An Extraordinarily Noise Albergue

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Getting Confused

Ponferrada is a big city from a walker´s perspective. I´m beginning to detect a pattern in the Camino markings and signage that distinguishes these from the towns and villages. Cities are about minimalist marking - there are few if any confidence inspiring intermediate markings between changes of direction, etc. The trust required is significant, especially with my previous record of getting misplaced such places.

And today, it was called on in spades. There is something discordant about knowing one is generally going west and being directed along roads where one is walking into the rising sun. Even my basic navigation skills were up to that. That led to a tense kilometre or so of especial vigilance until the route gradually turned to the northwest.

City roadworks are much the same. Elsewhere, there were always liberal temporary signs that directed the pilgrim around the work site. Here in Ponferrada, such luxuries were foregone, and one had to rely on continuing on as much in faith and hope as any real belief.

A Warm Fine Day

Once out of the city, the bulk of the day was a beautiful walk in the Bierzo. Early on, the villages smear together along the road with relatively modern housing along the road and at the edges of the towns and villages. Only later in the day, as one got further from Ponferrada, did it return to the more distinctive discrete village edge with the adjoining farmland.

I don´t recall even starting today´s walk in a fleece, so it must have been warm from the start, and by the time I reached my lunch stop, I was pretty sweaty.

Albergue Ave Fenix

Eventually, I pushed on the Villafranca, and found a smaller albergue. It was not a good choice. There was a film crew there at the same time shooting some promotional material. This didn´t disturb me too much as this was done in one of the other dormitories. What was worse was the loud discussion outside that was still going on after midnight, and finally stopped at 4.00am.

Not even a good breakfast made up for that!

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