Camino Via de la Plata, VdlP: April 2012

Monday, April 30, 2012

April 28 Carcaboso to Caparra (Stage 16)

Roman Arch Caparra

We are in a small town outside of Caparra. We had only a 20 k walk today so we stayed for breakfast at our turist alberque in Carcaboso. There are many kinds of accommodations along the camino. Few places other then big cities have more than 1 or 2. There is the municipal albergue. These are generally less then 10 euros and only pilgrims with a pilgrim credential can stay. It is first come no reservation. The tourist albergue is open to anyone and, like the municipal albergue it is dormitory style with bunk beds. You can call ahead. The refugio and albergue run by the church are dorms or the floor with mats and they are usually donation with no set cost. They usually provide a meal. They are also first come first serve. You then have casa rural which are homes that offer bedroom and bath and they are more expensive 25+ per room often with breakfast. Then their are hostels which are small hotels 1 2 3 stars cost varies accordingly, and hotels once again cost varies. We have paid 10-20 a person or 35-45 for a room for just two. Top of the line are Paradors which are hotels in historic buildings. They are very expensively. We all had breakfast together before setting out for Caparra. We bid adios to Michel and Domonick from France. They were off to Salamanca and then back to France. We walked following a map that Señora Ellena made us, and the footprints of our two fellow pilgrams from Italy, Nora and Alberto. We chatted with them as we walked until they sat to rest as we forged on. The pictures we took cannot capture the beauty of this path. The sound of water flowing and birds singing and lambs crying. It was serene and beautiful. At the end of our walk was the famous Roman Arch at Caparra.

Stu happy to shed his poncho

Stu at Caparra

Roman arch at a distance

Sunday, April 29, 2012

April 27 Rio Lobos to Carcaboso (Stage15)

Joan blogging in Carcaboso

We left quite late for us. We went up to the church to see the killing of the pig for the fiesta but we were late. We finally left at 8:30 and followed the yellow arrows out of town We had a bit of sun and then rain for the rest of the day. The part of Spain we are in is called Extremadura. It is the agricultural belt of Spain. It is famous for its national parks. There are many hikes thru the countryside because it is so beautiful. It is the place to come to see and hear the birds there are more storks here then any other part of Spain. We walked along the road just feet from a river surrounded by elder and aspen trees and hundreds of birds. When you are walking you are warm so rain or no rain the walk was wonderful. We arrived here at a tourist albergue. It is run by an elderly woman called Ellena. It is a house with 6 bedrooms and 3 baths and a kitchen. It is 11 dollars each including breakfast. There is wifi downstairs in the bar. Domonick and Michele are from France and have been keeping us company. There are 2 gals from US we met at the beginning and we are just crossing paths again. There is an Italian woman we met in Muxia last year. There is an Italian couple we have been meeting at albergues now and again. We are a motley group trying to understand each other. A community exchanging gossip and tips and maps. It is the way of "The Way".

French pilgrims

Elena the owner albergue touristica

Passing Galisteo

April 27 Alcancara to Rio Lobos (Stage 14)

We were up early for our breakfast. Stu made coffee, toasted bread and sweet bread in the microwave. Guess what Stu blew a fuse, so we had lukewarm cafe, half toasted bread. We were out the door hoping one of the sleeping pilgrams would be able to fix the fuse. It was 0600. We divided the day into three stages. The first was to Canaveral. The road was fairly steep, rocky and wet. Even when it was flat we needed two headlights and one in our hand to find our way. Daylight brought our attention to the disappearance of the path which became a steep drop off due to a new highway being excavated, then through the hill and left behind an unbelievably muddy road down to a culvert and then up the other side. If you can imagine a tractor trail filled with water that was it. We did manage to get up the hill though our boots were 10 pounds heavier with mud. Finally we arrived at Canaveral crossing a XIV century bridge. We stopped half way through at the only open bar in town. We bought a cheese and egg bocadillo eating only the egg and cheese.

Early departure

Stage two was walking to Grimaldo. After filling up our water bottles at the fountain, we were challenged by a steep and rocky hill. This led us to a pine forest and then a cork forest. The path continued through farmland and fields of flowers. The path narrowed to a single person wide at a time crossing a river through narrow gates and eventually into Grimaldo. We stopped for two cakes and the cook and owner of the bar gave us her home cooked and seasoned sheep intestine. Stu ate most. I hid most of mine in a napkin. Off we went through this charming small village following the arrows to Rio Lobos and our casa rural. This was a beautiful stage through fields of trees, flowers, birds, sheep and cows. We stopped to chat along the way with an Italian couple we will see again tomorrow, and in a meadow we met up with a French couple that have been in front of us and behind us all day. They have done most of the caminos. We continued on to a set of gates. The left gate took us to Rio Lobos. The camino now goes through Rio Lobos because the infamous gate that allowed people through no longer does.

