Villifranca montes de oca to Ages: September 14, 2014: Day 15

Villifranca to Ages: September 14, 2014: Day 15

This morning I woke up refreshed and was ready to hit the road.  I was grateful to find my jacket had dried because it was much colder.  I also discovered that the zippered lower pant legs that I have will not work with the pair of shorts I have.  My knees were a bit frosty this morning.

Uphill we go again with quite a climb through an oak forrest that gradually gave way to an evergreen forrest. At the top of the mountain was a memorial to those who died in the Spanish war in 1939. There were over 100 graves there.  Then down the mountain with beautiful views of mountains, wheat fields and distant villages.

We didn't leave today until after 8:30 so that Angie could get a little more rest with her cold.  The place we were staying had a lovely dining room with a breakfast but we just had coffee.  She was not hungry and I find I don't like eating and then hiking up the mountain.  We had a snack at the top of the mountain with our leftover cheese and olives.

We passed through San Juan and continued on to Ages.  Our feet were hurting but we thought we could go further, however in talking with other Pilgrims the beds were filling up in Ages and there were only 15 beds left in the next town.  We did not want to chance not getting a bed and so we stayed in Ages.  We were able to find 2 beds on the 3rd floor.  Whoohoo!  We headed next door for some lunch.  This is a tiny town with only about 20 full-time inhabitants.  The bar was full with locals and pilgrims. Many were interested in a motorcycle race that was on the flat screen.  The owner of the bar was ver gregarious and made everyone feel welcome.  I ordered the entire meal for Angie and I in Spanish. This was a first.  Usually I rely on Angie to do most of the talking.  Then when she left to go to the bathroom an English speaker came in and wanted to know if the owner spoke English and he pointed to me. Yikes what now.  She wanted to know if there was room in the alberque and if her luggage had arrived.  Well between the owner and I we figured it out.

Later after naps we took a walk around town and saw the old church. It was built around the 16th century in Gothic style. While still actively used today it looks rather tattered like the rest of the town.

In looking for a place to treat Angie's cold we came to this quaint coffee, wine and miniature grocery shop.  We each got a glass of wine and found they did not have anything for colds but a fellow pilgrim did.  Once again the Camino provides.

We then went and had a pilgrim meal  and shared our leftover wine with another table.  They were delighted.

Lesson learned:  The importance in providing hospitality to the stranger.

Ponferrada to Pieros: September 24, 2014: Day 25

Ponferrada to Pieros:  September 24, 2014: Day 25

We left the albergay around 8:00 with the sun up and promises of a beautiful fall day.  When stopping at the pharmacy to pick-up some ibuprofen we ran into Lucy, a Pilgrim from Canada we met our fist week.  It was fun to see her after all this time and here about her Camino.  She told us about a vegetarian albergay that offers yoga that we hope to be able to stay at tonight.

We did not get to see any bike races except on TV. However we saw people practicing, staging for races and the announcing stands.  It was fun being here for an international event.  Ponferada is a big city and it took us forever to walk through town.  In Calabras we stopped to take our shoes off and rest our feet.  The blisters are still bothering me and Angie is afraid she is getting a new blister.

We met a lovely couple from Wales having lunch.  We had a lively and fun conversation with them as we shared our journeys.  They were really upbeat and fun.

We walked through fields of grapes that were being picked for harvest. It was fun to see this and be a part of it as we walked along.  We also tasted a few grapes that had fallen to the ground.  Oh yum, very sweet!

We found the albergay around 2:00.  We entered a room filled with a smell of spices. The building is at least 300 years old . We are in a room with 10 other beds.  The bunkbed are made of log and are very sturdy .

After washing clothes in a real washing machine and putting them on the line we sat down and visited with Leslie, a Canadian woman and drank wine and shared our lives on and off the Camino.  She shared with us her adventures in Napal and walking to base camp on Everest and walking a path in Northern England. She is struggling some on this trip with in her feet, ankles and hips; that and her husband always walks way ahead of her. :)

At dinner we were with 3 young Israelis.  They shared some of their lives with us and interests. A young man and woman were traveling from Santiago to South America. The other young woman is traveling on to Southern Spain.  She wants to learn Spanish guitar.  They talked about growing up in a commune.  They share everything.

