Camino 2016: Via de La Plata Day 23 - Alija del Infantado to La Bañeza

Wednesday April 20, 2016
Another excellent nights sleep after yesterday which, although not overly long seemed very tiring due to the weather and all the road walking. Today 23km according to the book. Started off in dry weather, fairly warm compared to some days and passed more of the bodegas. There must be o lot of home wine making going on here

Then on out of the town and a view of the mountains I will be heading for in the next few days. They seem to be getting the snow ready for me but I hope not.

Just as I passed a café it started to rain so I went in for a coffee and a snack hoping they would have wifi so I could post yesterday's blog, but not much to eat and no wifi but it kept me out of the rain for a while.
Today we had the choice of a path by the river or along the road. I assumed the river path would be flooded so I went along the road but after the café I could see the river with quite high banks along each side, like dykes that kept the river within its banks and there was a path along the top of the dyke, so I cut across a bridge to it and walked along it for a while until my book said I should cut across a grassy area that I was sure would be under water, so I went back to the road again which was parallel to the river for most of the way so far. On the dyke I caught up with Mike and Ruth who had got onto it before me.
In the town I came through after I was back on the road I passed a church and an old castle. The church had a strange fountain in front of it.

The castle in Villanueva de Jamuz was from from the Middle Ages. I don't have any more information about it. However the storks had found a good place to make home

There was another church earlier along the route with nests but I can't remember now which village but it makes a good picture!

Do you want to buy a house in Spain, I am sure you can get a good price on this one. There are many houses for sale in all kinds of condition. This of course is no longer a house but just an adobe wall.

In the same village as many houses in really bad condition there are some very nice ones. Here is one that even has pilgrim statues in front of it.

And a very nice one next to it.

Then on to a bridge to cross the Jamuz River which is now no longer flanked by dykes. Like almost all the rivers it has flooded the surrounding areas.

After I had crossed the bridge I saw the way onto the path the book says we should take. I decided to stay on the road

Then I came to a sign showing the way to La Bañeza

"If you come to a fork in the road, take it" I remember from somewhere, so I took it and it worked out just fine.
Soon I was at the albergue. It was about 1:45pm and still closed. The note on the door said ring the bell at house number 6 or number 20 across the street and someone will open it for you. No answer at either house. So I asked someone where there was a bar or café and they showed me there was a bar just round the corner. In I went and it took two beers and a bocadillo to get yesterday's blog uploaded since the Internet was so slow. Then back to house number 20. This time there was someone there and she opened the albergue and I signed in and paid the EUR 5:00 for the night.
It is an interesting albergue with a big dining/sitting area, a large bedroom with hospital beds, a kitchen, a shower room, a WC with several stalls and a laundry room with a washing machine. All this for 4 of us. The same four as yesterday.

After settling in and laundry in a full washing machine we all went to the supermarket to buy supplies for dinner. No dinner in restaurants before 9:00pm. Outside the restaurant there was a pilgrim statue

Then back to the albergue, social time and dinner. Was delicious. Pasta with chicken, cheese and vegetables. It was still raining this evening.
We hope the washing will be dry by morning. There is central heating and the radiators are decorated with washing along with a drying stand and two clothes lines!
Let's hope the hospital beds are comfortable tonight. 25km to Astorga tomorrow and the latest weather forecast is finally good for sunshine and only a small chance of rain. Just two rivers to cross tomorrow so hope for no more floods!

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