Day 16 (14/4-17)
Leon - Villadangos del Paramo - Puente de Orbigo (33 km)
The streets of Leon were sticky of alcohol and other garbage which had been thrown all over the place during the celebrations the night before. Bottles and garbage all over the place! While we were finding our way out of the city centre workers were cleaning up.
The periosteum on my left leg started to ache quite badly during todays walk and in the evening my leg was a bit swollen.
Day 17 (15/4-17)
Puente de Orbigo - Astorga - El Ganso (27 km)
My leg really hurt today and Nicolas and I lost track of one another. I had to slow down my pace and find a pharmacy that could help me with liniment and bandages. I wound the bandages quite hard around my leg. I found a lovely albergue in El Ganso, a small village without restaurant. It had a picturesque combined food and gadgetstore. At this place you could also order a peregrino dinner which I did.
Puente de Orbigo - Astorga - El Ganso (27 km)
My leg really hurt today and Nicolas and I lost track of one another. I had to slow down my pace and find a pharmacy that could help me with liniment and bandages. I wound the bandages quite hard around my leg. I found a lovely albergue in El Ganso, a small village without restaurant. It had a picturesque combined food and gadgetstore. At this place you could also order a peregrino dinner which I did.
Day 18 (16/4-17)
El Ganso - Rabanal del Camino - Molinaseca (33,5 km)
Today was a special day!The countryside was overwhelmingly stunning on winding paths up on mountains through stone villages overlooking snowy mountains. Up, up, and finally I was there! Cruz de Ferro! The giant cross made out of iron that has become a symbol for the camino. The pilgrims bring a stone all the way from home and leave it there, next to the cross, in the purpose to think of the meaning of doing this long journey and to leave the passed behind in the form of a stone. Hopefully the load you carry gets easier to carry afterwards. This was a very special moment for me! I had brought a stone from my front porch back home and this stone symbolized so many things that I had carried around for the last years which I now badly wanted to leave behind! While I put down my stone I read the serenity prayer:
God give me peace of mind to accept what I can not change, change what I can and understand to understand the difference.
Then I left Cruz de Ferro behind with tears streaming down my cheeks.
El Ganso - Rabanal del Camino - Molinaseca (33,5 km)
Today was a special day!The countryside was overwhelmingly stunning on winding paths up on mountains through stone villages overlooking snowy mountains. Up, up, and finally I was there! Cruz de Ferro! The giant cross made out of iron that has become a symbol for the camino. The pilgrims bring a stone all the way from home and leave it there, next to the cross, in the purpose to think of the meaning of doing this long journey and to leave the passed behind in the form of a stone. Hopefully the load you carry gets easier to carry afterwards. This was a very special moment for me! I had brought a stone from my front porch back home and this stone symbolized so many things that I had carried around for the last years which I now badly wanted to leave behind! While I put down my stone I read the serenity prayer:
God give me peace of mind to accept what I can not change, change what I can and understand to understand the difference.
Then I left Cruz de Ferro behind with tears streaming down my cheeks.
Day 19 (17/4)
Molinaseca - Villafranca del Bierzo (31 km)
After a bad nights sleep I left early in the morning towards Villafranca del Bierzo. Outside Ponferrada I met an Italian man and we kept company all the way. Villafranca del Bierzo was called the alternative Santiago during the middle ages as pilgrims who didn't make it all the way to Santiago could get penance and healing there.
Day 20 (18/4-17)
Villafranca del Bierzo - O'Cebreiro
In between these pictures is a wonderful place called O'Cebreiro. I can't find the pictures from this picturesque village. I hope to find them. This is a region famous for the bagpipe-tradition.
O'Cebreiro is a village that is built with stone houses with straw roof, called pallozas which is a celtic tradition. The buildings are over 2500 years old. A must is to visit the pre-romanesque church which is the oldest remaining fully intact on the Pilgrim's Route to Santiago de Compostela and which contains a Holy Grail. During mass I was called up to the priest to read the gospel of the week in English. The priest in O'Cebreiro was the first person to mark out the whole camino. He also wrote guidebooks, maps and books about the camino.
Day 21 (19/4-17)
Day 22 (23/4-17)
(After a couple of days rest in Santiago, Finisterre and Muxia I continued my walk)
Day 23
25/4
Day 24
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