Ravens in the sun
Riding the thermals above
Halo's ice surrounds
When I shoot with my phone I get this funny little blue bit, and I'm too lazy to fix it with an app: )
Our first direct wildlife encounter was this deer peering out at us as we passed. Social distancing?
Yup... Not social distancing; )
Funny. The Osprey were all over their nests high in the football field lights until I decided to take a photo. Shy Osprey?
We were talking on our recent Zoom call about just how tired many of our group were at this stage of the camino.
I recall that I was holding up pretty well, generally not liking the rain. However, after having just glanced at my blog post that day I noticed that the title was a bit goofed up as I stated it was grey and foolish! So perhaps at the end of that day I might have been a bit tired: ) I'll admit there are some days when I briefly nod off while prepping the photos for the blog!
Today is a longish stage, mostly rolling hills with a few steep bits at around 500m above sea level. Departing Ponferrada.
This was probably passing through Camponaraya
Pretty much on the button! Today while walking here at home we passed the 760 km point walking since social isolation began. While we have almost 200 kms to go on our virtual camino, we are actually just 22 kms shy of Santiago on our actual reality walk.
As I wandered through Cacabelos in 2018. We all stayed here in 2013
Ken's journal comments;
This is a strange albergue--like a series of garden sheds organized around the courtyard of a church. It will be cold tonight, no question about that [the rooms weren’t heated].
My skin has become very sensitive. Rubs on and under my nose, apparently from wiping it. Chafing in different spots. I pulled yesterday’s bandage and tape off and ripped off a layer of skin. And my blistered underarms. What’s happening? I don’t understand. I’m eating--trying to eat some vegetables, like last night’s salad--I’m taking a multivitamin every day, but I seem to be falling apart.
The last part of today’s walk really kicked my ass, too--I was suddenly so tired. Stopped, ate some almonds, drank my electrolyte mix, felt a little better. Hungry now despite the bocadillo I ate just after 11 o’clock. I’m not the only walking wounded here--lots of tired-looking folks limping around.
I’m wearing the brace on my left knee even when I’m not walking. It was very sore without the brace this morning.
In the rain this place would be miserable. Would really like to run into Neil and Sarah again--they’re wonderful people.
Love the sound of the birds in the tree behind the courtyard.
Ken, I can attest to this place being nothing very special in the rain. As you can see it was raining as I arrived here in 2018. The albergue was closed and I stayed in this crappy hostel where you have to use a machine outside the door complete with your passport and a code to get in. This means no one is at a front desk. I'm sure I was the only person in there that night and it was depressing. Almost nothing in town was open.
Ken, the blistered underarms was as I recall was due to a change in deodorant, Spanish stuff? We remember that you were indeed in rough shape. We sometimes reminisce about your suffering, but in spite of all that you were a good companion and we enjoyed your company. Black leggings because of all the chaffing. I recall mentioning Vaseline to you, and I can't remember if you tried it? I think you did.
Onwards to Villafranca! In 2013 it was raining, hard. Annemarie and I walked out and unusually we didn't see Ken all day as we walked to La Portela. I'm looking at Ken's notes and I see that he walked a couple of more kilometres to Vega de Valcarce. All these things making better sense now, and together with our group Zoom calls things are falling into place.In 2013 it rained all day. Ponchos full on! I took very few photos on the way across because of the wet conditions.
Yup, it was wet.
In 2018 the weather was a bit dryer, but there had been rain as this rainbow verifies.
However, I was able to use my camera. Prettier country than I remembered.
Arriving in Villafranca in that rain in 2013.
It wasn't very nice out.
The following photos were all taken in 2018.
I was disappointed when we passed through in 2013 and weren't able to stop for the might because it looked like a really interesting place. Had we done so we would have likely not seen Ken again. In 2018 I'd planned to stay here, but again things didn't work out as the weather window was deteriorating and I needed to get over the top of O'Cebreiro as quickly as possible. Another reason to return!
In my 2010 map book it looks like a small village, but it's far from that. Perhaps a large town.
In 2013 we stopped at the cafe in this building.
We stopped for a hot chocolate. The lady who ran the place wasn't initially too happy to see us as we were really wet. We deposited our packs and very wet ponchos at the door as you can see...a puddle of water did form! Our host did warm up to us.
Tomorrow I think we'll try for O'Cerbreiro.
Buen Camino!
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