Astorga and el Ferrol - 10 June

After Kathy left I updated the blog, sent a few emails and sorted out my ticket to Astorga and el Ferrol. I had to drag the pink bag over the river pebble bridge, picking it up to carry it over the worst of the stones. 

I got to the bus stop on the main road in time for the 10 am bus. It was a 20 min ride to Astorga and i decided to walk around the cathedral rather than drag the case up the steps between the Gaudi Palace and the cathedral.
I visited the tourist office and sat down at the outdoor cafe next to the cathedral for breakfast. It costs more to eat at outside than inside but I wanted to be visible for Kathy when she arrived. Janet from the Uk saw me and stopped for a chat.  Just then Kathy arrived.u
She had toast and coffee and then we walked to the bus station.  Who should we bump into there but Patty from Portland and Sharon. Patty had to rest a couple of days so they are playing catch up and will tak a bus.
The bus was 20 mins late and each time an Alsa bus pulled in I asked the driver if this was the bus to Ferrol. Eventually my bus arrived and I said good-bye and Buen Camino to Kathy.  Her bus to Villafranca was leaving after 2pm so she didn't have long to wait.
The bus was half empty. Soon we passed  Villafranca and I recognized the castle from the road. We had a 20min stop at Ponferrada where many people got off.

We stopped at Lugo and I was able to take a photograph of the walls through the window.
 We made up time and arrived in Ferrol on time at 17h30. I got a taxi to the hotel - just around the corner but I didnt want to drag the pink case up a flight of steps and along the road.
When I got out of the taxi I saw Finn and Uncle Bob sitting in the hotel cafeteria,  then I saw Gail, Marlene and Penelope. We had a happy reunion and Penny, who speaks excellent Spanish, asked the hotel to recommend places to eat. Finn took me to our room, a hot, stuffy, almost windowless room. It is one of those where the electricty switches off when you remove the card to leave the room. After unpacking and rearranging some stuff for tomorrow we went out to eat.
We found a nice little restaurant (that didn't offer a peregrino menu) and then returned to the hotel.