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Camino Mozarabe April 2018Camino Mozarabe April 2018
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Camino Mozarabe April 2018

huhtikuuta - toukokuuta 2018
53-päiväinen seikkaillu — Laurie Lue lisää

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  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018

    When 38 is only 36

    28. huhtikuuta 2018, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    The guides all say that this stage is 38 km. Well, when you are prepared for 38 and the town magically appears a few kms before it’s supposed to, it is a cause for rejoicing!

    Today’s walk was wonderful. Far from cars, through scrub oaks and Jara plants. Once again it looked to me like rain for the first few hours, but none fell. A few water amenities, but I only had to take my boots off once. Late morning, the sun came out, but with a gorgeous cool breeze. To give you an idea of the beautiful temps— my water at 10 am was much colder than when I left the albergue. And even around 1 pm it was still cool!

    There’s a little fiesta in the pueblo. It’s called cruzes de mayo, in which many towns in Andalucia put up a colorful cross in the square, with some decorations all around. Seems like a good opportunity for gathering in the square and drinking more than anything else.

    We are definitely leaving Andalucía behind. More animals (pigs, sheep, cows), more scrub oak. I walked down paths lined on both sides with Jara bushes. In s few days it will be endless explosions of white flowers. Today just some early bloomers were there to welcome me.

    I’ve enjoyed lunch with two Spaniards and one Italian. It’s fun to be back in pilgrim-landia.

    Tomorrow the choices are 20 km or 53 km so I will have a short day. I may be crazy, but I will not try 50+ km!    Lue lisää

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  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018

    Cold but no rain!

    29. huhtikuuta 2018, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Alcaracejos to Hinojosa el Duque. 21 km

    Note to self—next time do not let someone convince you that a pair of smartwool socks is just as good as that little pair of lambs wool gloves sitting back in the USA in your camino gear drawer. It was in the 40s (Fahrenheit) the whole way, and my hands were like icicles.

    This was a flat, rural, green, off road walk. Lots of mud and deep puddles, but when my mind started to grumble I remembered what the hostal owner told me yesterday— that it had been so dry that the farmers had been paying 4,000-5,000€ a month to have water trucked in for their livestock. And then a month ago it rained so much in one week that it topped their annual average. Things are whacky all over it seems.

    I am in a basic pension run by a very nice woman who is grateful for the pilgrims. She had shut the family hostal/Bar/Restaurant business but opened up the lodging part a few years ago because of all the camino traffic. The albergue here is very nice, I’ve heard, but I’m sticking with the pension routine for now.

    Tomorrow I’ll have 33 with some elevation gain but a long 10 km slog at the end on asphalt. For the record-I (and every other Peregrino) hate walking on asphalt!!    Lue lisää

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  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018
    1

    To Monterrubio de la Serena

    30. huhtikuuta 2018, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Except for the fact that the last 12 of the total 32 km were on asphalt (but on a very untraveled road), this was a great walk. The first 20 were just perfect, for me at least — out in the middle of nowhere, on dirt tracks, through scrub oak and barley fields, lots of wildflowers. Not a person anywhere, just the occasional flock of sheep guarded by big barking dogs. Fortunately, there was always a fence between me and the dogs.

    I came to the site of what had been a two day romería (procession up to the little chapel about 17 kms away). I learned that a couple thousand people camp out for two days and carry the statue of a special Virgin Mary across the river (which I avoided crossing today bc the water is shoulder-deep, so this would have been quite a spectacle) It looked more like the scene after a raucous outdoor rock concert than a religious procession, with garbage everywhere and a few stalwarts cleaning up.

    I am in a hotel that seems to survive with pilgrim guests. About 6 of us here tonight, I’d say. Tomorrow the choice is 20 km or 40 km. I will probably try for 40. But rain is predicted, and if things are too bad at 20, I will just stop there.    Lue lisää

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  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018
    1

    Rain, hail and wildflowers!

    1. toukokuuta 2018, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Today was a long 40 km day. The first 12 or so on asphalt were not my favorite, but it was in total quiet through olive groves and cultivated fields. Then about 8 km on a nice track, where the wildflowers began their display in earnest. After a long walk from one end of a long small town to the other, the camino went off road onto a path that had me totally gasping. The wildflowers were amazing— pink, purple, red, white and yellow. I started a little contest to see which combination I liked the best. Yesterday’s clear winner was the red and yellow, but I think today’s would have to be purple and yellow.

    This was without a doubt the best wildflower display I’ve ever seen on a camino. And with the changing sky and rolling hills with scrub oak and holm’s oak, it was a riot of beauty.

