Day 25 – Villares de Orbigo

Today was an easy, dry 14km walk.  Many of the pilgrims in yesterday’s alburgue marched ahead 14 km this morning to a larger town but I had read good things about the only alburgue in this little town and I’m trying to pace myself a bit now.  

Villares de Orbigo is very compact.  It’s business sector consists of half a dozen streets, a large church, pharmacy, bar, and this alburgue.  The streets are clean,  the newer homes, which front right on the edge of the street, have small well tended pot gardens and elaborate doorways. The older residences are decaying quickly into ruins.

Politics is not usually displayed beyond the graffiti art on underpass walls but the effigies hanging over one of the major streets in town are a rare exception.  Apparently, one day a year the local residents are allowed to display protest materials. Google translate didn’t do well on these colorful signs but they declare something like: 

“We are from mother p does not mess with us but this year time has left us !!Ice Cream!!  We do not want intruders who betray us. The town is the town.”  My host says that the locals are not so enthusiastic about the pilgrims as she is.

The neighboring town, Hospital de Orbigo, is larger and more commercial. To its credit, it has one of the most artistic water towers I’ve seen.   

The towns main claim to fame is the bridge across the Rio Orbigo dating from the 13th century. 

The legend is that it was defended for 30 days via jousting contests by a medieval knight who was scorned by a beautiful lady.  This may have been an inspiration for Cervantes “Don Quixote”.   The town leverages this vague history with annual medieval fairs. 

Judging from the scents wafting from the kitchen right now,  tonight’s communal meal is going to require some extra kilometers tomorrow. 

Buen Camino,

– jgp