A rest day, a sleep in, forget the aches and enjoy the day of walking without a pack and no rush to the finish before the heat sets in.
In fact, today was a classic example of Murphy's Law! Send the warm clothing on and the temperature immediately plummets.
Each day up till now has been around low teen temperature to mid thirties. Today, our first without the fleecy gear and the temperature range is 5 - 17. It was brisk! Actually it would have been perfect if we were walking today, so no complaints. This temperature is forecast to continue all week, so hallelujah!
Our day commenced with the complimentary hotel breakfast and I was clad in my shorts and sandals, T-shirt and shirt. Leaving the hotel was a tad chilly; the breeze was biting cold. Immediately back to the room and out with the big guns, sox, boots and long pants. What a difference thankfully!
Meanwhile Jenny did some recon work at the Tourist Information Centre and managed to attain some good information of what we should see. We started at the castle, the Parador hotel, where we ordered coffee and enjoyed the ambiance of the more upmarket surroundings. Very nice. The Parador in Zafra lives up to its reputation. (We didn't quite look the part in our pilgrim garments.) The internal courtyard was prestigious and the place reeked of quality. At $4EU for two coffee, it was expensive.
Then on to a medical museum and looked at a lot of apparatus from decades past. Unfortunately nothing in English, but we nevertheless found it interesting. Probably not surprising (the lack of English that is) since it had been mentioned to us by the hotel administrator that the town attracts extremely few English speaking tourists, so why would they bother.)
Then on to lunch in the park. Salad and local ham, before realising it is 2pm when the whole town shuts down. We had managed to see all other tourist recommendations the previous day so all was well. We went back to our room and I contracted sleep sickness within seconds while Jenny continued ‘playing’ with whatever she does with technology.
A short walk this evening finishing with a glass of vino at the hotel bar. A perfect way to end the day. Happy to report my back and leg seem “good to go”. Only 20km tomorrow but will commence with the hotel breakfast at 7:30 so expect to be on our way by 0800. Fingers crossed the forecast of cool weather actualises. Will make life so much better. Optimistic as always.
I really enjoy your blogs…great start to my day as they go particularly well with my tostada a mantequilla!
Love that room with a view 😂
Hi David and Jenny,
good reading up on each day! Great pics. We have been worried about David.
Glad it’s a bit cooler this week. How did you get your packs up those stairs? 2 coffees for 4€ - hope you had refills. Are you keeping up with the Aussie news? A cyclone 5 has just hit the WA. Coast and continuing on a a cyclone 3. Too early for reports of damage yet.
The parador is a beautiful hotel chain and have stayed in the one at Santiago de Compostela. Worth considering for a nigh.