Thursday, April 3, 2014

Day 22: to Pieros

Notable things about today: it's the first day I've gone without any compeed (blister plasters); we're under 200k from Santiago; I left my 'coon hunter hat somewhere; Gary left his gloves somewhere; most things I own are now distinctly drier than when I put them on this morning.

We woke to a beautiful brooding dawn in the mountains, and only light drizzle. After a couple of hours of downhill, we stopped for a full cooked breakfast in the very attractive stone town of Molinaseca. Then a drink stop opposite the most magnificent Knights Templar castle in Ponferrada. Ponferrada was actually lovely, and is the last real city before Santiago. It also seems to have the worst signposting I've seen yet - on both the ways in and out it repeatedly signed multiple arrowed options... Not helpful when they then peter out. I'd spent a lot of the day feeling slightly lost and that is the first time that's the case.

Ponferrada's suburbs - in the form of little commuter villages - went on all afternoon. This is a pretty rolling wine region called La Bierza, it apparently has a special microclimate that I guess is caused by mountains all around. We stopped for a wine-and-pinxto break after Cacabelos (another lovely old stone town). At 1.5 euros for a glass of wine and a slice of pie it seemed rude not to. The temperature had really got up this afternoon so it was uncomfortably sweltering in full waterproofs when the sun shone (and unpleasantly wetting without when it showered). 

Our lodgings tonight are at another eco/veggie place. Other inhabitants are so far rather old but peaceful. I'm on the top bunk which is eight foot up - there had better not be too much wine for me! It seems nice and dry after the last two nights, both of which were cold clammy rooms before 10 or so drenched pilgrims showered and then laid out all their wet gear. Last night also contained some of the craziest pilgrim characters including an astonishing old German couple in their 70s who were walking in cut-off trousers and ponchos in yesterday's storm. At about 6pm the lady came into the albergue saying that her husband was stuck 2km up the road and couldn't walk any further. There's also a young German man who sleeps on the floor (fighting with nuns to do so), prays for a long time in the morning, and had a row in a shop yesterday because, having sold him a packet of spaghetti for 95 cents they wouldn't then let him cook it in their kitchen! A strange and rather troubled soul.

Tomorrow is into the last big set of hills and better weather is rumoured. 

Update: Gary's such a hero - he just walked back and found my hat where I had dropped it. Reunited again! 



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