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On the Camino de Santiago, Day 23: Of tiny towns, wonderful naps and dreamlike ice cream bars

 
Published July 30, 2017

Day 23: Murias de Rechivaldo to Foncebadon: 20.8 km, 6 hours. Total for Days 1-23 = 541 km (336 miles)

I am craving small towns with no more than two bars, one small shop that doesn't open until 8:00 and lots of dogs running in the streets. I arrived in Foncebadón and found just that.

After a quick lunch with a friend, Mantas, we both went back to our albergues for a nap, agreeing to meet afterwards. I wasn't entirely sure how he would reach me since he wasn't staying at my albergue and wouldn't be able to access the rooms, but I was too tired to give it any more thought.

I always sleep well in the afternoons (there typically isn't much snoring or stirring). My dreams were vivid, but fleeting. They must have been happy, because I was later told that I was smiling and softly agreeing with something in my sleep.

I was half awake, half asleep when the door abruptly opened and the hospitalero called out "Kelly? Kelly!" Not completely registering everything, I sat right up and was told that my friend was here for me.

Mantas was waiting for me with two white chocolate and vanilla ice cream bars. Was I still dreaming? This was too good to be true! Only on the Camino would a friend of two days greet you with ice cream after a midday nap! The rest of the evening was equally as good as my post-nap ice cream.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

It felt good walking only with my shadow today.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

It felt good walking only with my shadow today.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Pilgrims on horseback.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Pilgrims on horseback.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Cowboy Bar in El Ganso

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Cowboy Bar in El Ganso

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

The bartender kept offering to put whiskey in everyone's drinks.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Cowboy Kelly!

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

The bartender kept offering to put whiskey in everyone's drinks.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Cowboy Kelly!

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

A well-stocked tienda (store) on the left and a beautiful, green garden on the right.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

A well-stocked tienda (store) on the left and a beautiful, green garden on the right.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

A perfect spot to stop for lunch.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

A perfect spot to stop for lunch.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Lunch!

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Lunch!

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Finally back in the woods and up into the mountains. My body is ready for some climbing!

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Finally back in the woods and up into the mountains. My body is ready for some climbing!

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

A section of my walk today looked and smelled as if it had recently burned.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

A section of my walk today looked and smelled as if it had recently burned.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Foncebadón, Spain.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Foncebadón, Spain.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

A delicious second lunch/early dinner.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

A delicious second lunch/early dinner.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

This tiny white cat was timidly asking for a bit of our food. Mantas asked fellow pilgrim Kathy for some food so he could feed the cat.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

This tiny white cat was timidly asking for a bit of our food. Mantas asked fellow pilgrim Kathy for some food so he could feed the cat.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

A classy snack of crushed up chips wrapped in meat.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

A classy snack of crushed up chips wrapped in meat.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

A rocky, dusty street running through the tiny town of Foncebadón.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

A rocky, dusty street running through the tiny town of Foncebadón.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Sheep grazing at sundown.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Sheep grazing at sundown.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Sheep grazing at sundown.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Sheep grazing at sundown.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Side two of my Camino passport, after 23 days.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

Side two of my Camino passport, after 23 days.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

The stamp for Convento de Foncebadón, my albergue for the night.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi – Special to the Times

The stamp for Convento de Foncebadón, my albergue for the night.

Kelly Osborne-Rozgonyi, 29, of St. Petersburg, FL., is a teacher at Country Day School in Largo, FL. She is currently in Europe walking the 500-mile Camino De Santiago. She is sending the Times a daily blog post about her solo journey, which is expected to last 33 days, ending on August 4, 2017. You can e-mail Kelly at kellys2017camino@gmail.com, though you might not hear back until after she returns.

Read the post for Day 24 of Kelly's Camino.