Cifuentes to Mandayona

We knew there was a shortcut today that would save 4 kms for tomorrow and would not go through Mandayona. But it would have meant missing a supposedly beautiful stretch tomorrow. So off to Mandayona we went.

It was another non-spectacular but very pleasant walk. Especially the part before the meseta. Rolling hills with lots of rocky outcroppings and some green crops, some dead crops. Once we got to the top of the climb, we were on the meseta. Kms and kms of flat flat flat. Just like Illinois. The only things to break the monotony were fields of lavender, a high speed rail line, and a superhighway to cross.

We’re in a little hostal owned by a young couple who gave up life in the city of Madrid to come out to a place where there are about 50 year round inhabitants. Their eight year old son goes to school with three other kids from the town. The school is kept alive by virtue of the fact that seven or eight kids from surrounding villages are bussed here. He tells me that they are very happy here and would not ever consider moving back to Madrid.

We had a good menú del día in the local bar and will soon head off to the town supermarket. We just learned that tomorrow is a holiday celebrating the Castilla y la mancha region. Stores and other commerce will be closed, so we will need to stock up on some food. There was a pretty loud thunderstorm that passed through while we were eating, and another storm just came through. We have been really lucky and have not had to walk in the rain, not yet, anyway!Read more