Today we walked from Molinaseca to Villafranca del Bierzo. It was a long day, but since there were not so many hills we decided to do it. Whew! My feet have never been so tired!! After a 2 hour stop in Ponferrada for a Farmacia to get anti-inflammatory cream, the bank, and our usual second breakfast, we took the road instead of the Camino to catch up.
Today we also met Mattia from northern Italy, who has been walking for a month and a half in Italy, Germany and Spain, and who has carried some hard news in the last few days. He became our walking companion from the fields after Camponaraya to Villafranca, where we stayed in a gorgeous old convent, San Nicolas. Luckily, we skipped Ave Fenix, which has bed bugs!! We enjoyed amazing hot showers, hot water to wash our clothes with, and pulpo Gallego–octopus cooked with red pepper and potatoes Galician style. Yum.
The legend goes that a French pilgrim brought a grape plant with him on Camino, and over time the variety adapted to this region, Bierzo, which has excellent wine!!
Cacabelos pup and church 
Pieros, the ghost town where we took a long break under the cherry trees and at the bar where Ester makes her own wine and plans to set up a B&B.
Valtuille de Arriba
Mattia
