we get up slowly today and are on the road at 09.00. a veritable lie-in! we pass the french couple at 09.45. but it is not until 10.30 and rabanal del camino that we meet the germans. they have walked their stage for the day already. indeed, we stumble into them coming out of the shop have done their shopping. rabanal is an interesting town having been nearly derelict until recently but now coming back to life with the english charity, the confraternity of saint james, taking over and restoring the village's church and alberque thus breathing life back into the place. villages along the camino benefit from the pilgrim's travels as they have since medieval times. after rabanal the way climbs, going through manjarin- a near deserted village with just one inhabitant who mans the alberque, and towards the cruz de ferro where we stop for a break, photo-shoot and chat with two english guys who are walking from leon and already feeling the heat and pressure.

ponferrada is just around the corner. as we cycle through the town, it becomes apparent why one of maurice's panier bags has been hopping off the carrier all day, much to his amusement. a rivet is missing, making it impossible to continue without repairs. we discuss the possibilities over lunch, and begin the wait till the town springs back to life after the siesta. we have an ice cream outside a bar and ask the owner if he has any suggestions for mending the bag. he, amazingly, speaks french as had worked for four years in lille during the sixties. he suggests the local cordonnier may be able to help, so off we go only to discover that he has spent a few years near hamburg and speaks fluent german! we chat for a while while he replaced the rivet expertly and refuses payment. we then go to the local supermarket where the girl at the cash register realises veronique's plight (trying to knock the shopping list into maurice's thick skull) and offers to free her, by minding both bikes and paniers beside her till. maurice's planned menu for tonight of six chocolate cream buns falls apart thanks to a well-meaning gesture! he still manages to be allowed buy powder that transforms water into lemon and orange juice (although only if he carries it). it is 19.00 and veronique notices the temperature has fallen to 42c! then up on the bikes and along the road to the campsite fifteen km onwards, and a well earned swim in the river there.