Day 19 Sunday 13 May Mothers Day NZ
20 kms 249 up. 245 down
A great day cold, with light frost in gullies. Clear skies, cool windy and sunny most of the day.

Up and away by 7:30 then stopped for breakfast at an Irish cafe at the end of town. Poor coffee good omelette, mini croissant and a banana 6 E. Quite dear really. The manager was more interested in talking about meditation and fabulous music evenings than providing great food and coffee. Has been banned in the village from putting up posters so rides round on her bicycle drumming up customers.

Left finally at 8:00 and got to the albergue by 2:00pm so 3.3 km per hour including breaks. Which is around what we budget. Was great to catch up with all my children. I love you all and it is good to hear from you.

The walking was good. Cold enough to keep up a good pace. Passed many windmills for generating electricity and saw more in al directions. On a high table land where a thick dark grass is the main crop which I think is bailed as some was windrowed. No stock at all. Cuckoos back as there is wild scrub land stunted trees and some taller trees about. Heaps of mounds of rocks some older and some relatively new.

Hontanas was very pretty but unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures phone was flat. Love my power bank was up and snapping by the time we got to St Anton. A ruin of a monastery but with heaps still standing. Then a few kms on the road into Our destination. Always takes a long time when you can see the village on a long approach.

In a huge room with big rafters see photo. I have finished the book The Reason You Are Alive by Matthew Quick which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately the only swap I could make is Ken Follets The Pillars of the Earth. It is about the building of a cathedral and I think I will like it but it weighs 3-4 times the other book I think I may have to throw away all read bits if I am to carry it. I find that hard to write. I love books. Write tomorrow, ciao.