Day 15 - Camino 4 : Villafranca del Bierzo - O'Cerbeiro - 26th September

Day 15 ... Yesterday now ... But the night before - the Korean concert was amazing - 12 youth South Korean students travelling the world performing their music wherever they end up for the night. Hitting drums so hard some of them were flying away. Singing English religious songs,a lot of screaming and playing some small wooden wind instruments. It was quite inspiring.



The female leader cooked our pilgrim meal that night at the aubergue too which was late but with a real community feel. I slept in a room this night with the 'mayors' - the older males - but no snorers as far as I could tell. Well they weren't too bad anyway.

Sunrise along the way out of Villafranca

On the fourth day I woke in the town of Villafranca del Bierzo before the sun again. I told you the sunrise is 8:20 am here ?  Anyway, most people are up early packing their bags around 6:30 and many leave in the darkness using headlamps to lead the way.

Andy taking photos of a lady roasting red capsicums
in a town called Trabadelo, where Andy, Louis and I
bumped into each other

crossing under the A6 

 I was on my way walking by myself this morning and did so for 2 hours before, at a town along the way, Andy turns up. About 100 metres down the road Louis comes down from an alternative town route and literally bumps into us and another pair of pilgrims he knew simultaneously. That's just the way it is on the Camino I'm discovering.

The three amigos: Andy, Louis and I

Well we travelled together for the rest of the day and although we went our separate ways for part of the trip, we were travelling the 8 km uphill climb at the end together, enjoying the views of the valley below as they became more and more impressive.


We ended up making it to O'Cebreiro. A town built right on the saddle of two breath-taking valleys. I'm so glad I was talked into stopping here and not travelling on another 6 kms. It was beautiful. We three amigos went to mass in the church called Santa Maria

Santamaria at Santa Maria in O'Cebreiro

And then had a delightful meal with Louis, Andy, Jess a director and Ben, an actor, both from New York and another American girl Kerry who had done a lot in her life already. Wine, food and good conversation - I could get used to this.