Day 23: Part of someone else's story

Dear traveler, 

I enjoyed very much this place where we slept. So much that this morning we enjoyed our breakfast a bit longer than usual. 

But now, the time has come to discover other places, so we started off on the path that leaves the village.

A few sleepy heads are sharing the path with us. It's too early to be in the mood for chatting. Honestly, as weird as it sounds, I'm not in the mood either. 

On our way, we find a farm and from after the fence, some calves are calling me to pet them. 

They're probably amused by my outfit, but there's nothing I can do. In the morning, Mornings are quite cold.

-"Mooooo." 

-"Yes, I think you're cute too!"

The orange path walks us up and down a sandy hill, along bonsai like trees and green and yellow fields. 

-"Mamarmot, these yellow fields remind me of something, but about what?"

-"Marmot, this is rapeseed, it blooms in our country during springtime too and we always seek it for pictures."

This was it!

The pilgrims continue to walk fast past us, when from behind, we hear a voice saying:

-"Greetings, friends from Romania."

A pilgrim smiles back at us from under his long hair. He's got quite a small backpack for a pilgrim and he doesn't seem to wear the usual hiking gear.

-"Hello!"

-"I heard you talking in Romanian. I'm happy to meet Romanians along the way. And a family, well, it's the first time I see one! Well done!"

-"We're happy to meet you too", says Mamarmot.

-"Oh well, I must carry on my way. But just so you know, I'm writing a book about this journey and most likely you'll be a part of it. Buen Camino!"

How nice, I would be very curious to read this book! Especially since I'll be a part of it.

The hill starts to incline a bit and I start to loose my patience too.

I don't need to complain too much until I end up on dad's shoulders. On the top of the hill, we are welcomed by a small resting area, created especially for pilgrims. Here, a very nice person prepared fruit, one more delicious than the other, for the pilgrims that arrive here exhausted after the climb.

-"I'm so exhausted I can't move anymore", I whisper to a giant strawberry while I take a craving bite of it.

The strawberry has a fast effect on me, as now I feel I have enough energy. Even for one hill or two. 

I was right, as we have two more hills to go until we reach a small lookout over a city. 

-"What city is this, Mamarmot?"

-"Marmot, it's Astorga. The city we went last time, by bus."

How cool! We are finally, again, back here!

The statue of a pilgrim points our direction.

Astorga awaits us much more sunnier than last time. I notice known places - a big backpack at the entrance of a store, the castle of the chocolate museum and the coffee shop where last time Mamarmot was very sad. I'm happy to be here again, all happy.

I can't leave without tasting something sweet from the city of chocolate. Now, going forward. 

The trail becomes more and more wild and the sun makes me remove some layers. 

We enter a small village with walls, knocked down by time and weather.

There is not much around here. But if we find an albergue, it should be enough for us. 

We find our perfect little place. A bed hidden under some stairs, a small kitchen where we can play some card games during dinner and a courtyard where we could enjoy the afternoon sun. 

And if it couldn't get better than that, this place is full of cats. Two are sleeping under the sun, one is under the kitchen table, another sits in the hamper from the bathroom, another one is strolling on the fence. This is the best place!

We enjoy the rest of the day without having too much to do. 

In our bed under the stairway, we stay for a few card matches and then we get ready for bed. I think it's the first time all three of us manage to tuck in one bed. 

Maybe I walked too much today or it's from how much we ran around cats, but I feel sleepy. In my mind comes the story of a Camino pilgrim,. That pilgrim is actually me. And I'm not only the pilgrim in my story. I'm also a part of someone else's story.