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We
start to walk at quarter past six in the morning. The way out of
Ponferrada is long and and winding and, sometimes, with only a few signs.
A pilgrims’ group overtake us when we are beside the electric power
plant :
There
is no answer, they must have sworn the pilgrims’ vow of silence.
In Cacabelos.
Paca
and I have breakfast in Columbrianos, where someone has the kindness of
opening a bar at this time. The camino is a nice stroll with dozens of
pilgrims until Cacabelos.
After
having a cup of coffee in a cafe which is in the centre of Cacabelos, we
leave at a fast pace towards Villafranca del Bierzo. From Cacabelos to
Villafranca the number of pilgrims decreases very much. We see how some
support cars extend their duties and directly pick pilgrims up towards
Villafranca. A steep road emerges just leaving Cacabelos, and this causes a
lot of pilgrims with support cars to ponder about the advantages of the
internal combustion engine.
On the other hand the day is hot.
Paca
and I know by hearsay how hard the O Cebreiro stage is and, as we feel
very fit when we arrive at Villafanca, decide to go on until Trabadelo and
thus taking a few kilometres off to O Cebreiro’s stage.
Church of Santiago in Villafranca del Bierzo.
Before
we visit, of course, the church of Santiago (where we could have received the same
spiritual gifts as in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, only in the
event of not to being able to continue the camino because of an illness.)
The church is not under repair and it is open because we are in a Xabobeo
year. A prayer, a memory. This church, you find it when you arrive at this
town, is a moving point for us. The old pilgrims’ hostel is almost beside
the church, it looks like a greenhouse, and a little bit before arriving at
the church, on the right, there is a new hostel.
Castle of Villafranca del Bierzo.
We
go though Villafranca del Bierzo, a town we know very well. After the bridge
there is a sign. The road is under construction and they recommend pilgrims to
take the path to Pradela. Paca and I, submissive as usual, obey the sign. At
least we, submissive but prudent, have another breakfast at Villafranca, just in
case the path is too long. Then we leave for Pradela.
We
recommend this way to nobody. The way up takes two hours. There is neither water
nor hardly any shade and when you get to the top you must go down along a steep
path. On the other hand, the genuine camino goes through the valley, crossing
Pereje, where we know by hearsay there is a good pilgrims’ hostel. Cyclists,
of course, have to walk.
There
are people that think that pilgrims are goats and encourage them to take this
way. Paca and I do not advise this route. We take it with some kilometres on our
legs, at noon, on a hot day, and we have a very bad time. It would be a good
idea to use public main road works to make this bit a modern path. Here it is
necessary.
Paca
and I are happy for having arrived at Trabadelo without injuries even though we
are dead tired. The last kilometres on the way down are killing. We comfort
ourselves thinking how short the stage will be the following day.
We
lodge in Rutanova Hotel, where we have a good lunch. We must recover. Compulsory
siesta. We go for a stroll through the village in the evening. Practically at
one end of the village we see a message on a trash container. It is from Ales :
« Paca y Salva phone... » How marvellous for Ales to remind us !
A
notice in Rutanova hotel says that they transport your rucksack to O Cebreiro
for 300 pesetas. Paca and I promised not to play any tricks, so we carry our
luggage on our backs and we do not use cars except to come back home.
Stage 23  stage 24 |