Astorga to Foncebandon

Another very early wake up and walk in in the dark. Departed at 6:00 AM. Foggy and misty this time. This led us to having some problems in finding the path around the first village on our way. Still, we walk in a fast pace since the soil now is very pervious.

It’s Sunday. At seven and thirty we find a nice, small picturesque, albergue San Blas. The doors of the ground floor are open and through lovely windows one can see the insides of a warm cafeteria. Like grandmother’s house from some fairytale! Coffee and breakfast! Yes, we are on the modern Camino Frances. No more primordial, survival chase for shadow, shelter, meal or water. Wi-Fi is widely available too! Transport as well.

We entered this charming cafeteria while was still dark outside and came out when the sun was already up, at 7:30. Had a nice big breakfast: croaisant with butter and jam, bocadillo sandwich with ham, fresh orange juice all for 8.50 Euros.

Maybe we spent more time then needed for a usual breakfast but this time was not lost yet well spent. Now we easily climb the mountain and as we were doing that, the scenery became just fantastic. It was eternal! Air temperature is cool, and the morning red sunlight is playing with the white and silver clouds while low mist is scattered through the woods.

Ancient walls on the grasslands remind me of mine home region, also gallic in a way.

Black horse on yellow grass.

Rainbow.

Unfortunatelly Andrej is struggling with his new boots. Every step is painful as his the ankles are inflamed and blisters are hurting a lot. Hopefully Foncebandon will provide much needed healing.

A road sign take care on pilgrims! A herd of cows welcomes us at the entrance of Foncebandon.

Fresh, mountain climate is affecting our behavior, calming temper. Foncebandon is, beside being an important stop on the Camino, also a nice „hide-out“ for every modern person. We are now north and going toward Galicia and we really understand the distance we already did. Distance not measured just in kilometers.

On this mountain now we can see far away east, the valley toward Astorga and further. Andrej says that ten years ago, on his first Camino, this village had just one small rifuggio, two stables and few cows. Now, we took a nice albergue, with clean rooms, bathrooms, a restaurant. They offered a very good lunch! The thing one don’t like about them is that they charge for every little thing they provide. For example, for the first time I had to pay that little drop of whiskey on my icecream?! It is like in (too much) mondane, Alps. To be frank, we needed a good place to recover and between the hostel (joint room), literally in the basement and a decent rooms upstairs it was not hard to choose. Down, the basement room has its windows „open“ just on the stairs going up to ground floor?! View of the pilgrim’s clothes are drying. My clothes did not dry completely until morning, most probably because those stairs are actually inside the building. Accomodation was 25 Euros and lunch was 9 Euros.

Foncebandon to Ponferrada

Breakfast, croissaint with butter and jam and coffee with milk for 3 Euros, at 6:30. It’s still dark outside but first daily lights are discerned. Departed at 7:15. As Cruz de Fierro is close to Foncebandon we departed only at seven fifteen. Wanted to cut somehow the route, and come directly to it, but something happened and we ended on a wrong path. Walking through woods we came to the very top of this mountain. The point must have been higher that the Cruz de Fierro yet we should be very close, just in which direction should we go now? Continuing straight ahead, we joint the path and the paved road. Andrej was not so sure anymore if we are going in the right direction. The area looked so familiar to him yet, we couldn’t find the location. Another miracle happened then. An bicyclist passed by us, and just few meteres after his water bottle fell down his bicycle. Immediratelly we picked the bottle up and and called him. Fortunately, he had heard us, stopped and came back to collect the bottle. He was an Italian, very happy and grateful for our action. „Cruz de Fierro?…but it’s behind. Just two hundred meters. How did you manage to miss it?! Haha, ciao“. Ciao. Slight climb which we walked in silence brought us to the most magnificent scene! Day was just about to be awaken and on the horizon, and right in front us stood the Cruz de Fierro.

