Catching up....

So it's been a few days since we had wi fi or anything interesting to share.   We pushed out a long walk on a hot day to Villafranca del Bierzo and by the time we got to town many of the albergues  and hostals were filled up   Had to walk for a out another hour thru winding streets to find a place and got the last 2 beds there.   The hosts were very nice and took good care of everyone!   The albergue is actually built into the side of the mountain !

This rock in the entry is part of the next day's path-good grief!!  So we made an executive decision to send our packs ahead and walk without the extra weight, which seems to multiply with the climb & effects your balance.   So the next day we headed up, up, up- very steep and not as picturesque as the other day--  just a long hard walk !!  There was a nice stretch of quiet forest 

We got to the village just as the cows were coming home!  

 Finally made our stop for the night at 26km, whew! 

Remember the downhills here are as bad or worse than the uphills.... At 2 am I awoke to a noise quite loud even with my earplugs.... Rain!!   Didn't get much sleep after that anticipating a wet slide down the mountain : (    By morning it was about 40 degrees, pouring rain and solid fog !!   I just couldn't deal with it !!  When we went down for coffee and tried to size up the situation, there was a young man who had bad tendonitis who didn't want to risk further injury so we decided to share a cab and just get off the mountain!  This was the last big climb, so even if it rains again ( which is in the forecast)  it won't be as big a deal as sliding down the mountain !

We are in the final days... Anxious to be done and come home!  I have enjoyed the experience, but it has been a long trip and it wears on you to have to pack up and move on everyday, not knowing where you will sleep or what the day will bring ... I know that is part of the pilgrimage experience and it has been a good learning experience that I know I will always remember

We cooked a great lunch of carbonara, salad and our new  favorite ciervaza, 1906 Especial

Feeling better! : )