces of tequila. After further discussion with the waiter some ice and some lemonade was also provided. Here we were ordering a drink from the waitress who was dressed up for the fiesta that would be held in the afternoon.

The most interesting building was the town hall, which featured a man and a woman who sounded the gong on the hour, quarter and half hours. I will try to upload. You tube and post as an addendum. I am not sure my connection has enough band width.

 

Time to go and find my companeros. Ian was off to have an hour at the spa (yes, spa!) and Barb is napping and I have been inside the courtyard of the hotel blogging for far too long! I need to go out and enjoy what is left of my rest day. The weather has cooled off somewhat and it is cloudy and very humid, so it wouldn't surprise me if we were in for rain. Guess there is no escaping it. I was told yesterday that Galacia, which is where we are heading, gets 300 days of rain a year!

Hasta luego amigos!