Camino Via de la Plata, VdlP: April 20 Zafra to Villafranca de los Barros (Stage 7)

We started out early from Zafra leaving a wonderful albergue behind. It was a tourist albergue which means tourists as well as pilgrims can stay. Often you can call ahead and make a reservation which is a very good idea. It is cheap so many tourists stay. We had a room with a private shower. There were sheets on the two beds and a down comforter as well as a wool blanket. You needed both because the building was very cold. It was a converted convent. Many of the albergues are converted convents. They washed our clothes for 1 euro and dried them for another. It takes a couple of hours to wash and at least 3 or 4 hours in the dryer We were advised to make reservations here in Villafranca because the albergue here has only 18 beds. There is a hostel here also but not many beds. By 13:00 both were filled and it is 17 k to the next town. This is a private albergue called Carmen. It has 18 beds and only 2 bathrooms. It has a good kitchen and an open market close by. We bought vegetables and salmon. So we will cook later. The walk was short about 20k. We passed orchards of olives almonds and vineyards. The route is well marked and most of the road was easy to walk We are in synch with the same group of pilgrims. Led by Corporal George who fortunately has more sense of finding the correct way than we, and our super cook and trained caregiver, Mara, we have no doubts we will get to Santiago. Only 4 weeks to go!!