Dear Friends and Family,
This was a particularly difficult day for me and a low point on my Camino journey. I left Cacabelos at 7 30 wearing my sandals to keep my "lowly toe / the one next to my big one happy. The quick and steep descent into Molinaseca compromised it's good feelings...." It was very warm/ 18 degrees C. THe previous day was up to 26 degrees. At an early point on the road I met up with Suzie and Pierre, my French Canadian friends. We walked along the road a bit, then decided to move inland to the vinyards enroute to Villa franca del Bierzo. It was a beautiful route, with many vinyards and rolling hills. It was a dirt track, but very walkable. As light broke, the clouds seemed to lift and blue sky showed itself. At one point the sun came out and lit up the landscape.
When we arrived in Villafranca.....I had a hot chocolate and a tortilla. As we sat there, the clouds started rolling in and it appeared as though rain was immanent. I decided to put on my boots. There was a route over the mountains that missed many of the towns, but promised to be very beautiful. They and I made the decision not to follow this route. I was feeling very tired this day, and decided to take the path by the road. THere would be many times I would regret the decision, still, I'm not sure it would have been a good decision to have taken the steep route in the country. It did begin to rain in earnest, and it would have been very mucky. Still, walking along the highway was not very pleasurable / a route without soul save for a babbling brook to the left of our walk. At one point the road divided and took a route into Pereie. It was a contryroad with big trees that led into an interesting town. At one point we could smell wine. THe doors were open to a black hole with a stick pointing out. We looked in and then saw two feet above the hole. In the hole were wines still in their skins. The pole had 3 prongs that was used for crushing. I took out my camera to take a picture and the man became VERY adamant I not take a picture, pulled out the pole and closed it all up. We speculated that perhaps the winemaking was not legitimate. Soon we found a cafe and stopped once again. I ordered a boccadilla. Pierre and Suzie had ordered a beer. Totally out of character, I also ordered a small beer. Soon we headed out and the town met up with the original road.
Suzie and I switched between French and English talking about all sorts of things, but I was so tired I could hardly think in French any more. At the next town, I left them to have their lunch and I carried on my way since I had much further to go than they did. It was a little like walking along a fairly major 2 to 4 lane highway by this point, with breaks for interchanges. Eventually I came to Trabadelo, where I met a number of people I had come to know enroute, including the south koreans who had sung me down to Molinaseca. It was there I learned I still had 5 km to go. By this time is was raining very hard. I stopped long enough for a coke and a little visit, then headed along my way. Towns at this point on the trail were like little hamlets, established along the roadway, with a few houses moving back beyond the main road. THere were some very new and modern houses and I stopped at one which was also a bakery to buy a piece of cake. I was looking for whatever I could to keep me going.3more villages to go before I found my place for the night. By this time it was getting late around 4 pm. I stopped by the river at one point, listening to the river, trying to take in some of its flowing energy. I was feeling the accumulation of several long days of walking. By 5 45
Eventually I came to Las Herrerias, but it was still a long walk into the blended town with >Hospital> .....none of the keys are where they are supposed to be here.....sorry for all the hyroglyphics....... I was struck by all the bulls I saw in the pens yet I could see no cows. Eventually I asked for the place I was to stay. A forlorn looking place greeted me, not what I was hoping for. She led me up to a very cold room with no heat. I asked about weefee and there was not any, nor was there a computer in the whole valley. ANd it was pouring rain. I went inside my room, sat on the bed and cried. It felt like it was all too much at that point. I also realized how I had come to rely on my internet connection. JIm had been a very regular supporter that I could rely on and when I really needed him, it was not available.
AFter a bit of a rest, I showered with nice warm water, changed and felt much better. I rested for a bit, gave my feet their loving attention, then ventured down stairs to get warm and ask about heat.
I was met with what seemed like a barrage of Spanish, but was just my incomprehension. I ordered a hot chocolate and the Senora poured attention onto me. By this time it was after 6. She made a fire and had me sit next to it. THen she brought out a delicious soup which is very regional here...beans, potato and green leafy vegetable. It was delicious and exactly what I needed. THere was only the one young woman with her daughter, who appeared to be about 9 or 10. It was the daughter who poured my glass of wine. AS I was eating dinner, a British couple came in and ordered a glass of wine. I learned that they were staying there and acting as support for the woman's cousin who was doing the camino by bicycle. He was finding it very diffiuclt and was finding he had to push his bicycle uphill one too many times.
By 8 pm, the dining room was filled with what seemed to be the whole family. THere were at least 3 generations involved, along with many other family members. THe place had a very good feel and my feelings had been transformed to gratitude for receiving all that I| needed. I went upstairs about 8 and went to bed soon after. I was ready for the next stage....a short_ climb to O Cebreiro where I would spend saturday night. Goodnight from the Camino. Heather
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