***Again I have apologize for no photos, since it's almost lights out time and the connection is slow. As usual, we left around 7:15,with Ponferrada in our sights for breakfast, about 6 kilometers ahead. About 3 kilometers, most of it before sunrise, we passed through the tiny, still asleep, town of Campo. Campo translates in English to simply farm. Maybe way back it was just farms owned by people in Ponferrada. Just after that, we got our first good view of Ponferrada, down in the valley. As it almost always turns out, we had to climb up and then, knowing the highway not that far away simply went straight downhill. Raresh and I have a joke going that every town we enter will always have a steep climb just before or while entering the town. Strangely ... read more

We left the albergue in Azofra around 7:30 heading to Murias de Rechivaldo for breakfast, about 5 kilometers away. As we were leaving Azofra, we spotted a bunch of pilgrims stopping at some place in the left, before crossing the road. There was a small religious building called Hermita de Foce Homo. We took a peek inside before continuing on. They were giving pilgrim's stamps, but there was a line and we've been getting plenty. This morning we were traveling with a couple of folks we'd shared dinner with last night. Again, I'm sorry, but I am terrible with names. We soon entered Murias de Rechivaldo and stopped at Bar Cris for breakfast. Somewhere after that, I started leaving Raresh behind because he was talking and walking slowly. I entered Santa Catalina de Somoza 4 1/2 ... read more

This morning I didn't wake up until 7:30, and Raresh after that, so we got a very late start. After a quick breakfast, we finally left the albergue around 9:30, with a lady from Sweden in tow. Alex and Livija woke up even later and didn't want to be rushed, so we left them behind. The lady from Sweden, Anakaren, didn't know where stuff was, and was just starting the Camino, so we walked with her to the right place and bid her Buen Camino. Since we'd already had some breakfast, we skipped the first town of Trabajo del Camino at 4k and continued on another 4k to the town of La Virgen del Camino for a second breakfast at a little bar I forget the name of, but they had the most delicious homemade pastries. ... read more

We left Reliegos around 7:30, heading for Leon for a 2-night stay. I was hoping to get some medicine at a farmacia for my cold which was still lingering. Livija was with us today and stayed with until we entered Puente Villarente where she decided to stay, hoping I think for Alex to catch up. We stopped after about 6 kilometers for breakfast at El Jardin del Camino in Mansilla de las Mulas for breakfast. I had my usual tortilla and coffee, along with a chocolate pastry. We were still sort of on the famed flat meseta, but Leon would be the end of that boredom. Although, I found out that Raresh really enjoyed it. Maybe he liked the ability to forget about everything. Anyway, after breakfast, we continued on, with a new member from Australia. ... read more

Last night Raresh and I ate dinner at the Restaurant Los Canarios because they had the best selection of the places we had to choose from. We were joined by David, an American who worked in Las Vegas for 10 years while living in a motor home, saving 70% of his income. He now travels around the U.S. living out of his RV, taking occasional jobs transferring boats. He has sailed from Washington D.C. to Pensacola Florida, and across the Atlantic. He is doing the Camino for one of the same reasons I am... he saw the movie The Way and was hooked. I ate chicken soup (soap de fideo), breaded hake, and a delicious homemade pastry. Raresh and I left the albergue alone around 7:30, heading for Sahagun. Alex and Livija wanted to stay a ... read more