Camino Frances 10 May 2024 - El Acebo de San Miguel to Ponferrada

Celebrating an Anniversary on the Camino: A Day of Ups, Downs, and Tea Troubles

Today marks a special day—our anniversary! I tried calling Glenn to share the moment, but he must have been busy. Thankfully, he rang back later, though the connection was a bit patchy.

Our journey today took us to Ponferrada via Molinaseca, and while the walk was mostly downhill, it felt like Mother Nature had a mischievous sense of humor. Just when we thought we were done with climbing, another uphill stretch would appear, making the subsequent downhills feel even steeper. The path itself was a mix of slate, shale, and scattered boulders, making for slow and unsteady progress. It was a workout for muscles I didn’t even know I had! Alison, ever the optimist, kept reminding me to “breathe through my toes,” but between blowing my nose and coughing, I was just happy to be breathing at all.

By the time we stumbled into Molinaseca, we were exhausted but relieved. Lunch was a much-needed break, though it sparked yet another debate about how to make a proper cup of black tea with milk. For the third time in three days, we were served hot water with milk already added, and expected to somehow produce tea from it. We politely declined and explained (again) that we needed boiling water, a tea bag, and the milk on the side. The waitress insisted it was the same thing, but her boss eventually stepped in and brought us what we asked for. Victory at last!

Molinaseca

As we left Molinaseca, we spotted the taxi driver who had rescued us yesterday. I almost asked her for another lift—I probably should have! The road out of town seemed determined to test us, winding uphill, around corners, and then uphill again. I kept wondering, When will it end?

At one point, I found myself sitting on the side of the road, struggling to catch my breath—definitely not my finest moment. But we pushed through and finally made it to our destination. Alison, as always, was a star and found our hotel. After a refreshing shower and a short rest, we decided to explore the Knights Templar Castle. Sadly, I hit another wall halfway through, so we headed back to the hotel for dinner and an early night.

Today’s stats: 36,011 steps and 15.2 km of challenging terrain. 

Accommodation:  Hotel Aroi Pierzo Plaza

It wasn’t easy, but it was another unforgettable day on the Camino. Here’s to anniversaries, perseverance, and the eternal quest for a decent cup of tea!

Kim, Louise & Alison