Day 31 (10/23) - Molinaseca to Cacabelos (24.1km)

Left our hostal, had typical breakfast (cafe Americano, cafe con leche and chocolate croissants) and hit the road. Almost immediately we ran into three friends as they left their albergue and walked most of the day with them, sometimes separating into smaller groups. Today was a very long day of walking timewise (9.5 hours, finishing around 5:30pm as we stopped several times and then kept visiting with other pilgrims that we knew. Distance wise, not too long though. We had a nice stop at the Bierzo wine coop just beyond Camponaraya. The usual taste of the house wine (taken from the metal pipes) is 1.5euro and includes a piece of empanada for a snack. However, since there were 4 of us at that point, we bought a 7 euro bottle of gran reserva Bierzo wine (Mencia grapes predominate in this region). One of the fellow pilgrims knows her wines quite well and was definitely impressed. Moving on, a bit slowly by now, we reached our destination and found a room at Hostal La Gallega. We stopped at a nearby restaurant (Meson Apostol) last year for a very memorable lunch and it doesn't open for dinner until 8pm so hope it is worth the wait.

We have now walked one month and covered 600km and are still feeling pretty good!




Templar castle in Ponferrada.



Enjoying a bottle of Gran Riserva Bierzo wine (Mencia grapes) with our friends.


The wine co-op "bottles" its own box wines. Fifteen liter boxes (below) cost less than $20. What a deal!!!





Enjoying the vineyard lined path.


Streets of Cacabelos - our destination today.


Meson Apostol restaurant where we had dinner.


Cindy's salad - nice greens, crispy bacon and roasted goat cheese.

Location:Cacabelos, Spain

Day 30 (10/22) - Foncebadon to Molinaseca (19.6km)

Breakfast was early and we were on the trail before 8am and enjoyed the beautiful skies (with setting crescent moon) before sunrise. After a fairly easy climb, we reached the highest elevation (1500 meters) of the Camino Frances at Cruz de Ferro, an iron cross atop a wooden pole and surrounded by a very large mound of stones. Tradition has pilgrims bringing all these stones up the mountain, or from home, and depositing them at this point. Last year I forgot my stone at home but brought one this year - unfortunately, I misplaced it sometime over the past few days. Ah well, guess that means I've not left my worries behind on the mountain. We continued along and then began a long descent into the valley below, nearly 3500' total descent and very steep in places. We were quite footsore when we finally arrived in Molinaseca and treated ourselves to a private room in Hostal El Horno. Molinaseca is another small but important pilgrim stopover since it is in the valley floor and just beyond the strenuous mountain crossing. After a drink next to the medieval bridge we settled down and then wandered the village looking for a comfortable place for another glass of wine and to work on our journals. The day was very pleasant and we (almost) forgot about our strenuous hike. In early evening we met two pilgrims from New Zealand (Keith and Susan) and decided to have dinner together. The recommended restaurant (Puente Romano) does not serve dinner until 7:30pm so wandered into a bar for a glass of wine. Was amazed to see two baskets of freshly picked king boletus mushrooms on the counter so admired them and had to show the bar owner pix of my finds from last summer in YNP. Then ordered a platter of boletus and bar owner recommended we have them "au naturel" so agreed but not really understanding what that meant. We received a platter of thinly sliced stems that were raw and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Wow! Really delicate and very delicious. I had never had raw wild mushrooms so this was quite a treat. Dinner at the other restaurant was okay but with hindsight we should have stayed n the bar and simply told the owner to "serve us something you think we would like".




Pre-sunset view back towards Foncebadon


Cruz de Ferro - highest elevation along Camino de Frances at 1500 meters


Steep downhill section.


View of valley where we must descend to Ponferrado in the distance.


Small village (Acebo) about half-way down.


Typical pathway (above) and difficult section (below) along bedrock.





Molinaseca - village at bottom of descent.



King Bolete mushrooms in bar and the proud owner below





Plate of thinly sliced raw king boletus mushrooms drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. WOW.

Location:Molinaseca, Spain

Day 29 (10/21) - Murias de Rechivaldo to Foncebadon (21.2km)

A nice breakfast in the albergue an then walked along a familiar route. It is obvious that we have left the meseta behind at Astorga and now walking through scrub pines and with very different stones on the ground - no longer round river tumbled stones but fragments of flat stones and obviously well suited for use in stone walls and buildings. Had second breakfast in village, then lunch in Rabanal del Camino (where we stayed last year) then another 6km uphill to Foncebaden where we are staying at Albergue Monte Irago. Had shower and then enjoyed liter of red wine that came with a plate of bread and jamon for only 3 euros ($4). We had the pilgrim dinner (charcuterie, cheese and bread followed by paella and salad plus nice local red wine) in the albergue and were in bed before 9pm.




