Compostilla Iglesia Santa Maria to Villafrance del Bierzo. Distance 21km (13.0 mi / 13.1) to go 185.2 km

I left the hotel this morning without breakfast. The lure of a free breakfast was tantalizing, especially after they came through on a promise to do my laundry for free, but I saw nothing exciting set out as I passed by, so I kept walking.

The "job" today was to transition from "urbano" to "montanas rurales", so I walked steadily and gradually up, from small town to small town, to the base of a 700 meter (2300 feet) climb tomorrow. As for tonight, I am overlooking a scene that is almost too good to be true!

Each town along The Way has, it seems, it's own links to Spanish history. Each has as a central figure a beautiful, quaint little church:

Ok, some aren't so quaint. Strange thing about this one was that there were no doors!

I'm told this is an albergue? It is here in Villafranca del Bierzo

I walked alone today, at least physically. My mind was all over the place; for awhile playing John Lennon's version of Stand By Me, at times educating my grandchildren:

Ok kids, today we're going to do a story problem. If a 215 lb. man descended 1,000 vertical meters at an average grade of 6%, what is the total weight load placed on his poor aching feet over a linear distance of 5.7 km?

Yet at other times I thought of my sweet lady

Look familiar dear?

In general, my mind was all over the place as I continuously plod through groves of olive trees:

About the strangest thing that happened to me today was when I got lost, in an elevator!

I'm afraid this sinks to new lows of foolishness but:

I checked into the hotel in Villafranca del Bierzo, then entered the "lift". As has often been the case the elevator car was quite small. I walked in, mirror in front of me, buttons to the left. I turned to the left and selected the "2" button. The door was seen closing in my peripheral vision to my left. I was reading notices and menus for breakfast posted above the buttons when the car stopped, displaying a large number "2" on the screen in front of me. I waited, but nothing seemed to happen. Glancing to my left I quickly ascertained that the door was still closed. To my right, still, the mirror. I looked straight ahead and repushed the "2" button, thinking the car may have, for some unusual and unknown reason, stopped short of its destination.

To no avail, I was still standing with a "2" clearly displayed on the screen in front of me and the door still did not open. I have never been "stranded" on an elevator before but, from working on them, I knew there should be a "call" button somewhere. I looked all over the panel, carefully determining which button served which function and, through process of elimination, determined that along with many other safety features I have noted the Spanish people survive without, there was no "call" button.

I stood briefly, trying to determine the best course of action. Should I push the "0" button, return to the lobby and try again? Did I need to use my room key to open the door of the lift? (I had been told it was also used to open the front door of the hotel!)

What a quandary! I turned to face the door so that, when I pushed the "0" button I would be prepared to step into the lobby, still carrying my pack and walking stick. It was then that I saw, out of the corner of my left eye, that a door stood wide open on the side of the elevator opposite the buttons!

I have been in elevators where a door can open on the front or the rear of the car. I have never seen an elevator where the two doors are on adjacent sides!

The door opened into a very small, dimly lit area with white walls, each with a singular black stripe across it, separated by pretty brown wood.

In this picture the door to my room is slightly ajar, but with it closed it was not easily descernable that these were doors leading to rooms. Once I stepped off the elevator, the light turned on and I could vaguely see that there was a room number formed within the material that made the black line on the door. And this small space contained only three doors and an archway that led to the stairway. All I could think was, "God, I hope I can figure out the shower!"

Bonus materials:

These very large "storks" populate many of the tallest places in these towns.

This wonderful new bridge gets peregrinos over the "Interstate" highway.

Any help on the translation or meaning of this?

What a great view of this marvelous mountain villa!

A taste of home! (And it was gooood!)

Do you have to buy both a "?" and an upside down "?" separately?

Keep the cards and letters (and comments) coming and - Alicia, keep your left elbow bent. We're getting close!