Day 17 Cacabelos

Last night we got talking to one of our room mates, she is from the UK and looks like Minnie Driver! :-)  A spunky young lady, we had a good giggle over ladder climbing to the top bunk! I am absolutely confident that I will never manage those crazy things without saying at least once "shit" as the dang thing tips and just about sends me flying! In the dark,  of course, it is always way more fun!

Woke up in the night to a concert of snoring coming from the kitchen/common area, Albergue beds were full so folks were sleeping on mats on the floor. Courtyard was full of mats as well.  Interesting because this albergue sleeps 175 in beds, the talk was another 100 were sleeping on temporary beds.

We left this morning around 7:30 or so. Our original plan was to keep today and tomorrow shorter days as we have a one more climb to do. The walk through Ponferrada took us through the old town, past the castle, and down some winding narrow streets. We tackled a bunch of stairs, then through more narrow streets.  There is lots of new construction as well as renovation projects. Seems to be a lot of projects where the old facade is being kept on new buildings, trying to keep the character of old.  It was pretty and quiet!  At one point we were walking through an area of huge houses, walled/fenced and gated.  Tjhe path then took us past an old small church and to a corner where there was an old building and a monument of some sort with a cross on it. Sandra stopped to take a picture and noticed a knife there. We supposed that someone must have stopped for a break and left it. She put it back on the step and we were about to carry on when the two fellows walking behind us heard us and one of them folded the knife up and put it in his pack. We must have all been hungry as the conversation went from wow a knife, to roast chicken and fries, to these two guys with a knife becoming hunters and finding lunch! Had a good laugh and then carried on.

We passed through Columbrianos, Fuentes Nuevas, Campaonaraya mostly walking in vineyards. Passed an older fellow selling fruit - grapes, melon, something else which I did not decipher! We stopped for coffee three  times which helped. I started today tired so needed the push! Chatted to the folks from London Ontario and then new folks from Halifax and various folks from Quebec. Stopped at a local bodeaga but did not sample any wines!:-( Further along a fellow was set up selling wooden scallop shells that he had carved and was doing a lively business. I chose to keep my euros  and we walked on.  Finally  Cacabelos.! We walked through the town and found the albergue.

The albergue is basic, no kitchen, hard benches for relaxing but has the coolest two bed cubbyholes for sleeping! I think it will be a chilly nite though as the rooms are stone and wood, so layering up for bed! :-)

We decided to wander in the town, found an old olive press which was massive!  Finally found a place with an awesome pan of paella! I killed mine! No sharing!  :-) We found the supermarket and  stocked up for tomorrow!

Bed! :-)