Last night, in an 8 bed dorm, there was a mother and daughter from Sweden, a lady from Jerusalem and me. This was a nice, if rather warm, dorm room. Each of the beds had a charging point and a reading lamp, and a little shelf for putting glasses/‘phones etc. on. The mother and daughter were delightful. The lady from Jerusalem didn’t seem to be terribly interested in engaging with anyone, which is fine but, when she asked where she could find an ATM and I suggested that she might find one in the town we had just walked through, she responded “You call that a ‘town!’ What sort of awful place do you come from that you think that is a town?” Dear reader, I was a good girl. Sort of, I just said ‘London’ and walked out. By 9pm last night three of us were in bed and shortly after I for one was fast asleep. Only to be woken by a body looming over me and pulling my charging plug out of the socket (I was charging my ‘phone, my watch and my head torch). I may have emitted a small scream. At which point I was told ‘Don’t be drama queen!’ And when I asked her what the actual f*ck she thought she was doing she said that the ‘light is too strong!’ I told her that she wouldn’t notice it if she closed her eyes and thanked her kindly for waking me up. The temptation to sleep with my reading light on was strong - but the Camino must be making me into a nicer person. It took me ages to get back to sleep!
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| The ‘too strong light!’ |
I dressed in many layers again today, but it was warmer than it has been over the last few mornings, so much so that after about half an hour I didn’t need my gloves anymore. What I did need was eagle eyes and concentration! The first 8km are steeply down hill on loose, rocky paths. It was V E R Y slow going - taking me over two hours to get to Molinaseca - arriving just before sunrise. Molinaseca is charming - with a lovely bridge, and an open cafe for breakfast.
The next place of note was Ponferrada. Had I done any research for this trip I would have known that I was going to see an amazing fairy tale castle that dates back to the Knights Templar but, like just about everything else on this trip, it was a wonderful surprise! I was also surprised to see a large group of teenagers standing just outside the school gates smoking cigarettes at what I can only assume was morning break time. A lot of people smoke here, but it was still a shock to see so many school children smoking during the school day. I poked my head inside the basilica - but am feeling as though I have seen far too many churches and they are all merging in to one big gold leaf festooned ostentatious display of wealth.
Due to the fact that I’d covered the first 8km at a snail’s pace, today’s walk took far longer than normal. I had left before breakfast was served this morning, so they had made me up a picnic. A baguette filled with Serrano ham and cheese, some water and some fruit. I had a little picnic on a park bench about 5km before Cacabelos and watched other pilgrims pass by.
Tonight I am in a private room in an Albergue. It feels like the height of luxury to have a room with my own bathroom - and fluffy towels! I’ve found the supermarket in town, so I may well go and get supplies for supper and have an early night. Tomorrow’s walk is short. Only 18km as I want to stay at an Albergue that everyone is raving about.
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