I woke up in Foncebadon and saw bedbugs on the wall. I am glad I sprayed my sleeping bag with Repel before the trip. I am guessing not everyone was so wise. I wanted to get out of the albergue as soon as possible. I left at 08:20 with Seo and started walking up to the Cruz de Ferro. It was very foggy, and we could not see the cross on the top of the mountain until we were right on it. After that, it was downhill walking. After a few hours, the fog lifted and the visibility was better. We walked through the hamlets of El Acebo and Riego de Ambros. Seo wanted a coffee, but nothing was open. We kept walking downhill.
Eventually, we came to the town of Molinaseca. There were a few bars and restaurants open. Seo picked a place called Casa de Ramon about a block off the Camino. We ate lunch for about an hour. I had pimientos rellenos and orange juice. We then continued on toward Ponferrada. Seo was getting tired and wanted to go to the municipal albergue, while I wanted to keep walking and had no desire to stay in an albergue after seeing bed bugs that morning.
I continued through Ponferrada, passing the Templar Castle. It was 15:30, and it would be opening in 30 minutes. I decided to find a hostal nearby, so I could go back and visit the castle. I had never been inside a castle and seeing all this old stuff was part of the reason I was in Europe. I checked into Hotel Alda Los Templarios. I showered, dropped my laundry off with the hotel, and walked back to the castle. I got a stamp at the castle and at the city tourism office. I then went to the Basilica de la Encina and found a pharmacy to get a razor and shaving cream. I got back to the hotel and my laundry was done.
