Walking to Cacabelos

Our walk into the small town of Cacabellos started out very interestingly as we came through the city of Ponferrada where there is a well preserved Templar castle. The village square is very beautiful with its majestic basilica.  We didn't go inside since there were two guys standing in the doorway with their hands out looking a bit menacing.

 We stopped for coffee and to eat one of our previously boiled eggs (for protein) at a quiet little suburban village on the way.  There was a lone young man at this cafe, also a pilgrim, nursing what looked to be a pretty bad blister.  Once again, reason to be personally thankful.  We had been pacing him all morning and now I knew why.  Usually the young people go ahead and we don't see them again.

We walked and walked and walked.  We came into vineyards that grow some of the most fantastic wine grapes in the whole of Spain and it happens to be harvest time!  Workers are clustered, just like the grapes hanging in the vineyards bursting with ripeness on the vines. As we walked we noticed clumps of grapes left on fence posts. Must be for us, no? They were the juiciest and sweetest fruit we ever tasted! Of course walking forever might have had something to do with them tasting so good.

John came across a hat dropped in the dusty road and it took him a while to realize it belonged to the young man we had seen earlier at the cafe. He hoped to return it to him at some point.

This was a long day for me as I am discovering that I don't really do all that well in hot sun. There was no break from it today except for when we took one.  At the park right before getting into Cacabelos, I sat down on the bench, buried my head in my hands and just let the tears silently flow down my face.  I hurt. My feet hurt. I don't know how much longer I can do this.  John is so wonderful to just hand me a handful of sunflower seeds or peel an orange.  He has been carrying all the food we are consuming during the day. He doesn't need to ask the why or the how of my discomfort....he knows.

When you get into town, your journey to find accommodation is just starting. That in itself takes energy.  We were not feeling like doing the albergues so luckily the first hostel we found, the La Gallega for 40euro for private room and bath was just what we needed.  It was clean and adequate.  Unfortunately, the wifi only worked in the lobby and our pilgrims meal here was the worst of the whole trip.

We did get to go out for a glass of wine and a tapa beforehand so all was not lost.  Where in the world can you sit down to a glass of world class wine for one euro?! Amazing.