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- Sep 13, 2022, 10:07 AM
- 🌧 15 °C
- Altitude: 691 m
SpainCastille and LeónGallegos de Argañán40°37’46” N 6°40’53” W
Ciudad Rodrigo —Fuerte Concepcion(33km)

I left right around seven, headlight showing the way, and it was raining. From there the weather was ever-changing. Some drizzle, some steady rain, some pouring rain, with some very welcome dry spells. But as I’m sure some of you have heard me say —once I am totally wet, I’m not going to get any wetter so what difference does it make to walk for another hour in the rain? It’s hard to describe, but even though I walked in rain for a total of four or five hours, it was a wonderful walk. No spectacular scenery, soaked feet, a fair amount of livestock to navigate, a cold wind at times…. But there I was.
I was lucky that when I went through the two main towns on this route, it wasn’t raining. They probably don’t rise to the level of “town“ but are more like little villages. There were few people about, in part because the medical clinic was open in one of the towns, and in both places, the town hall was open for official business. Which meant I was able to get my Pilgrim stamp, given to me with great flourishes and the town seal! The woman in Gallegos told me the town was hanging on but just barely. No young people, no jobs, the same story you hear all over rural Spain. . Get this — town of less than 100 people gets a weekly visit from a doctor. Pretty amazing. I talked briefly to her and she told me that she has a regular circuit and that she likes her practice very much because she really gets to know all of her patients. And then as I sat on a bench eating an apple, I got my typical array of questions from the Señoras who converged from nowhere, and got lots of advice about walking.
There is an albergue in Aldea Del Obispo, but I had seen on the Internet that just another km on is a hotel in an old star fortress. I think they are called Vauban forts. It was built in the 1600s when Portugal was fighting to separate from Spain. Then when Napoleon invaded Portugal, the fort figured prominently in the Napoleonic Wars. And somehow the Brits and Lord Wellington were involved. But the fort fell into ruins till some enterprising entrepreneur decided it would make a great hotel.
The special off-season rate made it an easy decision for me. Though the restaurant doesn’t open until 8:30, I have to remember that when I cross the border into Portugal, the clock goes back an hour, so I think the late dinner will be just fine!
More rain tomorrow. If it’s as good a day as today, I’ll have no complaints.Read more
Traveler Hi Laurie, I am getting you on my phone now. What a brilliant thought to hang on to - if you are wet to the bone you cannot get any wetter, so may as well continue. Courageous all the same! Will try to remember this when next I find myself in this situation...
Traveler First the bulls, and now those ominous clouds in wide open country! You're so brave, Laurie. Sad to hear the Spanish countryside is suffering -- unemployment, depopulation, drought... My dad remembers his dad saying, at the outbreak of the Civil War, "Me duele España." Still applicable over eighty years later.
Traveler
Gorgeous.