To Canaveral

Everything I can say about today has a funny response:
The burned a lot of caleries.
That was really hard.
That was really long.
Don't you think that was a bit rough.
Wow, I'm tired.

Yes, this is one of the tougher stages on the Via de la Plata. The first half is along a beautiful high ridge where you can see for miles. The next 5 or 6 is on the shoulder of a highway, but it is beside the shores of (I think) Spain's largest lake. The last 10 km is along an old road on another ridge, that is quite rocky, so all of our feet are quite sore.  A total of 32 km.

Several great events to mention. I saw a fox early this morning, which is the first I've seen in Spain. It sat looking at me for several seconds, but too dark for a picture in pre-sunup light. Nina walked the last ridge about 30 minutes after I did, and saw two deer very near where Ruth saw three of them last year! So two years in a row I missed them.

I also was the first human to hear a truly newborn lamb about midmorning, it barely made a sqeak. It stumbled to a stand, searched under the front legs of mama for a nipple before finally finding it's goal between the back legs, with tail going crazy.

I've written about food on the Camino before, but the last two nights have been so good. It's much more difficult as a single person to manage food. So many items are better shared, even an apple or an orange.  We've all paid for dinner the last two nights because of the circumstances of each place. Both meals were some of the best ever. I'll include three pictures below of tonight's meal. First a big salad. Second, a pork chop, third a bowl of rice and milk. Wine and bread included, all for 9 Euro (about $10).

Weather: I think the low was about 45 and the high was about 65, but it was a very wierd temperature and trail combination. I was constantly adding or removing layers depending on the hills or the wind. Normally I can find something that works and stick with it.  Almost no sun today, but also no rain. It did rain just a little during the night.
Distance: 32 km
Route tips: The turn off to Canaveral can be missed. There is a typical granite block pointing straight ahead, which is great if you're going on without stopping at Canaveral. But almost everyone is stopping, and needs to turn left. There are signs pointing left for the town, but the granite block can fool you.
Albergue and town: This is one of the more expensive nights on the Camino. Hostal Canaveral.15 for the bed, 9 for dinner, 2 for the dryer (I hand washed my clothes). But I'm under budget so far, so a little splurge is OK. There are a couple of small grocery shops.

This red bloom was similar to last year.

This sheep dog had to stretch before it investigated me.

One of the bridges over the lake is completed

The other one is getting closer. These are for a high speed rail line from NW Spain to Seville.

One thing nice about walking so far is that counting calories is not necessary.

To Casar de Caceres

Unreal wind today, and I expect a crazy amount tomorrow also. Maybe I'll try earplugs while walking. Today was mostly uneventful. I did stop in Caceres and buy a snack for my late morning break, the next 4 days will have no such possiblities midday.

I'd like to tell about the two Germans I've been with recently. First, it is amazing how many Spanish folks think I'm German before they even know my name! Anyway, Ralph is probably the largest pilgrim I've ever met. Think Sgt. Schultz on Hogans Heros. But he is a gentle giant. Unusual for the german folks, he doesn't speak much english, spending his afternoons writing in a journal. Nina is the only single woman in our group. She's a college student between sessions. She picked the Via de la Plata for her first Camino because so few people take this route. She is invaluable to the rest of us, speaking german, english, and spanish.

Weather: Low 40F the coldest feeling morning on this trip with a 25 mph headwind, increasing throughout the day. The high was in the 60s, but felt colder.
Distance: 23 km
Route hints: When you leave Caceres, about one kilometer past the bull ring, there is a large round-about. It is a bit confusing, you need to go left to the pedestrian crossing, then go right along the highway.
Albergue and town: The albergue in Casar is no longer donativo, but it's only 5E so maybe even better! This town has a cheese museum, but it's closed on Mondays. Two years in a row I come to this town and miss the museum both times because I'm here on Mondays. I know I said a few days ago I don't do museums while on Camino!

Replacement for Truckasaurus?

The previously promised picture of the sounder of swine.

My snack. The coke says "Tu Abuelo" (your Grandpa).

A nicely done entrance into this small town.

To Vadesalor

I'll try to catch you all up on a few details, might need to add pictures later. Wifi very slow here.

