I thought I’d share with you what I posted on Facebook yesterday. I have some blisters that caused me to stop for a couple of days in Ponferrada. If you want to stay in cleanest hostal with the kindest owner, I highly recommended Hostal San Miguel. Paco the owner, will take great care of you He was my angel during my lowest point. Anyway, here is my story as of yesterday, October 28. As they say, the Camino provides. It certainly did for me. I plan to walk again tomorrow, I hope my feet will be well enough by then.
“What a day I had. I left Molinaseca and walked 7k to Ponferrada. It was more difficult than my 25k through the mountains yesterday. I arrived at Hostal San Miguel around 1:00 PM. The owner, Paco, was across the street in the restaurant he also owns, with the same name, San Miguel. He doesn’t speak English but I’m sure he understood that I was in pain as I limped in to introduce myself. I asked him where the nearest doctor was...with my translation app. I’m sure he noticed the stress on my face and the tears in my eyes. He immediately motioned me into his car and drove me to the emergency and informed the receptionist what I needed. The doctor saw me and examined my blistered feet. He gave me some antibiotics. There is no infection yet but I guess they are at risk, I was told, again through a translation app. I was also told, warned really, not to walk for 2 days and to just care for my feet. The nurses were so kind, treated my feet and were firm in me staying put for 2 days and told me what I needed to do to care for them... all through Google translation. I asked how to pay for the service and they waved the offer and just gave me a big hug. I immediately cried with gratitude. When I finished, the receptionist told me to sit, called Paco who picked me up and took me back to his restaurant. I was so hungry, I hadn’t eaten since yesterday because my feet were so sore...sounds weird but my pain killed my appetite. I had a wonderful meal at Paco’s restaurant and feel so much better. I hugged him and thanked him. I am going to sleep for a while now. They say the Camino provides... it did in abundance today. I will do something very special for Paco. I will make a point of just being kind. I only took a few pics today, including my newly treated feet. I will explore beautiful Ponferrada in my flip flops tomorrow. Grateful doesn’t express enough how I feel.”
“What a day I had. I left Molinaseca and walked 7k to Ponferrada. It was more difficult than my 25k through the mountains yesterday. I arrived at Hostal San Miguel around 1:00 PM. The owner, Paco, was across the street in the restaurant he also owns, with the same name, San Miguel. He doesn’t speak English but I’m sure he understood that I was in pain as I limped in to introduce myself. I asked him where the nearest doctor was...with my translation app. I’m sure he noticed the stress on my face and the tears in my eyes. He immediately motioned me into his car and drove me to the emergency and informed the receptionist what I needed. The doctor saw me and examined my blistered feet. He gave me some antibiotics. There is no infection yet but I guess they are at risk, I was told, again through a translation app. I was also told, warned really, not to walk for 2 days and to just care for my feet. The nurses were so kind, treated my feet and were firm in me staying put for 2 days and told me what I needed to do to care for them... all through Google translation. I asked how to pay for the service and they waved the offer and just gave me a big hug. I immediately cried with gratitude. When I finished, the receptionist told me to sit, called Paco who picked me up and took me back to his restaurant. I was so hungry, I hadn’t eaten since yesterday because my feet were so sore...sounds weird but my pain killed my appetite. I had a wonderful meal at Paco’s restaurant and feel so much better. I hugged him and thanked him. I am going to sleep for a while now. They say the Camino provides... it did in abundance today. I will do something very special for Paco. I will make a point of just being kind. I only took a few pics today, including my newly treated feet. I will explore beautiful Ponferrada in my flip flops tomorrow. Grateful doesn’t express enough how I feel.”
