Camino Via de la Plata, VdlP: 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.