Our trip back home started today. We caught an early train out of Santiago this morning and changed at Ourense for a train to Astorga. In Santiago they confiscated my Swiss Army Knife which was a bit unnecessary. I’d done my research about pen knives on trains before we left the UK and had concluded that they were OK as long as they didn’t have a lockable blade. Clearly, this is not the case on Renfe trains where there’s also a blade length restriction. We’ve travelled on several Renfe trains already on this trip with no problem. And ironically, if the pen knife had been in my pocket I would have been fine. They only scanned bags not people. Anyway this negative experience was completely washed away on arrival in Astorga where we received a very warm welcome from John and Annie who whisked us off for a coffee opposite the cathedral.
From the coffee shop we had this view of another cathedral right next door to the first one, designed and built by Gaudi. Sadly we didn’t have time to look around.
John, Annie and friends/relations have integrated themselves into a rural community, taking on derelict stone buildings with no roofs and making them beautiful. We were given this one for the night.
John took us on a walking tour of the area and their animals and explained how things had changed over the years. Last year they got close to having to evacuate because of the fires that swept across northern Spain.
For the builders amongst you, they have a different approach to tiling the ridges of roofs here.
In the evening we were joined by a handful of John and Annie’s friends for a great meal and conversation in the local “pub” where John snapped this photo.
This was a highlight of our trip. Thank you John, Annie and friends. We’ll be back! Astorga is a possible starting point for the French Camino (just saying).
Annie is off on a short trip to the UK so we’re expecting to be able to return some of the tremendous hospitality next week!
