4 Santa Maria la Real de Nieva, 31/143km

8h Boring walk across the fields on dirty roads (hard work to wash to socks afterwards) . The were no bars or shops on the way, fortunately there was a water pipe in every village. At 3pm I've arrived at Santa Maria ... The alberque was closed, and I've had to call the owner and explain him with my perfect Spanish that I need the key. So I went first to a bar for a lunch (una jarra (he showed me 2 different glasses and I chose the bigger), fresh orange juice and some tappas). Than I went back to the alberque and was about to call the owner, when suddenly the doors opened and the one of the Pilgrims from the last night came out (he had got the key in the meantime) . He spoke good English, so he couldn't be Spanish. He was from Colombia, studying business - management in Madrid. I asked him about the situation in Colombia. He told me that after the government made a deal with the guerrilla the country is safe a prospering.
He is planning to go all the way to Santiago.
The alberque is nice, small (6p) on 5e donation.
In the evening I was chatting with Frodrigo about Santiago (it was his 4th time, first time alone, before with brother and mother ), life in Colombia, in Europe (he was once on Malta on holiday) ....Read more