22 kms to Belorado

Today’s walk wasn’t quite as perfect as yesterday because much of the path was alongside a big main road (the N-120 which snakes near us all the way to Santiago) and our serenity was interrupted by the roaring past of big trucks…but the scenery remained beautiful, fields of grain, peas and rapeseed. We compared photos of 5 years ago in September and still can’t get over the contrast - so beautiful now with all the green, and we didn’t think it was dreary and dull then when we knew no different! There are still fields that are being ploughed and I wonder if they are preparing to plant sunflower seeds, because the September photos do show fields of sunflowers here - the bright spots amongst the stubble.

It was hot, and we both shed layers and ended up with just one shirt…and it was much cooler…and I covered my arms and legs and neck with the expensive sunscreen we bought in Logroño! We walked from La Rioja into Castilla y León today which marks our progress!! And I looked at the photo of us at that point in 2018 and I was wearing the same shorts, shirt and hat!! Now at the hotel of twice before, basic and nice. Except we are on the second floor and had to lug the bags up 2 flights of stairs…!

Just back from having a beer with an English couple we had met on and off for a few days, very nice, but they are finishing walking here. They will be in Spain for a while, and may continue in about a week because they enjoyed it so much. After that we found a supermarket to get provisions for tomorrow’s walk…it will be a long one, and you can’t count on bars or anything being open…today the first town after 6 kms had an active bar - when it was nice, but no one was desperate, though we did stop and Amr had coffee and I had some of the amazing fresh OJ…we squeeze oranges every day, but it is never as sweet and delicious as the OJ here! And then the next 2 towns, when people were hotter and more tired, were totally asleep!! We had cheese made into a sandwich with yesterday’s baguette, but stale bread not so good, and we today got crackers as an improvement…you can usually find a seat in the shade, even if the village is closed.

Now off to dinner. Belorado is tiny, but there were several hopeful looking places to eat. The Plaza Mayor is beautiful …a big open space, with even a rotunda in the middle. But usually is has a lovely tree-shaded area in the middle, which of course at present is the bare gnarled branches, starting to bud…still looks strange and rather weird to me.

…just back from dinner…saw the English couple, Jane and Rob, again as we were walking back, and had a post dinner wine with them…lovely. And via them we noticed the storks’ nests on the church bell tower…very relaxed!Читать далее