Day 19 - Astorga to Foncebadōn

I like the mountains.
When I first started I hated them, especially the ones that went in the direction of up (which seemed to be most)
But now I love them. You get the best view of where you have been and where you are going. The scenery changes constantly and you see more wildlife and plants. Ok, it hurts a bit and you sweat a lot but it really is worth it.

At midday I stopped just before Foncebadōn where I will stay for the night. It was about 1450m altitude, a little below Cruz de Ferro, nobody else was around because they all stopped at Rabanal (the guide book end for the day) I saw a bench in the shade of a lovely tree and decided I would stop for some lunch. A bag of olives, a ham and cheese pastry thing and an ice cold bottle of Aquarius that I bought in Rabanal. Fantastic; I sat in the shade with my boots and socks off and listened to the lack of humans and their noise. Birds, crickets, cicadas, sheep and their bells, frogs in the stone water trough, an eagle somewhere overhead and a wolf in the distance. (Ok it was probably a big dog) Then I heard some rustling nearby and thought was a lizard but it was furry like a mole. I am not sure what it was but there is a photo below.

Overheard during breakfast in the cafe this morning between two American women who had met previously.
Woman 1 : "Where is your friend who you were walking with?"
Woman 2 : "She came on the Camino to meet a man, and she found one"
Woman 1 : "She was stupid enough to join up with a man who was stupid enough to go on the Camino?"
Woman 2 : "Yes, that's her!"

Some photos -