    And then...about 8 km from my destination, thunder and lightening started popping up all over in front of me. I thought it was unlikely that I’d make it to Campanario before the downpour and I was right. About 3 km outside of town, the wind picked up, the rain started and then bam it was hailing —hard. After about 15 minutes I cane upon a little chapel with a porch where I waited out the rest of the storm. I was already soaked through and cold, but I thought it best to wait till the thunder claps receded. Thirty minutes later, I dragged myself the next few kms to my pension. It is probably the worst place I’ve stayed yet, but it’s 20€ for a private room that seems basically clean.

    I am eating a good meal, have showered, and the storm is a distant memory. But those wildflowers are vivid in my mind!    Lue lisää

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  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018
    1

    Castles --2 for 2; Dolmen --0 for 1

    2. toukokuuta 2018, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    I left very early today because I knew it was about 38 km plus a nice little town in the middle with a castle on top. Magacela its name, also home to a fabulous dolmen.

    Soon after leaving Campanario, little Magacela came into view, so for 12 kms or so I seemed to be getting no closer till I was actually there. The camino arrows did not go up to the castle so I meandered my way around till I got there. Well actually I circled it completely, having missed the turnoff from a high spot in town. No problem, I got lots of great views. The castle was open for climbing around and of course I had to walk all over. When I figured I had had about a 40 minute detour, I picked my way down and managed to get back on the camino, which was a very nice off road track through lots of fields with lots of sheep grazing. The flowers weren’t as amazing as yesterday but still very good. But I must have missed the dolmen by doing that.

    The rest of the way was a combination of one very long dirt road through fields and a 7 km slog at the end, again with a castle tantalizing me by appearing so clearly so many kms away.

    I talked with the usual assortment of “locals.” The woman sweeping her steps who was grateful for the very cool weather; two young guys taking a break from their work sitting on the back of a tractor and feeding tomato seedlings into a tube from which they somehow got magically planted; and a guy my age who was riding his bike and training for his departure as a bicigrino on the camino in a few weeks. He told me he was not sure he could do it because he is so old—joder, he said, he will turn 68 tomorrow. When I told him I’d be 68 in September, he seemed to take heart!

    In the town of Medellín for some afternoon touring. I went up to see the Roman theater and the castle. Both definitely worth a visit. This is Herman Cortez’s birthplace and they seem to celebrate that fact. He gets a much more glowing write-up here than in Mexico City.

    Not sure whether I’ll make it all the way to Mérida tomorrow, but I’m going to try!    Lue lisää

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  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018
    1
    12

    Hoofed it to Merida

    3. toukokuuta 2018, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    My choice today was 25 km to a small hamlet with a Pension above a gas station, or 40 to Merida, I opted to grind it out. This was one of those days where the stimulus had to come from within, because the scenery was unlikely to get your juices going. There was the occasional flower burst or bucolic scene with cows grazing, but for the most part it was 40 km on asphalt next to a busy highway. In fact, I’d have to say that one 5 km stretch on the shoulder of a busy national highway was right up there on the list of “scariest walks on the camino.” But I made it. And joy of joys, the last 8 km or so into town were far from the highway all on dirt.

    So I walked into the main square at around 3 pm feeling pretty whacked. The following facts presented themselves— 1. there would be no touring for me since I have been to Merida 3 or 4 times, most recently in February with Joe. 2. there was a fancy hotel in an ancient building inviting me to go in and check out the last minute prices. 3. Since I had walked 40 today, I could sleep in and take a short stage tomorrow. All indicators pointed to my flopping down in the fancy hotel with a cheap last minute rate. Which I did!

    I have been out to the Roman bridge, one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. I have been in the square in front of the hotel. But for the most part I have enjoyed the little balcony off my room, the glorious bathroom with forceful hot water spraying out of the shower head, and the lovely feeling that comes from having walked a monster stage unscathed. I am pretty ascetic but every now and then these creature comforts are irresistible.    Lue lisää

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  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018

    Nearly a rest day. 16 km to Aljucen

    4. toukokuuta 2018, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    I woke up at 5 as usual and forced myself back to sleep. It wasn’t quite 6:30 when I woke up again but I was sure I wouldn’t go back to sleep so I got up and going.

    By 8, I was leaving Mérida, having had a leisurely breakfast. The exit from town goes right by the Roman aqueduct, and with the sun rising it was really pretty. Hard to believe this amazing structure used to go all the way to Proserpina, which is where the first century reservoir (another engineering feat) was the city’s water source.

