Cruz Ferro "Iron Cross "

I awoke to rain thundering on the roof of our albergue. It seemed like a good day to stay in bed or maybe sit and drink coffee. I certainly didn't want to be climbing a steep, slippery, rocky path up a mountain in the dark and pouring rain. So, we delayed our start until about 8:45 after a big down burst of rain. Our timing was exquisite, we were free of rain until after the Cruz Ferro. My rain gear did create a personal sauna again, so I stripped or added layers all day long. 

It was a steep 6km hike to the town of Foncebadon. This town used to be known for its pack of wild dogs that would attack the pilgrims. Both Shirley Maclaine and Paolo Coelho in their books  write about encounters with viscous dogs. I am relieved that that is no longer the case there. The town felt a little creepy in the stormy weather, but we had a nice cup of coffee at an Albergue with a bit of a hippie vibe. 

The Camino continued straight uphill. I was overcome with emotion and cried my way up the 2km to the Iron Cross. I had pictured that point on the Camino for so long and it seemed amazing to finally be there. I felt so grateful to be alive and climbing mountains. Pilgrims bring stones from home or from somewhere in their journey and leave them there at the cross. I brought a rock heart that I had been given on my pilgrimage to Israel. I also had a small rock from my friend Patti and a puzzle square from my brother. I placed them all at the base of the cross, wiped my tears and took some photos. Afterwards I felt ready for a nap, but we had 12km of mountain hiking still to go.