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- 6 Okt 2022, 8:00 PTG
- ⛅ 22 °C
- Altitud: 530 m
SepanyolCastilla y LeónPonferrada42°32’53” N 6°35’50” W
Day 21 - Solo days and knights
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”Sometimes you need to take a break from everyone and spend time alone, to experience, appreciate and love yourself.” – Robert Tew
Day 21 - Ponferrada rest day - approx 13km walked, around the city!!
So, this is me today - alone again on my Camino. And that’s ok! I miss my Camino family, but I don’t mind my own company.
This morning I slept in a bit and took time to rearrange my pack and downsize a bit. I will leave some small bits in my hotel and have now sent others along to my final destination near Muxia. Just stuff I don’t want to wear anymore (talking to you, Lulu shorts!!), haven’t used or won’t use all of (like my extra contacts). Figure I cut close to a kilo - which will help since I have likely added a kilo since I have been here.
After I got myself all sorted, I headed up to the Castillo de Los Templarios (Templar Castle). Had a lovely breakfast at the cafe outside the walls, while I waited for the castle to open at 10am. Bumped into Jane, an Aussie from Perth, that I met in Boadilla del Camino about a week ago. She had been laid up in Léon with COVID for 6 days and then went back to where she had left off. She too has had to skip ahead a bit, to make up for lost time.
According to their website, the castle’a prehistoric origins relate it to a settlement during the first Iron Age. Its privileged situation turned it into a walled enclosure with different dependencies inside. A total of 8,000 square meters make up the historical remains of this impressive castle. It was absolutely fascinating and I took almost 1.5hrs there, and this was without viewing some of the exhibits. While I was there, I met an Aussie/Brit named Eddie. She was sitting in one of the chambers all by herself, when I entered. She was singing and it was hauntingly beautiful.
After the castle, I needed to visit Decathlon across town and made a good choice to avoid the local McDonalds. I then headed to the post office (back the way I had come from at the other side of town) to mail my parcel. By siesta time, this may not have been a “walking day”, but I had managed to rack up over 15,500 steps already.
I decided to go out again in the evening for a glass of wine (because why not sit at a bar and drink by myself 😂?). As I stepped out of the doorway of my hotel, I heard a “hey, hello!” I turned around to find two ladies from Gatineau that I shared a dorm with (and went to Decathon with) over a week and a half ago, in Burgos. They had wanted my assistance with their flights, but left Burgos before I could help them. So, was able to assist them tonight and they were so grateful. It’s so weird how the Camino works! I had jumped ahead over 150km and still bump into 3 people I know from previous towns. Just to be clear, this is not a 2 bar town. This is a city. A big city. Yet here I am, running into people I have met before. I love the Camino magic. Put a smile on my face for ages!!
After they went their separate way, I just started wandering around the city. I love the pulse and vibe here. Found a cheapie store that I had fun mooching around in, reloaded my phone so I am good until mid Nov when I fly home from France, and sat people watching as I drank my wine. Headed back to my hotel for an early-ish night, happy I had decided to venture out.
Tomorrow is only a 15 km day, but the next is almost 20km. So, best rest up while I have the opportunity to have a snore-free zone since I am in a private room!Baca lagi
Pengembara So awesome!
Pengembara
OMG! It's beautiful!
Pengembara
LOVE this shot!!
Pengembara Thanks! Me too!