Mazariff to Astorga day 23

A good start to a new day on the Camino with clean clothes and breakfast while watching the storks. I felt refreshed and in good form the longest stretch from Mazariff to the Roman city of Astorga just over 31 km away.
In another  coincidence that has become habitual I met K from Leeds at the intersection of the Roman and the scenic route and we walked into Hospital de Orbigo where the village was preparing for a reenactment of a medieval jousting event. Hopefully unrelated to the morning’s drama in Mazariff where the two horses had apparently absconded from their overnight field. S was distraught and we all promised to look out for them. Social media has not yet reported on the outcome. 
I left K to have his second breakfast and I continued stopping briefly half way for coffee and tortilla. The weather was confusing in the afternoon alternating between cold showers and hot sunshine. By 26km I was beginning to watch the distance, and restored to counting – 650 steps equal one kilometre. Then amazingly an apparition appeared that was indeed real, this magnificent table of delights in the middle of no where. I feasted on nectarine, cherries and an enormous slice of watermelon, and marvelled at the unexpected encounter. I hope I donated appropriately.
Five kilometres later and I was in Astorga, in a delightful pension overlooking one of the town’s squares. I’m just back from a pilgrim supper with two new companions  K from Edinburgh and A from Vancouver Island. Interesting conversation on the definition of a pilgrim, shedding what is no longer useful, and the dilemma about storks and the damage their nests can cause to ancient buildings. The Spanish government allow a maximum of 300 to be culled each year. 
Another beautiful cathedral city, an Episcopal Palace designed by Gaudi, (the extra), and extremely well preserved mosaics in the Roman bath complex just a few metres away from my accommodation.