Tag: Ponferrada

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Stage Twenty-nine: Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo

Got some ups and downs today! Will be a long day for me – 14 miles. My max is probably 15 miles without getting too tired for the next day’s walk.

More road walking than I like today. There was an alternate route that would have been prettier, but it was longer, and with a 16 mile day, I was already pushing my daily limit (must remember I have another day to walk in the morning…and the next..and…)We walked through beautiful countryside this day.

Leaving Ponferrada: Mooned by a couple of wood statues. I did not walk around to the front!
Fall is in full swing

Follow the arrow
The camino path always passes the church

The castle across the street from my lodging. Castle-Palace of the Marquis of Villafranca del Bierzo. Built ( reconstructed) in 1515. People live in the castle. https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo-Palacio_de_los_Marqueses_de_Villafranca
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October 4 &. 5: Paths and Places

We are walking along the mountains and through the woodlands again.
Photo of me on the ancient Roman bridge into Molinaseca & a photo of the Templar castle in Ponferrada. And of course, paths and mooing wildlife.

Entering Molinaseca
Templar Castle in Ponferrada
Path up the mountain to Cruz de Ferro
Mountains!
They weren’t impressed by us.
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October 4 & 5: Stages Twenty-seven & Twenty-eight: Rabanal del Camino to Ponferrada

Going up the mountain on October 4 was a cold and rainy trek, but down below the next day was a perfect walking day. Temps were in the lower mid-50s, little wind, and no rain.

Cruz de Ferro – History – The highest altitude on the Camino (1,505 meters/4,938 feet). Stands on an ancient ritual site that dates back as far as 2,500 years. Considered the most ancient monument of the Camino. May have been a crossroads veneration site for Iron Age Celts and then the Romans, each leaving a rock on this high point for their own gods. Today, leaving a stone here is a significant rite of passage (Beebe)

The fellow in the colorful suit was there for our safety. I imagine falls down that pile of rocks aren’t unusual.
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October 5 Ponferrada – Always Somethin’

As Rosanne Roseanna Danna used to say, It’s always somethin’ but I now have a Spanish SIM card. Went to the Orange store-can’t look up my account because I have French SIM. Want to buy a Spanish SIM. Out of stock until Monday -but! A store in the mall has them. Walk to the mall. Wait one hour while a new phone customer is served. Got my card. Done. Took some photos in Ponferrada as I got lost a few times.

Posted by phone
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October 5 Ponferrada & Camponaraya – Today’s Adventure

Editor in chief here back in Kansas City. Mary has had quite the day. Suffice it to say she has finally arrived at her lodging for the night.
 
There may well be further tales to illuminate her readers after she takes a nap and perhaps finds some nourishment.
 
She also has a new SIM card – one that speaks Spanish – so to speak… She had stopped into the Orange store (the outfit that supports her SIM card), and the vendor couldn’t help her because it was a French SIM card. The advice was to replace the card with a Spanish SIM card.
 
She went to the mall in Ponferrada but had to wait a considerable length of time to get it hooked up and running.
 
The photos at the bottom were used to help me understand where she was so I could advise which way to go… not a very fluid process… 


 
Ceiling in my room

Tomorrow’s another day. More later.

 

 
 

 

 
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October 5 Ponferrada – Villager Angel

Approaching Ponferrada.  Citizen angel: A French couple and I were about to cross the street to follow Camino signs.

A lady out for her morning walk started shouting to us, No! No! Then she, who spoke only Spanish, communicated to me (only English), and the couple (only French) that we were about to take the route that was 4 km longer than the walk in front of us. Then she proceeded to walk in front of us until we came to the intersection where the longer route met our route.

Here she is leading the way.