Camino 2016: Via de La Plata - Day 6 - Alcuéscar to Aldea del Cano

Had another good nights sleep and was ready to leave at about 7:15 am. When I got to the front door I realized that there was a light rain coming down so on with my poncho and off to find some breakfast. A café/bar/restaurant was open about 10 mins down the road on the way to the trail. So usual café con leche and tostadas with other peregrines who were also already there. Most were from the other albergue and said they were not totally happy. It is in an old monastery and the doors are closed from 2:00-4:30 for the quiet time for the Friars and no one can come in or go out so they felt trapped for most of the afternoon. Then, again they must be in by 9:00pm when the doors are locked. Dinner was served but it proved to be a hotdog with some lettuce and bread. It made me realize how lucky I was to be directed to the new albergue. The person who met me on the road should have been on a white horse!

Soon however I was on the trail and the rain stopped for a while but always threatened. It was also rather windy. From time to time there were some showered, sometimes heavy which, along with the wind were not pleasant. My poncho kept me generally dry but the wind drove the rain onto my trousers but when the shower was over the wind dried it fairly quickly - polyester is great for these situations!

The trail was through farming areas and the cattle and sheep were curious as I came by, some of the cattle with calves.

 

 

Passed several distance markers from the old roman road which is original Via de La Plata. They were placed every 1,000 paces for the Roman legions. The ones here showed that the path we were following was actually the same road that the Romans built some 2,000 years ago.

 

Some of these "miliarios" had markers placed near them showing what distance they were marking.

 

Then came an old bridge. Probably not Roman but built in the Roman style

 

The addition of the blue marker to the trail marker indicates that this is the old Roman road.

Continued along the old road for several miles parallel to new highway and several more Roman mile posts.

 

And then came to a original Roman bridge.

The surface was very uneven and since it was raining rather slippery.

 

On further along the same road until the sign indicating the turn off the Via de La Plata to the small town of Aldo del Cano which was where I plan to spend the night.

The albergue is small with only 9 beds. Instructions are to get the key from the restaurant Las Vegas next door and let yourself in. There is no hospitaleiro here but it turns out to be very nice. It is in part of an old historical building and has all that one would need including kitchen, washing machine. The 9 beds are divided up in 3 rooms.

Since I was the first one here I chose a lower bunk in the smallest room with room for just 2 people.

 

Hung the clothes up to dry and took a shower. There is also a nice sitting area.

 

The walls show the age of the construction.

 

After getting organized I took a stroll through the little town.

The Town Hall is from 1905 but the church is 15th century. It was locked so I could not look inside.

On the town square - Plaza Major - there is also an old well

 

There are. a total of 5 of us in the Albergue tonight. Later 3 of us went to the bar next door where they offered a " menu del Dia" at 7:30. Three courses plus wine for Eur 8:00. A good dinner.

Early to bed and I expect a nice quiet night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Camino 2016: Via de La Plata - Day 5 - Aljucén to Alcuéscar

Slept well despite the Albergue being full with 14 beds in the room. If anyone snored I didn't hear them. Breakfast was offered in the Albergue as there no open bars when people leave in the early morning in this town and it was a good breakfast with plenty of coffee and toast, croissants etc.

I left the Albergue at about 7:30 while it was still dark but it was soon light and the path out of town was easy to follow. Soon I was in the Cornalvo National Park and on paths similar to yesterday's. It is beautiful place with only the noise of the birds and the cattle and sheep. I even heard the cuckoo for the first time on this trip so I know that spring has arrived.

 

 

Soon it was sunrise and the landscape changed as the sun rose. I don't see many beautiful sunrises like this so it was a treat.

 

Even the signage was different in the National Park, but easy to follow.

 

This was a strange sign that I couldn't figure out. Someone told me that the Via Pecuaria was an old road used for driving cattle and perhaps the monkey was drawn in later by some joker.

 

 

After leaving the park there were several cars parked near the road and I think they were people either camping or hiking in the area. It was a Saturday and although I saw some arriving I didn't see anyone out of their cars. It is a beautiful area so would be a nice place for a day or a weekend.

The road was hilly and on the hills the trail was washed out with gullies on the steep parts. No pictures I am afraid as they don't show much. Overall we were climbing all day.

Then the trail changed with some houses on each side. The signage also became confusing with yellow arrows pointing in different directions. I think the local people are trying to get pilgrims to stay there. However I tried to follow the guide book to find what I hoped would be the best way to the only Albergue mentioned in the guide and I think I got it right. The Albergue mentioned is in an old monastery and was described in a way that made it sound very primitive. As I was coming to the place where I would turn left for the Albergue I met some people walking a dog who asked me where I was headed. I told them and they told me that a new Albergue had just opened and said it was very nice and recommended that I try it. I followed their advice and was soon there.

