Well…..First impressions are not always right. We got off the bus at the Estacion de Autobus. Well

Landed,at the bus station .

Then it was a long walk through high rise not especially architecturally beautiful but part of Ponferrada. Doug, walking with me, says it is a good example of what you get when you build only for functionality.

The old town at the top of the hill is completely different.

Up and up , leaving the new part behind

We walked up the steps, through narrowing streets, past small bars, old houses and still sturdy Roman built walls to the Plaza Mayor.

The Basilica Nuestra Signora de Encina dominates this pleasant square. Renaissance church with a 17 C bell tower.

It’s always much hotter in the afternoon and the sun reflects from the stonework underfoot. We were happy to reach our Hostal right in the Centro Historico, our balcony window facing the enormous Castle. The buildings here are big and square and the Medieval castle is the largest I have seen. It has moats and drawbridge and houses a large Knight’s Templar library.

Happy to reach our room. This photo shows only a tiny bit of the castle opposite.

And there we were. Comfortable and cool. We sat outside late afternoon and evening sipping our wines and watching the passing parade of tourists and perigrinos. Ponferrada is on the Santiago route and peregrinos enter the city just down from the castle.

We did look around later and found the chapel of the Convento de la Purisma Conception. A non intrusive, small space in contrast to the towering castle and Basilica. I loved it. It seems the Convent was once the home of the Franciscan nuns and this is their chapel.

Looking over Ponferrada
Mary ,Queen of Heaven in the small Convent chapel
Mary in mourning . Her heart exposed in Covent chapel
A wonderful hanging lamp, real candles, in the Basilica
Wooden ceiling with intricate carvings and light in small Convent chapel
Of course, I was intrigued by the large Easter candle in the Basilica
And the Basilica at night. The sculpture in front represents the Story of the Virgin of the Live Oak (Virgen de la Encina). ****

And now I’m going back to the beginning, revisiting Ponferrada City, although it may have had no historical or artistic merit, it’s the place where people shop and live. Also I quite enjoyed the other part of our day in Ponferrada: a visit to Carrefor, recharging my Orange phone no, and buying 3€ flip flops.

Front of Carrefor
An imposing front part. Where do we go?
The largest supermarket I’ve seen yet in Spain (or in my home town Fremantle)!

So purchases complete we made our way back through the older part to the far more picturesque, historical precinct where we were staying, I actually felt most comfortable in this “midway” part of the city. Just is. Not especially heritage, not especially beautiful, not built on or over. Pretty grotty in parts but people here going about their day. No tourists or peregrinos.

Coffee here on our way back up
Squinting into the sun outside

BUT the most exciting part of my day in Ponferrada: I have some sort of shoes to wear instead of my boots, so no need to walk around on cold or sticky floors, or dirty my socks .

Actually a bit large for me, but …3€!!

**** A Templar Knight discovered the statue of Mary and her child, Jesus 400 years after it had been hidden in an oak tree.He went to split the oak and discovered the Byzantine statue inside

A good account of the discovery and the historical events is in ‘ The Plazas of Ponferrada’ Crown Canyon Journal . Aug. 8, 2017