Monday, May 30, 2011

Rabanal del Camino

After a good night´s sleep in Astorga, we had one important task that morning to complete in order start our day off on the right foot. Specifically, a few of our brave pilgrims needed to tend to the impossibly huge blisters on their well-traveled feet. Luckily, a medical professional was staying at our albergue, and he dutifully tended to Gabrielle, Ada, Ellen, and Nadege. We later learned his name was Juan, and he had been walking the camino from Paris, France. We also learned that not only was he a medic, but specifically a coroner! Nadege quipped that it was a perfect situation because we all look half-dead by then anyway.

Once healed and revived by the coroner, we began the 22km walk from Astorga to Rabanal del Camino. The walk itself was pleasant with the wild flowers growing and the mountain range in the distance, where you could even spot some snow on various mountain tops. The incline was gradual, but Allison, Melanie, and I noticed that the uphill walk actually helped limber up our sore leg muscles. We reached Rabanal in good time and arrived at our albergue, which I have to mention now bears the same name as my host mother from Granada - Pilar! This was fitting as I was scheduled to present on Rabanal later that afternoon. But first, we showered ourselves, washed our clothes, and switched our hiking boots for flip flops. Ah, the perfect way to spend a relaxing afternoon in the courtyard of the albergue.

Before I get into the history of the Rabanal (brief, but oh so fascinating!) I would like to document that we are now at the point of our camino that we are beginning to recoginize other pilgrims along the way. Juan, our coroner and savior, was also staying at the Albergue el Pilar, and Dr. Gyug and I saw two of the Italians we met at in San Martin eating on a bench in Rabanal. Our Fordham community is growing into the community of the road that we had only read about before in our textbooks.

Another welcome member to the group was the ADORABLE puppy living in the Albergue, named Dani. That dog, let me tell you, is living quite the idyllic life in Rabanal. She travels from table to table, where pilgrims pet her and feed her, having succombed to her puppy-eyed charm.

The time had come for my presentation, and I decided to test out the traditional Rose Hill Society technique of tour guides. Namely, I walked backwards while giving my tour, which is not as nearly as easy as it sounds! The history of Rabal dates back to the Roman era, when the Romans had gold mines in Fucarona that connected to canals leading all the way to Rabanal, some of which are still visible to this day. In the 12th century, the Knights Templar held a military base there meant to protect the pilgrims passing through Monte Irago to Ponferrada. Now, the town the contues to be a safe haven for pilgrims stopping along the way to Santiago.

The monuments in Rabanal include the Hostal de San Gregorio and the church Santa Maria de la Asunción. The first is a resting place for peregrinos and is known for housing the priest, poet, and pilgrim, Aymery Picaud, in the 12 c. The second is a church built in the late 12th century in the Romanesque style characterized by the rounded arches along the entrance and the ceiling. It has undergone a few changes during the 18th and 19th century, but only for remodeling/restoration purposes.

Later that evening a few from our group went to the vespers at the Santa Maria de la Asunción, where we recited prayers in Latin and received a pilgrim´s blessing.

Thankful for a safe arrival in Rabanal, we fearless pilgrims will rest up tonight for our walk tomorrow to Molinaseca. Hopefully, Vinny won´t be the first to die in our nightly game of mafia - it would be a shame if he didn´t make it to Cruz de Ferro.

Buen Camino!

- MK

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