The neighbours last night were up very late chatting and clunking, and were back up around 5. They are a group of five Spanish pilgrims, who had also stayed at our previous night’s accommodation. We managed an early start, but behind them. Breakfast was at the restaurant we used yesterday evening and where I had rabbit for the first and last time. Lots of folk (men) in the restaurant and interestingly the men at the bar were knocking back nips of sherry and spirits. Barely 0730 and an hour before dawn. Our brekky was more standard than that but nice, including the famous freshly squeezed orange juice which is an unofficial trademark of Spain. And we set off into the countryside, past a magnificent and massive home and across a small stream. The stream marked the border between Andalucia and the neighbouring province, Extremadura. We will pass through another two provinces after this one in our journey to Santiago.
Just into Extremadura, we passed a castle, smaller than the one we visited yesterday but nevertheless majestic and of great character, although sadly deteriorated. I doubt this great monument can be revived with fresh life.
The paddocks were a combination of grassland, lucern crops cork trees and livestock, sheep, cattle, goats and lots of Iberian pigs, all free ranging. Some of the sheep adorned with bells around their necks. The pigs were loud, audible long before we actually saw them, as they formed a tight knit cluster, all clambering for their early morning feed. The region is all about Iberian ham (jamon) which is famously best quality world wide. The cork tree orchards just kept lining both sides of the road and this was a mystic sight with the morning light and the slight haze of the morning dew. The road is dirt and quite wide and well maintained. Unfortunately for me the day was all about ascending again for 20+km. Ascent today is 360 metres, but surprisingly the climb isn’t obvious except to me. Jenny happily had a spring in her step and was clearly enjoying the walk. I can keep up with her downhill, and struggle to match her on the flat, but on hills I feel it immediately and even maintaining the same step tempo she is twice as fast as my stride shortens. But she patiently waits in the shady areas.
From dawn the temperature immediately increased but pleasingly today the ambient was not as high as it had been and a breeze started later in the day further reducing the harshness of the pelting sun. We noted a smokey haze in the distance, and we are aware of forest fires ahead, so we will be vigilant. See if Jenny goes ahead of me then.
At the half way point in today’s walk, at the intersection of freeways and roadways are coffee shops, supermarket, hotel and 24 hr service station. This was our first break. We crossed paths briefly here with Isabelle (the first pilgrim we met on the Via de la Plata), after not having seen her for a couple of days. Other than the group of Spanish pilgrims who stayed in our last night’s hostel, and one other unknown man, we saw no other pilgrims today. Following our break, our departure was across highways and onto logging track passing between freeway and highway, with some contradictory signage for a while that required pre-reading of the guide books to determine which was accurate. We followed a rutted road from the logging vehicles, and it eventually became a cow track, and beyond more a goat track. This is where the backpack is the most concern. We stopped beneath a large shady cork tree for a rest and snack before venturing along bitumen then dirt road the final 5 km to our destination. I saw more of the beautiful maintains around us as I made frequent pauses to rest the legs. Pulse and breathing fine. Our accommodation is again clean and comfortable. Happily the place has overcome the problem of bumping the shower mixer tap to cold, hot or off, they have taps. Brilliant. I believe tomorrow we descend around 700 metres and ascend 400 metres. So all up a reasonable day. Dinner in tonight. Salads from the supermarket to keep some greens in the diet. When you order meat for a meal here that is all you get. Even meals with vegetables have very spartan servings. But supermarket food is good quality and inexpensive. Strawberries and blueberries for dessert. (And Greek yoghurt for Jenny.)
Just having a bit of fun. And the photoshopping & special effects simply reflects getting bored waiting outside the supermarket for it to open and needing something to do to fill in twenty minutes.
Glad to see you have a new pair of sunglasses Dave!