The camino pathway in early morning.





Lunch in Rabanal del Camino


Climbing up a scenic but steep pathway.


Our albergue in Foncebaden. In winter this village has 6 residents.


Much of the village is in ruins (goat in foreground).


Billy goat enjoying the view.


Liter of red wine and snack for 3 euro ($4)!

Location:Foncebaden, Spain

Day 28 (10/20) - Villares de Orbigo to Murias de Rechivaldo (19.2km)

Breakfast in the albergue and we started a bit later than usual - after sunrise. The skies were clear and the morning walk was nice. The landscape changed from meseta to the foothills and we stopped in Astorga for really upscale but inexpensive tapas in a bar on the square - two glasses of wine and 4 tapas for 8 euros. We stayed in Astorga last year but continued on another 5km and are staying in Albergue Las Aguedas. After our shower we enjoyed a nice bottle of Bierzo wine (Mencia grapes) and visiting with a group of pilgrims we have been seeing for the past few days. Another nice communal dinner that was different from the typical pilgrim meal - we had pumpkin soup and then cous cous.





Sunrise looking back to village where we stayed


Pilgrims we have been seeing lately and along statue where we posed last year.




View looking forward to Astorga.


Wonderful tapas at bar on Astorga's main square. Four tapas and two gllasses of wine for $10!


One of the few Gaudi designed buildings outside of Catalonia.


Nice communal dinner in our Albergue.


View from the street looking into our Albergue's courtyard.

Location:Murias de Rechivaldo, Spain

Day 27 (10/19) - Villar de Mazarife to Villares de Orbigo (17.3km)

There was a nice breakfast in the albergue (eaten communally) and we hit the trail 30 minutes or so before sunrise and enjoyed the early morning views. We walked with a couple from New Zealand and the time (and kilometers) passed very quickly. We had second breakfast in Villavante, passed through Hospital de Orbige (where we stayed last year) and ended up in Villares de Orbigo. We looked into the courtyard of a private albergue and chatted with the Belgium woman who is the owner. Had a light lunch at a nearby bar and returned to Albergue Villares de Orbigo where we got a private room with bath -- truly luxurious by our pilgrim standards! The owner is a really nice woman who found the albergue for sale via a web site and has only had it for one month. She prepared a very nice meal and we enjoyed our "luxury suite".






Sunrise from the trail


Stop for "second breakfast" with couple from New Zealand.


Medieval bridge in Hospital de Orbigo


Our alberbue (above and below)





Our "luxury suite" (above) and courtyard of our albergue (below).





Communal dinner - the Belgian woman who owns the albergue and who prepared the meal is at front left. Dinner entree below.

Location:Villares de Orbigo, Spain

Day 26 (10/18) - Leon to Villar de Mazarife (21.5km)

Left Leon around 8am and it was pretty quiet and a fairly nice walk out of town. Of course, we walked through suburbs and some industrial area so it was nice when, after 10km we reached the countryside. Stopped for a picnic lunch on the outskirts of a small village and continued on through farm lands. We pleasantly surprised to arrive in another small village, Chozas de Abajo, and find a "Festival of the Potato" going on (it is Saturday). So, we enjoyed the festival and had some snacks, beer and wine. Continued on and arrived at Villar de Mazarife a bit before 3pm and are staying at Albergue San Antonio de Padua - where we stayed last year. Wandered around the village and had a drink at another albergue and enjoying the sunny afternoon. Hopefully we will have good weather for at least another week. The albergue meal was every bit as nice as we remembered last year and we enjoyed visits with the other pilgrims.

We have now walked more than 500km (310 miles)!



Finally leaving Leon behind!


We saw this man in a field with a basket and knew he was looking for mushrooms. These are "Setas de Caldo" and we've had them grilled with garlic and olive oil.





It was Saturday afternoon and we entered a small village that was having a festival of potatoes. It looks like they are getting ready for a big banquet.


There were booths with snacks and various things.



Grilled chorizo on a bun with cup of wine for $4!


A band provided some interesting music.


Our albergue in Villar de Mazarife -- pretty unique in that the meals are vegetarian.