We went to bed that night with 10 other pilgrims, Israeli, German, Canadian, Australian and us.  The beds were sturdy, made of wood, and did not squeek.  The air coming in the window was cool.  For one of the first times on the Camino I slept like a baby.

Lesson Learned: peaceful environments give rest.

Najera to Santa Dominico; September 11, 2014: Day Najera to Santa Dominico; September 11, 2014: Day 12

Najera to Santa Dominico; September 11, 2014:  Day Najera to Santa Dominico; September 11, 2014:  Day 12

It is near noon and threatening rain and lightening.  We decided to take the rest of the day and tour the magnificent cathedral here rather than walking on.  There is a great legend about about a pilgrim family here.  Apparently the family was passing through town and a local girl took a liking to the son and he did not return her interest. She then stuck some silver in his pack and accused him of stealing because of his rejection.  He was then arrested and hung.  The patents continued on to Santiago and when they returned they found their son still hanging in the town square but he was alive!  They went to the sheriff and told him of the miracle and asked to have him returned to them. The sheriff said he could be no more alive then the chickens he was eating for dinner.  At that moment the chickens jumped off the table and flew away.  The sheriff immediately returned the son to his parents.  Because of the miracle chickens are given a place of honor in the cathedral.

We toured the cathedral. And sure enough we saw the hen and the rooster in an elevated encasement.  You can here them happily clucking throughout the great cathedral.

The cathedral also contains beautiful art work, relics and historical information about St. Dominic.  This is another beautiful story.  He gave his life to serving God by serving pilgrims while living in a hermitage. He built a bridge for early pilgrims in the 12th century so that it would not be so dangerous for pilgrims to cross the river and he built a hospital because so many pilgrims suffered and died along the way.  They are still suffering but fewer are dying!  :)

Have I mentioned the lack of modesty in the albergays?  Well the further we go the less modest everyone becomes.  So far all of the rooms have been co-ed.  The rooms are warm because there is no air conditioning and there are a lot of people in each room.  Men mostly sleep in their underwear and European women have no problems stripping down to their underwear and bras to sleep or change their clothes.  Today I could not enter the room because a woman was bent over pulling off her pants.  Many of these folks we see day after day and so we are developing very intimate relationships!  The alberque we are in tonight holds 290 people.  Amazing!  Angie says it is like we are moving with our own small city.

Lesson of the day?  Thankfulness for all of the people who shared their artistic gifts and resources so that we could continue to enjoy them 800 years later.

It is near noon and threatening rain and lightening.  We decided to take the rest of the day and tour the magnificent cathedral here rather than walking on.  There is a great legend about about a pilgrim family here.  Apparently the family was passing through town and a local girl took a liking to the son and he did not return her interest. She then stuck some silver in his pack and accused him of stealing because of his rejection.  He was then arrested and hung.  The patents continued on to Santiago and when they returned they found their son still hanging in the town square but he was alive!  They went to the sheriff and told him of the miracle and asked to have him returned to them. The sheriff said he could be no more alive then the chickens he was eating for dinner.  At that moment the chickens jumped off the table and flew away.  The sheriff immediately returned the son to his parents.  Because of the miracle chickens are given a place of honor in the cathedral.

We toured the cathedral. And sure enough we saw the hen and the rooster in an elevated encasement.  You can here them happily clucking throughout the great cathedral.

The cathedral also contains beautiful art work, relics and historical information about St. Dominic.  This is another beautiful story.  He gave his life to serving God by serving pilgrims while living in a hermitage. He built a bridge for early pilgrims in the 12th century so that it would not be so dangerous for pilgrims to cross the river and he built a hospital because so many pilgrims suffered and died along the way.  They are still suffering but fewer are dying!  :)

Have I mentioned the lack of modesty in the albergays?  Well the further we go the less modest everyone becomes.  So far all of the rooms have been co-ed.  The rooms are warm because there is no air conditioning and there are a lot of people in each room.  Men mostly sleep in their underwear and European women have no problems stripping down to their underwear and bras to sleep or change their clothes.  Today I could not enter the room because a woman was bent over pulling off her pants.  Many of these folks we see day after day and so we are developing very intimate relationships!  The alberque we are in tonight holds 290 people.  Amazing!  Angie says it is like we are moving with our own small city.

Lesson of the day?  Thankfulness for all of the people who shared their artistic gifts and resources so that we could continue to enjoy them 800 years later.