Hola dear friends.  This evening finds me in Rabanal del Camino a 

lovely little village about 8 kilometers from La Cruz de Ferro which 

is the highest point on the Camino and the place where everyone 

places their stones. I am staying in an alburgue run by the London 

based confraternity of  St James called Gaucelmo and it is a very 

healing place.  It is beautiful  and quiet with an herb garden and 

orchard   I just met a husband and wife from England who came to 

give the garden a face lift.  Alot of  these alburgues are run by 

volunteers who come for 2 weeks or longer. The hospitaleros that 

are here for these 3 weeks are delightful and we had tea at 5.  I 

was thrilled. There is a couple here from New Mexico traveling with 

their 2 year old daughter Pasquale and their 9 year old som Mateo 

or Teo for short as he informed me.  Earlier he was in the library 

doing his homework. Ah even homework needs to be done on the Camino. 

Pasquale and I bonded over making chocolate bisquit sandwiches for 

tea and she is quite a delight. Toby the mother was another Camino 

angel who gave me more good advice for my pesky blisters that involved 

a foot  soak in vinegar and salt to help dry them out. I am entering 

the mountains and the terrain is changing from flat scrub to pine 

and forest. Every day the scenery changes sometimes more drastically 

than others so i am grateful my cold is moving on because I so look 

forward to smelling the forest and it is very sad when your taste is 

gone with your smell.  As I sit here writing there is a blazing fire 

in the fireplace. Yes you didi read that right a fire in the fireplace. 

Tea in the  herb garden and fire in the fireplace. I am blessed and 

content. Not sure where  I will be tomorrow Gerri mentioned a great 

alburgue in Molinaseca but it might be further than I want to walk. 

I will see tomorrow.  Time to go to the pilgrims mass and blessing. 

Love and light to you all. Camille in and on the Camino  embrace the 

day love to you dear ones