Day 21 // Molinaseca – Villafranca del Bierzo // 31.6 km

This morning I left the auberge alone, because my awesome crew was still sleeping and can't get up and start moving fast enough. But the forecast for the day is supposed to be hot and I don't want to die, haha.

The morning is quite pleasant. Calm, as all the other mornings here. When I entered the big city Ponforrada, I got on a beautiful bridge on which I found an even more beautiful white feather. I picked it up and put it in my hair. A man on a bicycle that saw it passed me and said - beautiful!

Now I am ready for the day and my mood is amazing. And today I'm smiling and saying hi to everyone. “Hola! Buenos dias! Hola! Buenos dias!” And I get the same back. 

Ponferrada is a beautiful city, but the joy is taken a bit away with the amount of bums here asking for money. Even a nun. I gave her 1 euro. I continued walking with a big smile on my face. I see the next ones there, but I can't give money to everyone.

Today the path takes me from one village to another. Very tiny villages. And each village has a church. I went into every one of them which had their doors open and that waited for me. You can also call this day “get all the stamps you can!” day. I got six stamps today! I hung out for a little while in each of the churches. This church smelled like fresh flowers. Very nice.

I donated a bit of money or lit a candle and that's how I traveled from village to village, from church to church. 

I took a break in a beautiful bar.

The walls have a lot of different types of writing and sayings on them. A nice couple from Ireland starts a conversation with me. The man says I am the first Latvian he has ever met. I felt special. His wife on the other hand had met a Latvian a couple years ago. They both started the Camino in 2011. They take a week every year to do this, because they can't get more days off work. Next year will be their last year! Hooorrraay! 

We said our goodbyes and I sat and enjoyed my drink. Then I heard a noise. I jumped up and I saw a couple on horses. In the city, amongst the cars.

In the next village (after I made a stop at a local church, of course) I saw a beautiful little patio area, where I hid from the sun for a little bit. It was made out of columns and tree branches.

As I walked I came to a realization that 3 weeks have passed and that I've done a little over 600 kilometers. Wow, when did that happen? And how? I never believed I could've done so much. 

Later I saw a sign - fresh drinks. It is hot and I want one. Oh God! A smoothie! Yes, just a regular smoothie. But in the middle of nowhere in a forest in Spain, it is not just a regular smoothie anymore. It is special! And for me it's like a candy for a horse - PERFECT!

When I entered a bigger village, I laid down for a little at this resting place. Later as I walked I heard music. A mini concert in the middle of the village square. And the songs were so fun! It looked like it was just a couple of friends that had gotten together to sing for a bit. And entertain the people passing by at the same time. I had no other choice than to make a stop again. I spent at least 30 minutes there listening to the local music.

The last kilometers take me by grape fields. Of course I want some. I ate very quickly to not get caught, but if anyone saw me they would know I stole their grapes because I had made a mess while eating them - the juices were all over my face, hands and pants.

In the book I found an auberge and I went to ask them if they have a free bed. They do. The young man that greeted me speaks basically no English at all, but we managed to communicate pretty well. And he looks exactly like one local Latvian celebrity. And he's a gentleman. He brought my bag upstairs to my room. And brought a towel right after as well. And the shower room here has a shower gel and shampoo. What a great end of the day. And the village is very beautiful - with a church and a castle.

The body is feeling amazing, but the sun… My face is so tan, with a spot from the heart tattoo I had.

My legs - they look red, but it's not so bad, it is probably because of the lighting. They're tan. The burnt part is around the ankles.

I washed my arm tattoo off too so it doesn't make a white spot there. And altogether I've been walking fully clothed for around a week, so the sun wouldn't get me. And this is the forecast for the next couple days.

I don't know what to do and what time to get up to survive the next two days. 

For inspiration:

Hasta luego!