El Castillo Hotel Ponferrada

... is true. We do have another elevation to climb in the next day or so but we have already done the highest so not worried. No rain so far and hoping for none as the paths are covered in a soft dustlike material which would probably cake up on our shoes if wet. Gotta go have a beer or wine and play a game or two of cards. Will be in touch again when another internet become available.

... jellys. We love the scenry. WE cannot upload any pictures yet, but perhaps in the larger towns we will find this capability. The towns are pretty ancient... the scenerio is wonderful and the people are all really friendly. Back to basics with handwashing clothes, and feeling your tummy growl from hunger. We love you all and miss you and are wishing that you all could be here enjoying the ´rural´beauty and splendor.

This is the plan:

Let's rock & roll....

... cake. . . only asking for a small donation. It was a very welcome respite in the heat. Even had benches and a large shade tree to sit a spell.

Have not been drinking enough water; we have had to make a conscious effort after the day´s walk to hydrate. It definitely makes a difference the next day and in the amount of energy we have.

Day 23 - Sunday, July 12 Astorga - Foncebadon 26.2 km (16.5)

The walk ...

... a traditional example of Galician life there are masses of Spanish tourists who travel up the small highway to visit on a Sunday afternoon. It was amusing to see people get out of their vehicles and pick up a pilgrim´s staff to get their picture taken looking like they had just walked up the mountain.

We stayed in a small room in a building that is several hundred years old ...

... it's crazy to dream of sustainability? If that's what it takes, I'm with you, Don Q! And where would he have been without Sancho, or his steed, or the donkey - these friends, these messengers of help and support - in fact, angels? I too have had my angels - the unexpected English speaker to make an important phone call in Spanish for me; another who made it easy for me to buy a local mobile phone; the woman to repair my torn ...

... I need almost two hours to get to Astorga. Most of the time I’m walking on Dire Straits – Walk of Life and the like. So very fitting.

In Astorga, there is Lily in the albergue, Max and Petra and of course Agnesa who came here by train today. We take a stroll through the village and have dinner together. Once more, I am one of the last to return to the albergue before it closes.

... in Foncebadon (27km). An old town, it was completely in ruins and no one lived there, and the character from the story is badly scared by a big black dog in one of the ruined houses. Yesterday it was beautifully sunny and the town looked decidedly friendly and postcard-like rather than the windswept, empty ghost town of the story. And people live there now, only 4 all year round but that's a start. There ...

... stones from their hometowns to lay upon the pile. As you might guess, we had decided to forego this tradition - just as we had foregone the massive pack tradition. We pressed on and eventually reached the highest point of the Cordillera, Majarin (I think that spelling might be off). A man took out photo next to a sign which gave approximate distances to many "holy cities ...

... to Peoria. Ponferrada, for example, has homeless people, a pro soccer team, fashionable shopping districts with big name stores, and a sprawling industrial complex. It also features a 12th century Templar stronghold that we´re going to see after the siesta. Incidently, I finally was able to get a new camera, so I took a lot of pictures of uninteresting things ...