Beautiful walk through the Bierzo valley

It is now 9 pm and we have now had dinner...usually I write up the day on arrival, after showering, but today I just relaxed and finished my book. And there was no huge incentive, as the wifi here is extremely weak, as we are down in the valley, and everywhere has bad reception I gather. However, I will write the words and go down near the dining room and see if it will upload...

So we are now at Villafranca del Bierzo, a picturesque town, with many huge churches, set on the side of a hill. And we are staying at the end of the town as we leave tomorrow, near a bridge over the river, with a view from our window of the water...we left Ponferrada just before 8, and soon got into step with Janette and Brigitte which was lovely. We accidentally walked along the road out of town, not the “picturesque “ way, but we were not unhappy, as it was urban sprawl wherever you went really, and this saved us 2.5 kms!!! But once we left town, it was a spectacular day...through lovely little villages, and finally up through the vineyards of the Bierzo. This is where we saw the grape harvest time, and we saw that exact spot...no picking there today, but we could see activity on hills around. And today again was a cloudless bright day...cool for the morning, but certainly did heat up as the afternoon wore on. But it was so breathtaking we hardly noticed, just a beautiful panorama everywhere. (Last time it was misty until afternoon, totally different scene!).

At about lunchtime we stopped at a small town and had a really good lunch with Janette and Brigitte...pimientos de Padron, and patatas with blue goat cheese dip. The potatoes were freshly finely sliced and fried...looked like potato crisps, but oh so different, and the blue cheese was hot and amazing! A highlight!! Then we went on, reinvigorated, and walked through the vineyards till we finally arrived at Villafranca.

After the showering procedures, (and leaving a bag of our filthy clothes to be washed and sun dried for €8!) we had down time, then went to the plaza Mayor where the girls, plus the Canadian sisters (Judy and Dorothy ) were staying...we had lost them for a couple of days..and we had a pre dinner drink. Then we went back to our casa where we have dinner included, and had one of the best meals of the Camino so far!! Highlight being peppers stuffed with cod....it was just amazing!! And when Amr mentioned that we had been here at the hotel 5 years ago she immediately withdrew the carafe of wine she was bringing for us and replaced it with a good bottle of Bierzo!! How nice!

All so good! Don’t feel as tired today as yesterday (probably was the strenuous downhill), even though today was almost 24 kms. Tomorrow we have chosen the easier flatter path, which I think is wise, and it is only about 15 kms. We did the alternative over the top route last time, which had spectacular views, but feel this time we’ll be conservative! And the next day, we truly have a climb to the little Celtic village where we spend 2 days...so we’ll save our strength for,then. Not going to try to send the spectacular views of today yet...will send them probably tomorrow when hopefully the wifi works, but hope to send this now.Read more