Yesterday's walk was "only" 19 km, and today's was 26. Tomorrow is another moderate distance, then a series of longer days await. The weather has cooled a bit, with a high about 72F today, but a very strong head wind. The forecast is for a bit of rain scattered over the next few days, hopefully not too much.

My one blister now has a partner, but the older one is pretty much healed, and the new one seems minor.

I'm with a delightful group of folks right now. All really helpful and supportive of each other. There are 2 Germans, 3 Spaniards, one Frenchman, and a couple from Scotland. And me.

I'm doing my best to NOT be the rude American. I've met a couple of those already. It's really so nice to see folks from different cultures, and speaking different languages, all getting along so well.

I talked about sounds in yesterday's post, then I heard my first Cuckoo bird this morning. We heard them every morning last spring. I've been too far south or too early in the spring, I'm not sure which. Amazingly?, they sound just like my Nanny's Cuckoo clock. This afternoon all I could hear was the 30 mph wind whistling in my ears. But it was a nice path. I went by a ewe and it's very newly born lamb. It was acting quite protective.

This town is odd for a Camino town. It was built mostly in the 1960s as a annex of Caceres, the capital of the province.  We all carried extra groceries today, which we purchased yesterday, the grocery stores are closed on Sundays.

I greeted Cleophus last night at the monestary. He was our guide for the tour of the building last year. He didn't remember me, but he seemed thrilled that I remembered him from our previous stop. I also wanted to comment on the picture of the birthday party from yesterday. We just happened in on the party in the local 'bar'. The kids were really excited to talk to me, they all speak just enough english to have fun with it. They ask me about my favorite "football" team, to which the Denver Broncos was not an acceptable answer. They were looking something more like Real Madrid (soccer).

Yes, I'll need to post pictures later, the wifi is too slow, it 'times-out' with pictures. I appreciate all the comments on the blog.

Roman era bridge

I think this is similar to a picture I posted last year, but these stones are just too amazing. They've been standing along this road for nearly 2000 years, I mean not ever needing replacements!

The frogs were going crazy with croaking in several of these beautiful swampy areas, all covered with tiny white flowers

Well that didn't work. This was the ewe standing over her lamb.

We passed one of the most odd crossings on any Camino, right across an active runway. In fact a small plane took as I was taking a break there. It flew right over a large herd of sheep grazing at the end of the runway. This is the map, the Camino is the yellow path.

To Alcuescar

Today I was noticing the sounds of the Camino.

The constant rythm of my feet is a never ending companion. Crunch, crunch, crunch on the sandy gravel of today, yesterday it was the whack, whack, whack of concrete and asphalt for too long. Once in a while I notice my heavy breathing on a hill, or a word of frustration when my back has a pain.

This morning the frogs were croaking in the swamp, sounding a lot like dabbling ducks (frogs are rare in the dry climate of Colorado). The birds are always searching for a partner or defending territory with every imaginable sound. The flowers are silent, but the bees buzz among them.

The larger animals make sounds in preportion to the size, with the sheep baaaaa, the deeper cow mooooo. The animals here commonly wear a bell, and they too make a sound fitting of the size. The smaller bells on goats and sheep chime, while the startlingly large bells on the cows gong, gong, gong. Every morning there is a competition among the roosters. I heard a turkey gooble yesterday morning.

Man-made sounds also interupt the silence. Motorcycle rip by me on the dirt trails. The hum of bicycle tires warns of their approach. The distant dull vibration of the trucks on the highway can sometimes be detected. Once in a while a few Spaniards are on the path with too many syllables in too short of a time.

If I get to bored with all these sounds, I did bring a little music along. You might catch me listening to Willie, or Johnny, or Adele. Another pilgrim might hear me singing "Blue...spanish eyes...".

I think I will just try a few photos without further comment. My footprint. A triple birthday party. Pictures along the path. A stream crossing where I nearly tripped on the stone blocks.

(I know there some spelling errors in this post, I will try to fix later)

To Aljucen

Another quick post. Too tired to give much detail. The big event was meeting a bicyclist, Joe, who lives in Missoula, Montana.  He's come from Granada on his bike, and will probably run off and leave the walkers. I also caught up with a couple from Scotland, so between Joe and the other folks we had a good evening of speaking english!

