Day 17 -Cáceres -Caŋaveral by bus -32 km

(Bus - 34 km)
Friday morning - 10.30 am - I am back at the Plaza Major in Cáseres.
Yesterday I was feeling quite sad that I went through this old city so quickly and didn’t take the time to savour the sights, sounds, and sensations.
So I am so very happy that I met Serge (from Brittany) at the supermarket last night and joined him on the bus to Cáceres this morning. Serge has a shorter time frame than me so after a peaceful 40 minutes sitting in Plaza Major drinking coffee (Serge) and a delicious sparkling mineral water (me), he has gone to catch his next bus leaving me to my solo wanderings around the old city. Perfect!
I realised when I looked at my photos that I am still having an affair of the heart with Moorish culture. I didn’t take any photos of churches and there are no more mosques left.
I had a wonderful few hours seeing the sights of yesterday again but taking time to follow the map and to soak it all in
I was ready to leave around noon and walked back to the Bus Station to catch my next bus to Caŋaveral.
Then in some 30 minutes I travelled what takes the Peregrinos 2-3 days to walk. I looked out at an incredibly unforgiving landscape- dry low scrub of around 2 metres and no useful shade as far as I could see. I felt for my ‘compaŋeros’ who are walking 33 km today and are still on the road as I now sit in the Bar drinking my Tinto de Verano and eating a tapas of olives. I was told that it was only in Andalusia that you get a free tapas with your drink but it seems the tradition is alive and well here in Extremadura. From what I saw from the bus this area certainly earned its name today.
Now who remembers those mountains in the distance some days ago? Well I am now sitting at the foot of said mountains looking up! They are actually high rocky hills but will look challenging. Tomorrow I am going to walk 8.5 km just to to the next town and take it slow and steady.
My ‘compaŋarose’ will go much further so I will bid them farewell this evening.
Yesterday Antonio said some very insightful things about friendships, particularly on the Camino - something like - friendships are so good and nourishing; we get to know people well and get close to then. Friendships also have a life if their own and when they dissolve we part - but these good friendships don’t disappear, they live on in our hearts forever. 🥰😊🤗. I found his words shifted my perspective on all the friendships I have made over the years that seem to have disappeared - I now know they live in my heart forever.

PS. I think the Spanish live on olives. I seem to have have eaten more olives in the past few weeks than I usually eat in a year

PPS. I just met some is my walking companions at the next bar having lunch. They left this morning at 5.30 am and got in at 1.30 pm and walked 33 km in 8 hours. One man is 76! I call them the Spanish Supermen. Some others in the group started a bit later this morning and only just arrived at 3.30 pm.Baca lagi