There are now two casa rurals in Rio Lobos and their numbers are on the gate. After 3 more K, we arrived at 3 after walking all day, 37 k. The casa rural we are staying at is Casa Abuela Maxi. It is a 6 bedroom house. We are the only ones here. Cari left us fruit, sweetbreads, cafe, tea, oranges for breakfast. She brought us lettuce and tuna for a salad. She showed us how to use the washing machine and dryer. She also drove us around town and dropped us off at a bar. We walked thru black curtains into an empty bar other then one man. The bartender, a young woman with two small kids, brought us two beers and chicken tapas. We talked to her. Stu used all his charm and we laughed a lot. She bought us another beer and we bought the older man a glass of wine. Tomorrow we head out to Carcabosa. We will start later tomarrow because there is a big fiesta here where a pig is killed and cooked to feed the entire village. There will be music and dancing. We hope to stay for part of it.

Which way?

Scenery along the way

Path to Canaveral

On the way to Carcabosa

On bridge outside Galisteo

Between Grimaldo and Rio Lobos

10 pound boots after this

Mud and road construction

Rocky path

Joan on a 13th century bridge

Stu getting a refill

Steep climb on the way to Grimaldo

Pine forest

Cork forest

The path narrows and so do the gates

Getting water to take home in Grimaldo

French peregrinos

Scenery along the way

The road to Rio Lobos

I need a cold beer Por Favor

Room at case rural in Rio Lobos

Casa Rural in Rio Lobos

Friday, April 27, 2012

April 26 Caceres to Alcancara (Stage 13)

Joan on break

We had to leave our comfortable quarters in Caceres. After a breakfast of toast, jam, sweet breads and cafe con leche, we started our walk. It was 0620 and raining lightly. The first few miles were on the highway and then a dirt road. We walked through Casar de Caceres a small attractive town with beautiful gardens. We then followed a very nice dirt road for about 8 miles. Some absolutely beautiful country. This was the prettiest walk so far. Fields of green with purple and pink yellow and white flowers. We stopped for a short time to watch the sheep, the dog and the Shepard. The Shepard never moves. He only whistles and the dog moves the sheep according to the whistle. We then started this narrow rocky wet and slippery, undulating path that lasted 45 minutes followed by a three mile hour long walk along the highway. We finally arrived at 1330. The hospitalera signed us in, stamped our credentials and got us both a coke. Cost for bed and breakfast was 15€ each. There is food you can buy and in the last 2 hours we have eaten tuna salad with olives, lentils and shared a vegetable pizza for 20€ There is nothing near by. They were kind enough to wash our clothes. Everyone that has dirty clothes throws them in a basket. All is washed together. You then sort through the wet clothes for your own and hang them up hoping the rain wont't start. Can you believe it is 1700 and we are about to go to bed to read. Very shortly after we try to read we will be asleep.

Prettiest walk so far

Roman mileage markers

Yes, lots of sheep

Joan cleverly getting into the top bunk

Joan making a point with a German banker

Thursday, April 26, 2012

April 25 Alcuescar to Caceres (Stage 12)

Stu chillin in Caceres

We woke up to a delightful breakfast that Theresa laid out for us. We can highly recommend our Casa Rural, "Via de la Plata" in Aldea del Cano. Theresa is a good cook and very kind. Her place is beautiful. She even arranged to get the keys so we could see the church. We then ventured out of town to look over the yellow arrows to be sure we could find them in the morning dark. There was a slight drizzle when we started off. There has been no rain here for 4 months so the farmers are very happy. It had rained the night before so the dirt was slippery and we had to dance back and forth to keep our footing. The camino seemed to be well marked in this section. It was dark when we left and very overcast. Theresa, the owner of the casa rural in Aldea del Cano, had called ahead to her friend, Paqui, in Caceres and arranged a room for us in her home. Paqui met us in the Plaza Mayor, and took us to her house. The room turned out to be like a small apartment. It has a bathroom with shower, bedroom with 2 beds, living room with couch and television and kitchen with stove, microwave and refrigerator. She has pots and pans dishes etc. in addition milk and cafe and tea as well as bread and sweet roles butter and jam. Absolutely beautiful. The cost is $45 a night. She is 2 minutes from Plaza Major and the Old City. Paqui 's tel number is 652944335 She has a washing machine you can use and wifi. We then spent the afternoon touring the Old City filled with Roman buildings. We stopped and did some shopping so we made a delicious lentil dinner with red peppers mushrooms onions and asparagus Not to mention the required cookies for in bed reading.