Meditation: Peace
Weather: Low: 48F High 84F probably hottest day of Camino in Spain for me.
Distance: 32 km
Route tips: Repeating last years warning about the turnoff about 2.5 km after the lake today. It seems to me it is VERY poorly marked. Once you leave the lake, there is a wire fence on your left for over 2 km. After the fence ends, continue on the road for 300 meters, then turn north onto a dirt path. Don't continue east on the asphalt.
Albergue and town: I skipped the sight-seeing in Merida this year, but it is a great city with an amazing history. The albergue in Carrescalejo was totally locked with no number posted to call. The Rio Aljucen Albergue in Aljucen is really the best you will ever see.

A variation on the sunrise, with a massive amount of pollution pouring into the morning sky.

Interesting petspective, with a Roman era brige closer and the modern one a few hundred yards down river.

Thousands of tadpoles lined the border of this huge "puddle" along the path.

I met a worker at the lake, and he was eager to make sure I was enjoying Spain. He took my picture.

The first arrow we saw last year on our trek.

To Torremejia

Karl from Germany was a great roommate last night. We both wanted to get an early start, so we had lights out about 9pm, and he didn't snore. Jose and Nicole were in another room (they are an interesting couple, he is Spanish and she is French).

They say yesterday was a special day for women. I don't normally get too excited about special days for us/them, it seems to divide us more than unite us, in most cases. But just before bed, I was out on the patio, the sun was down, and the stars weren't out yet. Venus was in the western sky. Have you ever seen it hold court for that extra 20 minutes? It seemed to tell the stars they needed to wait just a little longer to pop tonight. It was the only light in the sky for the longest time.

I thought of all the women in my life. It was a joy to be fortunate enough to know both of grandmothers into my adulthood. My mother is the only one that's been there from the (my) beginning, and I'm thankful she is still doing well. My sisters have been such anchors for me, Brenda when I was younger and Julie now. My daughters-in-law are such a blessing in our lives. I could write a book about Ruth, but dinner is in 20 minutes! Awuvooooo. The youngest woman is the one who's heart you might have noticed in a few of the pictures. I wouldn't trade the world for any of our grandkids, but when there's only one little girl....well you know.

Meditation: Kyrie eleison
Weather: Low 50 High 82 Sunny, and really warm in the sun.
Distance: 28 km
Route hints: This stage has a stretch of straight flat road about 13 km. It is a real mental challenge.
Albergue: I'm at the one on the west side of town, next to the church. It's great, but the kitchen has only a fridge and microwave, no dishes or stove. After a long day, I'm eating in the cafe downstairs.

I got away before Karl this morning, but he passed me before we even got out of town.

What a rabbit.

I'll probably never get tired of sunrise photos

A long straight road, originally built by the Romans.

Spanish farm truck. No "pickups" here. If they need to haul something they hookup a little trailer to the white minivan.

To Villafranca de los Barros

Just a quick post. Bought a new short sleeve shirt because I left one in Almaden de la Plata. I have one small blister that is feeling much better than it did 2 days ago, but a 28 km day tomorrow in 80F will test it.

Today was another great Camino day. Several times there were olive trees for as far as I could see. And so ancient. I ask Ramon (Spain) and Eric (France) how old the trees might be and they guessed 400 years. They ask the farmer we met just a couple of minutes later and he said no one knew, they were too old to know!

They had a funeral in the local church. They rang the bell for about 15 minutes. I started counting the rings but lost track after 50-something.

Meditation: Sunshine
Distance: About 20 km by the time I went shirt and shoe shopping (didn't buy shoes, I think I figured out a sloution with what I have.)

Weather: Low - I didn't look but it was the warmest morning so far, probably 52. High 75F Clear and sunny

Route tips: About 3 km before Villafranca the Camino crosses a railroad and goes back south a few hundred yards. I didn't see any arrows making this clear, but the only other choice was north on the train tracks.
Albergue and Town: Alb. Carmen is great. Sunny patio and common area, close to shops, etc.

Dinner last night, Ramon took the picture for me.

Got out of town just in time to see the sunrise

A short steep section on an otherwise mostly flat day

One of the thousands of olive trees on today's stage

A "St. James Cross" in the local sidewalk