Ruitelan to O'Cebreiro

Steep hill into O 'Cebreiro, 6 mile day, pretty easy day.  

Last night's dinner was very good - creamy carrot soup, salad (lettuce, tomato, tuna, red peppers, cheese), pasta dish, dessert and wine - for 7 euros.  

Albergue told us that no one could get up in the morning until the music started. That happened at 7:00.

The salad 

The soup

Our day:

Started out on side of road

Trail was easy enough

Started climbing

Trail marker. We're in Galicia.

O'Cebreiro 

Mucho perigrinos 

Oldest existing church associated with the camino

Home for the night - private room with bath!

Building in town

Villafranca del Bierzo to Ruitelan

We took the Ruta Pradela route.  Started with a climb out of Villafranca and ended with a descent into Trabadelo where we had lunch.  Up until lunch we only saw 2 other walkers on the trail - nice and peaceful.

A bit dark when we headed out the door at 8:00

Mare saw the light!

Valley views

We came across 2 local women in the mountains and asked directions - made sure we were still on the camino.  

Came down through a chestnut tree forest.

A little later, we came across a man raking in the woods - he's hard to see on the picture

Lunch stop

After lunch the route was alongside the old highway and passed through small towns, not many too cars

The homes have beautiful flowers

Home for the night, 5 euros for bed, 7 for dinner and 3 for breakfast

Back of our albergue 

Front of albergue 

We've walked somewhere in the neighborhood of 385 miles, not that we're counting!

Janet and Victoria are enroute.  Four days until we meet them in Sarria.

Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo

Good pilgrim's dinner last night, restaurant El Triskel across the street from Albergue.  Mare had mixed veggies and quiche, I had lentils and garlic chicken, vino blanco for us both.

Long day today, 14 miles, 23.4 kilometers.  Easier terrain than yesterday.

Once again we're in a wine/vineyard region of Spain, this time it's the Bierzo region  Today along the route a vineyard's special for 1.5 euros was a glass of wine and a pincho. Both were excellent!

Coffee stop

Bierzo vineyards.  The grapes were so sweet. I tasted the red and the green grapes.

The blackberries are still along the trail.

Villafranca de Bierzo 

 

Albergue de Piedra - our home for the night. Double room with breakfast - 28 euros.

At the albergue, Marilyn had a back massage and I had a foot massage (masaje y reiki) 15 euros for Mare and 6 euros for me.  Oh so worth it.

Out for dinner, pilgrims menu - spaghetti, green beans, chicken, bread, dessert,  . . with vino.

Just started raining. Make that pouring.

Good travels for Janet and Victoria. 

Buen Camino.

Riego de Ambros to Ponferrada

Janet and Victoria will be flying to Madrid in 2 days (leaving USA on October 3 and arriving Madrid October 4)

We're trucking along, slow and steady. 

Departed at 8:00 in pouring rain.

Trail was a bit rocky and running water down the middle

Follow the arrows

Nice views

Mare says "more rocks!"

Finally our destination of Ponferrada where we stopped for tea, coffee and pizza across the street from the Knights Templar castle

Then off to the only albergue in town to get a bed. This albergue is donation, no set fee. We are paying to have our laundry done!  5 euros for wash and dry - it's good.

Albergue entry

Albergue courtyard

Monument in courtyard - 202 kilometers  to go!  Less than 130 miles.  

On day one, in France, we had 789 kilometers or 490 miles to go!  We are making progress.

Ever sign we see has a different total number of kilometers to go. 

Ann, from Ireland, we met at last night's albergue (we had dinner with her last night too) is in our room tonight, just made us a cup of tea, so we are sitting around enjoying tea and waiting for our  laundry to be completed.