After yesterday’s up & down trek, today’s 25Km/15 mile walk was relatively flat as we moved across the Bierzo Valley. The temperature reached its highest level of the trip at 80 degrees Fahrenheit / 27 degrees Celsius…with bright sunshine the entire way.
There were a number of “quick hit” highlights that caught our eye throughout the day…
– As we walked through Ponferrada, the Castillo de Los Templarios (Castle of the Knights Templar) sits high over the river. It looks exactly how you would expect it to look…right out of the Crusades. (See Wikipedia or Day 17 post for more information about the Knights Templar.)
– We really liked the city of Ponferrada…especially the friendly people and the Saturday market that was open along the river. We (Dave) were especially impressed by the large van/lorry that was designed solely for rotisserie chicken sales. The van had rotisserie chickens already cooked and ready for sale on one side…as well as other chickens actually in the midst of the golden rotisserie process on the other side. Is this not a wonderful world we live in? An entire mobile unit devoted to the preparation and merchandising of delicious rotisserie chicken! Is further human evolution really necessary?
– The grape vines are blooming! After days of walking through barren grape vines in Rioja over a week ago…we finally saw grape vines blooming here in Bierzo. Our experience with Spanish wines in the past had been mostly limited to Rioja (and still highly recommend). Now…we would also add the delicious red wines from Bierzo to our list.
– We came around a corner today…and thought we were back in Chiba prefecture in Japan…staring at a red torii (Japanese gate). Alas, as we moved closer…it was a viewing stand for a model airplane park. Not quite the same impact…but it did remind us of the countryside in Japan…and that is always a good thing.
– As we walked into Cacabelos…our stop for the evening…we both remarked that the view/landscape reminded us of Southern California. The sun…the hills…the houses…no humidity…made us feel like we were momentarily back in LA (where we visited with son Matt earlier this year).
– Less than 200 kilometers remain on our Camino. We are 3/4 of The Way.
All this beauty and emotions every day, amazing…. you will need another 6 weeks to digest this afterwards 🙂 (and recover from the physical challenge!!) keep it coming. Love reading your posts!
Thanks, Nicole. We have a much greater sense of empathy for you mountain dwellers now. You are right…the descents are often tougher on the body than the ascents!
Had a little chat with God the Father today about you two. He’s decided to whack-down-to-zero your accumulated Purgatory time in the Hereafter. He’s feeling a little guilty for having had you trek through freezing temps and high-winds when his pilgrimage brochures promised a bit more Spanish sunshine along the way.
Thanks, Steve. Funny you should mention this…in the town of Villafranca yesterday, there is another famous church, the Iglesia de Santiago (Church of St. James) that has a door called the Puerta de Perdon (Door of Forgiveness). During medieval times, pilgrims struggling with diseases that could not continue all the way to Santiago could walk through the front door and receive all the same blessings as one would receive for completing the entire trek. We liked this idea and stopped by to find…the doors were locked. Hmmmm….
I think I would have sat down by the Puerto de Perdon; bought a Rotisserie chicken and two icy Diet Cokes; and just pounded on the door until someone opened it………….but, I’m a just a typical lazy American with no intention of ever hiking this holy pilgrimage. Which probably explains why I’ll be roasting in Purgatory for a lot longer than the two of you………..if I even get there at all. Please say a little prayer for me in the next church you visit.
We have our Papa Francisco rosaries from Rome…we will light a candle and say a decade for you. We are not too worried about Janet.
Hello pilgrims
With your comment we have not been able to avoid transporting ourselves to Tokyo, its grandeur, its cleanliness, its incredible order, the civic spirit of its people and above all its silence, something that surprised us a lot, surely any town that you are traveling with just thousands of inhabitants, they are noisier.
And less than 200 kilometers! Cheer up
Did you try the rotisserie chicken/how was it? 🙂
No…we were in mid-walk…and although I have admired the people at Disney walking around gnawing on a giant turkey leg…we didn’t think a full rotisserie chicken would “travel well”. Although…in hindsight…we should not have let that get in the way!