Villafranca and the Bierzo

Church of Santa Maria, Compostilla
Caretaker has found a clever way to keep the storks from nesting on the bell tower. 

I left Ponferrada as planned at 7:20 for the 28K trip and that was the only thing that went as as planned.   It wasn't the weather or my knee.  No, I was lost by 7:30 and really lost by 7:45.   I'm not sure how it happened but by 7:40 I was asking ally cats if they knew where the Camino was.   It took three interventions (perhaps divine) to get me back on the way, though well behind schedule.

Who says pilgrims are honest?
German pilgrim walking away with a branch of someone's cherries!

The route for much was a quiet side road for which I was extremely grateful.  No hills, no rocks, no hassles!  We passed farms and a few towns and villages before heading into the hills of the Bierzo.  The weather was gorgeous but I would have liked to have my 45 minutes back as it would have gotten me out of the sun that much earlier.

Sanctuary of the Church of St. James, Villafranca del Bierzo

I arrived at Villafranca del Bierzo about 12:30 and the sun was shinning.   After getting my bed and doing some laundry I had a lovely lunch in the Plaza Mayor.  After which I ran into the South London Lads who had reunited for the day before formally taking separate ways tomorrow.  I also met two Sarahs, two American girls in their twenties, who also had people missing in action.  Seattle Sarah was awaiting two or three people as she kept scanning the plaza.  Arkansas Sarah was waiting for her traveling partner from New York.   She had already checked in at their hotel.  I find more and more the Camino is a solitary journey even for those who make it together.  The Camino is ultimately a journey within.

Plaza Mayor, Villafranca del Bierzo

Villafranca, which today has about 5, 000 people, gets its name from the Camino as this is the "French" route that I am taking.  It has been a stop over for about a millennium.  In fact the Church of St. James which welcomes pilgrims down the hill is from the 11th century and is a wonderfully preserved Romanesque building.  The Plaza  Mayor is quaint and there is a splendid public garden that is full bloom with roses.

South London Lads Reunited!
Robert, Left; Richard, Right.

As nice as it is here.   It is to bed early as tomorrow brings one of the more strenuous days of the Camino.  I'll climb through the Valcarce Mountains and cross into Galicia.   It's a 31K hike but more problematic we go from 500 to 1300 meters and there is a climb and descent added into that journey.  If the weather report is correct it should be morning showers followed by sun.   Who knows?

Interior of the Collegiate Church, Villafranca del Bierzo.

One thing for certain is that I can't be separated from anyone.  I bring the Lord and my loved ones with me in my heart every step of the way.

Roses blooming in the Jardin Municipal.