    This short walk was beautiful, through the dehesa, the typical southern Spain countryside of boulders, meadows, Holm’s oak, wetland meadows and tons of wildflowers. Just gorgeous.

    And here I am, shower and washing done. The albergue is full (lucky me to be in the room of 2 women and 2 men instead of the room of 15 men and one poor woman). There’s a restaurant in town, but not much else going on.

    PS. In case you are wondering what it was that led to me walking such a short day, it has to do with a planned detour tomorrow to a visigothic church, Santa Lucía del Trampal.    Lue lisää

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  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018

    Long day to Aldea del Cano

    5. toukokuuta 2018, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Well there was a method to my madness—this long day today means I have a short24 km tomorrow. That means I’ll have the whole afternoon to enjoy Cáceres, a very nice and very pretty city.

    People didn’t start getting up till 6:30, so even though I was awake at my usual 5-ish, I waited till others started moving. By the time I got ready and had a pretty bad breakfast, it was about 7:30 when I started out. That’s late for a 40 km day, but luckily the day was cool.

    The first 20+ kms were just gorgeous, same dehesa landscape as the days before.

    Special treat of the day was a 4 km detour to visit the 7C visigothic church, Santa Lucía del Trampal. Oh so beautiful. Well worth a detour.

    At about km 26, I came to the place where everyone from last night was staying. The town is called Alcuéscar.I have stayed in this place before. It’s a monastery that has one floor as an Albergue. But its main function is to house and provide for a number of men with special needs who have no family. Noble mission, but the last time I was here, I saw less than kind and caring treatment of these poor men. It gave me a very bad feeling and I just didn’t want to stay here.

    So that meant 15 more kms. It was flat and relatively uninspiring, a kind of “pedal to the metal” type of walk. True, there were occasional Roman milestones and a Roman bridge or two, but for the most part it was just something to get done. At about 4:15 I arrived to the small Albergue. Two hours later, showered and with clothes washed, it’s just a 90 minute wait till the nice people in the restaurant next door will serve us a dinner!    Lue lisää

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  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018
    1

    Pilgrim surprise

    5. toukokuuta 2018, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    I should have learned by now that snap judgments are dangerous on the Camino, well anywhere really. So yesterday when I had the afternoon to spend in Aljucén, I went with a couple others to the local bar where we sat outside in the shade on a beautiful cool sunny day. We wound up spending several hours there, moving from a couple of lemon Aquarius ( kind of like Gatorade but much less sweet) to an ice cold beer or two. I didn’t know any of these guys, since I had just joined the Via de la Plata the day before in Mérida where the Mozárabe ends.

    It was a very congenial group, a British couple, Canadian guy, Dutch guy and me. Then up comes Antonio, oblivious to the fact that no one but me spoke Spanish. Like a bull in a china shop, he charged into the conversation going on and on in Spanish. I explained that I would have to translate if he wanted anyone else to know what he was saying.

    Truth be told, we had much preferred our previous English conversation, but he just kept talking. He asked everyone why they were walking the camino but before anyone had an answer ready, he jumped in to tell his story. Like many Spaniards, he was doing it to fulfill a promise to Santiago. Several years his sister was diagnosed with cancer. Of the 11 brothers and sisters, he was the only good match as a donor for bone marrow. He promised Santiago that if his sister survived, he would walk a camino. She just completed her three year anniversary, and he decided it was time for him to walk. Wow.

    The next surprise was that he offered to make dinner for a bunch of us. So a few hours later we were all being served a really yummy paella (minus the mussels and prawns). We all agreed that we had not been very pilgrim-like and were totally undeserving of his kindness. And he said he enjoyed it so much he would like to do it again!    Lue lisää

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  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018

    Enjoying Caceres

    6. toukokuuta 2018, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    First guy to leave the Albergue left at 5. The remaining 6 of us started moving around at 6:20 or so. By the time I left the Albergue it was pretty light, another beautiful day (though the forecast shows some rain in the next few days).

    The 24 km were almost all off asphalt. Even though the Camino essentially hugged the national highway, there were very few cars on it because of the autovía (divided highway) being so close. There were tons of cyclists, some on the road, some on the Camino. I think every single one I saw was male. This is the way it always seems to be here, not sure why.

    I got a room in a small hotel and after the obligatory post-walking routine had a couple of hours to wander the old city, which is just beautiful. Lots of 15 and 16 C buildings. I made it to the museum finally (this is probably my fourth or fifth time here) and saw the Moorish aljibe (cistern).

    I only have eight days left to walk and I think I will reach Salamanca.    Lue lisää

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