I have a room to myself and it turns out that I am the first peregrino to check in there! Very welcoming and they will also cook a meal for tonight. Very convenient. I went through my usual routine on arrival of shower, wash clothes, hang out to dry and then look for somewhere for a sandwich for lunch and supplies for the next day. Since today is Saturday and the shops close at 3:00 pm and are closed on Sundays I made sure I had what I needed for tomorrow.

In the meantime 4 more people have arrived, all of them from the Albergue we stayed at last night so it is a friendly group.

 

No wifi here and I was unsuccessful at the bar I went to for lunch. It was so full of people and noisy as a soccer game was on that I could barely get to the bar to order and the wifi password they wrote down for me did not work. Later I found out why the bars were so full and noisy: Real Madrid are playing Barcelona today!

I walked round the town a bit in the afternoon. Quite a pretty little town built on the side of a hill with steep narrow streets and the houses mostly in rows. Seemed to be well maintained with the houses niceley painted and the streets clean with very little litter. The church is 16th century but it was closed with no sign of any activity.

 

Later I went out again and found another bar, quieter, and was able to get on line and upload at least some of the next blog but sending it will have to wait until tomorrow probably.

When I got back to the albergue it was almost time for dinner cooked by the volunteer hospitaleiros. There were 5 peregrinos and the 2 hospitaleiros Nd we all sat down together. They had made a nice dinner with excellent carrot and pumpkin soup followed by ham with vegetables and boiled potatoes. Dessert was fresh fruit salad with strawberries, kiwi etc. they had got all the ingredients at the market which is held every Friday. Today was Saturday. No pictures I am afraid.

Soon it was time for bed and in my single room I slept very well despite it being very cold everywhere. I had my good sleeping bag and nice blanket over it.

Oh I nearly forgot to say that today's stage was 20 km

Good night. I will try and post this tomorrow.

 

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Camino 2016: Via de La Plata - Day 4 - On the Way again. Mérida to Aljućen

I slept quite well but it was cold and I had to take the blanket from the other half of the double bed to cover me and then I was fine. I set the alarm for 7:00 and took a shower, packed up and headed out. I wanted to stop at a "tienda to get some fruit and water for the day but nothing opened until 9:00 and it was only 7:45 with dawn just breaking so I head out. I knew I would pass the old roman aqueduct on the way out of town and it is amazing to think that the structure is still standing after. More than 2,000 years.

Several pairs of storks had set up house on top of the structure. I counted 25 nests each with a stork on it but there could have been more.
I passed an open bar and had my standard Camino breakfast. Café con leche and tostadas. All for 2 euros.

The aqueduct carried water from a Roman reservoir about 5 miles away. Both the town of Mérida and the Proserpina. This is largest known Roman reservoir still in existence. The dam that was built is in the left in the picture.

It was very interesting as part of the dam wall had been excavated by archeologists and section could be seen from the lower side. The Camino trail went along one side which was very pretty.
We left the dam and reservoir and headed out north towards the little town of Aljucén. We walked through areas used for grazing cattle and pigs which were the type of landscape I saw from the train yesterday. Lots of trees and also large rocks that would make it difficult for any arable farming.

There were also spring wildflowers beside the trail.

Yesterday I said that I thought the trees looked like olive trees but my German guidebook says they are "steineichen" so perhaps someone can find out for me what they are called in English
I continued to follow the yellow arrows and signs showing the trail which sometimes were clear and some doubtful since the trail has been adjusted several times over the years. These show some of the differences.

At one point a man with a white horse appeared ahead of me but, unlike last year when I was with Christa I was not on the wrong path! See Christa blog from last year for the significance of this.

Continued on through hilly but pretty landscape, past a little village and arrived at the little town of Aljucén at about noon after 19.8 km, about 12.5 miles. Enough for day one of my journey. I found the Albergue, which seems to be comfortable, clean and friendly. I was the second one there but soon a few others hollowed checked. They have 15 beds and at the time of writing there are 9 of us here.

I went to the local "tienda" and got some fruit and a bottle of Aquarius (similar to Gatorade) for the trail tomorrow. And then found a place for a light lunch - bocadillo and beer with some olives and onions served for free.

I looked around the town but there is not much. Three bars/restaurants, the church (16th century but closed) and small houses some streets lined with orange trees but I think they are the bitter kind of the fruit. Very neat and clean and well maintained but clearly not a wealthy community.

An old well

Later we were invited to take a tour of the "museum". This was a collection of old tools etc. in a private house. Most I would call junk and it was all explained in Spanish. Not very interesting but it passed the time til dinner.

At about 7:30 six of us went to a local bar/restaurant for dinner. We were 2 Germans, 2 French, 1 Australian and 1 American with no universal languages. It was a fun evening with a nice soup followed by Spanish tortilla with salad and fish cakes and included wine. It was very good but we were all too full for a desert of flan.

Then back to the albergue and to bed.
Weather is as good as I could hope. Sunny, clear and temp in the upper 50's. Great hiking weather
Good night

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