As with quite a few cities and villages on the Camino Frances, the most memorable part is leaving in the early morning hours.
There’s rarely time to take in the sights unless you arrive early or plan a layover day.
I rarely arrive early. And even when I do, first business is checking into my quarters for the night, making my bed (usually a paper sheet and pillow case), showering, slaundry, shopping for road snacks, writing to you my dear friends, dinner … and sleep.
Ponferrada is no exception. I skipped laundry and thus was able to bump into the Templar castle while looking for dinner.
That’s it.
That’s all I saw until leaving this morning.
Like Burgos (and many other Spanish cities), Ponferrada has a gorgeous park alongside the River Sil. Spanish cities love their rivers and their public squares.
Despite the name, the 11th century iron bridge that once crossed the Sil, for the benefit of pilgrims, is no more.
However, this is a very contemporary and attractive iron bridge that seems worthy of carrying on the name:
Most of today took us through rolling hills draped in vineyards, with the occasional well-worn village to break up the scenery.
I’ll be honest, I did not enjoy it as much as I should have. It was only 24 kilometers but I was still battered from yesterday’s long and rocky descent from the mountains.
Some of the villages and scenery from today’s walk:
On my way to the auberge here in Villafranca where I had a reservation, I met a French woman I’d also encountered yesterday.
If anything, she is older than me but moves with the speed of a teenager. That’s partially because she makes no reservations. A few times she has slept on church pews.
Yesterday she followed me to my auberge and they had beds. Today, she did the same and they had none. The owner called around with no luck. He did find a hostel across the street with private room and share bath.
Entering Villafranca:
More than she could afford.
So, I sucked it in and offered to give her my reservation at the auberge. The owner locked in the room for me and his assistant walked me over.
As I was leaving he invited me back for tonight’s communal dinner. The he said, “Hey amigo, you’ve got some corazón.”
Flattering, but I think I can use an uninterrupted night’s sleep.
As you probably know, everything in Spain shuts down in the afternoon, including the churches, but you can always get a drink.
I’m sitting at Bar Camino de Santiago watching the catering crew wrapping up from a movie shoot of some sort. With an ice cold beer in front of me.
Not much to see. No movie stars. But the beer is cold. The shade is cool. And there are some very colorful characters at the tables around me.
And already one Camino walker has come over and mistook me for someone else.
But he’d just bought a new pair of hiking shoes down the street because his are wearing through the bottoms.
So are mine.
That was good to know.
Tomorrow is the last leg before the daunting O Cebreiro climb. I’ll be stopping right at the base for the night and will attack it fresh in the morning.
But for now, time to forage for fruit and snacks for tomorrow’s walk. The dinner with all the pilgrims whom I will not hear snoring and coughing tonight.