In Roman times, it was the point of worship of their God Mercury, protector of the travellers and before them, most probaly, people that lived there, had a similar sancutary… definetly we were on a significant and sacred place. As from the most ancient time, people would bring a small stone to leave it on this common pile. A small stone that represent something solid, something on what one can build on and takes it with his hand. To transmit his own wishes to that stone and then to bring this stone, packed with that intangible thing and as a personal, not spoken out wish to the pile of all other stones and wishes. A mountain of them. Millions of stones, with millions of wishes, from millions of people to millions of people. And this is happening now, on the top of this magical mountain, between earth and heavens in the moment a new day is awakening and the sun is raising. We took photos off ourselves, this cross and people there. Just later we will know that we took a photo of our guiding angel too.

This event was not accidental. That was still to be discovered to us.

So, we proceed our Camino now full of hopes and peace that goes along with. The long and heavy downhill toward Ponferrada awaiting us. But first we walked the line on top of those hills when the warm, first morning red sunlight caressed us and prologed this feeling of eternality

I was never in South America, but I have a feeling this looks like some areas there. Manjarin – an intersting stop on the Camino! Two-two-two to Santiago.

Just after, the first donativo „kiosk“. This simple example and act of benevolence is enough for every pilgrim to restore her or his belief in humanity. Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them. So simple, so golden that all the Law and Prophets are into it. God is proably in such behavior which we are totally masters of.

Then those “magic” trees covered with moss.

This „Tolikien’s“ spirit is embracing us more and more as we get closer to the land of Galicia. City of Poneferrada is now visible in the distance, down in the valley.

We stop nearby Fuente de la Trucha for coffee and croissaint.

Chestnut trees.

Serpentinas, strange coulds on the blu sky.

Finally a proper snack with a sandwich with ham, cola and coffee with milk for 8 Euros. A bit of Wi-Fi and a chat.

Molinaseca is a village just before Ponferrada.

Lovely entering Ponferrada over the bridge. Just later I realized this bridge is marked as a starting point od the Camino di Invierno.

Rest and then tour of this strong city. Old Templar’s fortress which walls look nice from outside yet the fortress is quite bare from the inside. Maybe like today’s world?

Find place in a Hostal Rabel for 30 Euros.

Rain started to fall and we went for a lunch in a local restaurant Mencia. Although the restaurant was deserted at that time, they offered us good meals for a fair price. Bull’s ham was delicious!

Was it for the rain and grey weather and tiredness, who knows, but I couldn’t get asleep for some time. Watched an movie in the hostel and then finally fell asleep.

Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo

I couldn’t fall asleep until one AM but then slept fine until 6:00 in the morning. We go in the bar just below the Hostel Rabel to find it is full! A big group of bicyclists. Still we were served quicky since those two waitresses were so fast. It looks they are from Latin America. This could explain their promptness and will to work. Bocadillo with ham, croissaint and coffee with milk for 8 Euros. Andrej was still sleeping so we departed when was already 9:00. It’s not so hot outside as it was down there in Analusia and Extremadura so it was not to late to depart at that time.

Vending machine on the Camino! Was a bit strange to encounter this yet it became very useful so we bought two Colas for 2 Euros.

It is raining and we go step by step through the valley. Along the way we stopped to collect a funny stamp in our Credencial. Then steadily with the light rain coming and going away until we found a beautiful, traditional restaurant Moncloa de San Lazaro in Cacabelos. A good brunch, a tortilla wit hextra ham and cheese with two beers, in total 10 Euros. For the first time, we drank two beers while still walking on a daily stage and that was a big mistake. We did that for the first and last time as taking alcohol during walk is simply too much of a burden. Our last few kilometers that day were so hard to walk. So, don’t drink and walk. Drink after.

Here we visited the small church of Nuestra Senora de Las Angustias in which is possible to see a bas-relief of baby Jesus floating on a cloud playing cards with St. Anthony!

Although we wanted to proceed, we couldn’t and our today’s destination is Villafranca del Bierzo. Andrej’s ankles were now better but new blisters were causing considerable pain.

Just before Villafranca del Bierzo we took, from this vending machine, two lemonade cans for 1.20 Euros each.

Last part of today’s stage was going through large wineyards with local people in vintage. Somewhere on the way I lost one of my hand sweaters. Destiny must be. Peregrion’s hostel was full so we took rooms in Hotel Posada Plaza Mayor.

In a local grocery store I bought few sandwiches, some nibbles and beers for 12 Euros. In the evening we watched the football game Porto vs Atletico Madrid. Nice sleep.