Camino de Santiago Day 23
Day 23: I woke up at 5:45 AM and left the Stone Boat at 6:30 AM. Since I was too early for breakfast, the owner was kind enough to wrap up some banana bread for me so I could eat it on the way. It was a cool morning (but warmer than most mornings) and the sun had not come up yet. The camino rose gradually out of town and up into the surrounding hills. The first town I came to was Foncebadon. Forcebadon is a small village nestled up in the hills with all buildings made of stone. It looked like a great place to stop but I continued onward toward Cruz de Ferro. Half hour or so later, I arrived at Cruz de Ferro. Cruz de Ferro is a special place because for the last 1000 years, pilgrims have brought stones with them from home (or from the beginning of their journey) and then they have left these stones at the base of the cross. The stones represent your sins or the burdens that you carry. Leaving the stones at the cross releases you from these burdens. After a thousand years of pilgrims leaving stones there, a large mound has developed at the base of the cross. I had been carrying my own stone that I had picked out in St Jean Pied de Port, and had been carrying up until this point. After arriving at the cross, I followed tradition and tossed it over my shoulder, back to the cross, to represent the journey behind me and the fresh start ahead. After leaving Cruz de Ferro, I came down the hill and stopped at a food truck for a Chorizo and Cheese sandwich (more breakfast!). After eating and continuing on, there were great views of the hills and of Ponferrada below in the valley. The next town I came to was El Acebo, a really neat looking village in the hills. The next three towns, El Acebo, Riego de Abros, and Monilaseca all had the same unique structure style—stone houses with slates roofs and a large wooden balcony facing the street. It reminded me of something out of Lord of the Rings or some fairytale village. All of these villages had 12th century churches and had a history involving the Knights Templar. I stopped in El Acebo for an electrolyte drink and I stopped in Monilaseca for an ice cream and a water refill. I walked around Monilaseca for a while and would have liked to have spent more time there but it was a hot day (mid-90s) and I wanted to get to my Marriott hotel in Ponferrada. Five miles later I came into Ponferrada and the first thing I came to in the ancient city is the massive Templar Castle (12th century improvements to a Roman citadel). It was spectacular! After that, I wound through the streets, checked into the Marriott, showered, relaxed, did laundry, and finally ventured out again. I first visited the Basilica Nuestra Senora de la Encina. I then visited the Templar castle (actually went inside, awesome). After the castle, I grabbed a beer along the castle wall at La Barbacana. I then ate dinner at Restaruante Las Cuadras before walking back to the Marriott, working on the computer, and going to bed.
Distance hiked: 20 miles
Comments
Post a Comment