April 24 Alcuescar to Aldea del Cano (Stage 11)

Joan at Miliario

Joan's description
We joined quite a group leaving this morning. We were all up when the lights came on and ready to go. We had to wait until 0730. The hospitalero, a volunteer, who ran the albergue wished us a Buen Camino. The beds in the dorm setting were 24 or 12 bunks. However 36 people showed up so the hospitalero was making beds and setting out mattress every where. He was working hard to accommodate everyone. He was also in charge of providing dinner for all 36 of us. Stu and I felt dinner was excellent but the French peregrinos were unhappy with the meal. We started with a chicken soup with bread and then a pasta salad with olives and tomatoes peppers etc that was followed by a delicious egg dish. A tomato sauce was put in a baking pan  On top they cracked rows of eggs which they sprinkled with cheese and then baked. It was very tasty. We had an orange as desert. There was no charge for the bed and the meal  If you wanted to you could donate to the albergue which we did. So off all 36 of us went through the countryside. The Roman way coincides with the Plata on the way to Caceres. We passed several Miliarios and crossed a Roman bridge - staggers the mind. It is a well marked trail to Aldea del Cana. Once again we chose to go only 17 k and to stay in a lovely Casa Rural. The Albergue has only 9 beds. Some continued on and the rest of us split up in Casa Rural or albergue. Our Casa Rural is lovely with a private room for 2 and a private bath the cost for 2 with breakfast is 45 euros. She even washed our clothes. Unfortunately, Stu likes this luxury and it will be hard to get him back to an albergue. Last night there was maybe 5 women and the rest were men and they were all snoring quite a chorus so I don't mind a private room now and again. Aldea del Cano is a small town, no roman ruins, but a beautiful church.

Stu on Roman bridge

On the way to Aldea del Cano

Church in Aldea del Cano

Casa Rural

Joan doing blog

Aldea del Cano

April 23 Merida to Alcuescar (Stage 10)

We started out early as did our French compatriots that shared the baths with us yesterday. It was a pleasent walk through a national park that was full of spring flowers. It is always interesting to start out in the dark. You feel like a detective trying to get clues to discover your destination. The added benefit is to see the sun rise and the fields light up with color. The only confusing time is when you are a few kilometers out of town, and you come across lots of arrows of different colors pointing in different directions. Fortunately, a man stopped his car and pointed out the right way. Tonight we are bedded down in the Residencia for handicap men, a monastery. It opened at 1200 for checking in. Their is no charge, you donate what you want. I have always wondered if some pilgrims don't. A simple evening meal is provided. You have to be prepared for a few rules. The front door is closed between 1430 and 1630. You cannot turn a light on until 0630 and the front door is locked until 0730. No packs on the bed and no boots in the sleeping area. Mass is 1900 and dinner 1930. For those of us that like an early start this is hard. Mass was not obligatory. The Chapel was in the building where those less fortunate lived. As we walked through their living quarters imagining what it would be like living as they did, I thought of the church offering this service of care over the millennium. The service was short and offered communion. The priest had the pilgrams stay behind after the service, divided us into linguistic groups and handed us his blessings on a sheet of paper. There were just three of us in the Ingles group. His blessing were very sensitively written. Very touching, leaving behind an emotional reaction which over the millenium has guided the human spirit to accept our differences and help one another in troubling times. We left at 0720 for Aldea del Cano only 17 k. The alberque has just 9 beds so we called a case rural, which is a very small hotel, and reserved rooms for ourself, the 3 French men and Heather, a woman from Perth, Australia. Our arrival routine is drop our packs, find the nearest bar and have a salad mixta, which is lettuce tomato and egg and tuna and either aspergus olives or peppers,  It is always a little different from bar to bar but always delicious.

Albergue in Merida

A wall waiting to fall down

Joan and George taking a break

Stu chasing Joan chasing George

Enroue to Alcuescar

Stu in front of albergue in Alcuescar

Add captionThe Monestary/albergue

A man on the street in Alcuescar

Monestary

Boot room

Church in Alcuescar

Roman museum Merida

Amphitheater in Merida

Lunch Merida

Aqueduct Merida

April 22 Torremejia to Merida (Stage 9)

We started with bread toasted with butter, jam, sweet cakes and cafe con leche at the Iberian Cafe on the main street of Torremejia. The owner of the cafe also owned the alberque. For 20€ you got room,    the evening meal and breakfast served at 0600.  We were on the road by 0630.  After a short 16k walk, we crossed the outstanding Roman Bridge into Merida. We felt pride that we entered the city as the Romans had. We took a left along the river finding the albergue easily after we past the new bridge. It is beautifully located looking out over the park adjacent to the river.  We then explored Merida, the capital of Extremadura. It is a world heritage site. It was founded in 25 BC as a retirement site for soldiers. It has more Roman ruins then any other city in Spain. The whole day was spent wandering through the city. Stopping for a delicious lunch in delicious sunshine put a polish to the perfect day. Being Sunday the museum was open and free. We were exhausted by the end of the day. Today was Mara's last day. She will take the bus back to Zafra where she lives. We walked her to the end of the modern, white, arched, suspended bridge and tearfully said our goodbyes. I have never seen Joan so relaxed and utterly cheerful with another person. They were constantly laughing and chattering in two different languages, Spanish and Portuguese, Mara didn't speak English. Joan would translate what George and I were saying and visa versa what Mara was saying. George would get out his English-Spanish cards and a walking Spanish lesson would ensue. It is hard to believe that we have known her for only 9 days yet she feels like family. It was very hard to say goodby she has become such a good friend. Tomorrow will be equally hard because George will be leaving us. He too has become like family, a good friend and our leader. Under his guidance we could do anything. He has less time available to complete his personal "Plata Way". He is also a very strong, disciplined walker. He sort of lopes along with arms dangling at his sides. I know this because as a good follower I have spent many hours hightailing after him. If you don't keep up our Black Knight will disappear before the sun rises. Tomorrow, he will once again lead us on our early morning journey and, sadly, drop us off at Aljucen. George will continue on to Alcuescar close to 40k distant. There are many daily distances exceeding 30k approaching 40k and we have the time to slice them into smaller chunks. To both our camino companions, Mara and George, Buen Camino for your life ahead. We will truly miss you. 

Albergue in Merida

Clothes for sale

Lining up at the albergue

George departing

Bye George

Coffee break

Camino companions

George navigating

Pilgrims relaxing

New grapes 

The long road

Big kids

Do they ever walk

Lost in Merida

Only for a minute

Temple of Diana in Merida

Roman aquaduct

Stu visiting a cemetery 

Stu caught stealing flowers

April 21 Villafranca to Torremejia (Stage 8)

We had a long walk this morning. Only 28 k, but flat and seemingly endless. We left in the dark at 6.  In the early morning darkness, skewered by the light of two headlamps, kilometers seem to fly by. When the sun comes out all you see is a long road. You walk through fields and farmland along one of the straightest roads imaginable. Slight rises offer little relief. Topping them reveals another straight continuum. The vineyards are young so there is little green or contrast with the earth. The color is all a brown. The roads are good with small rocky sections to awaken you from the walking stupor. We kept seeing a city in the distance and then it would disappear.  It seemed to take for ever to get here. There are 2 alberques and we are staying at the private one. The name is Roja. You pay 20 euros each and you get a bed as well as dinner and breakfast. We had a delicious meal of lentils with potatoes and chorizo and carrots followed by rice with a tomato sauce with two eggs on top. We had wine with a gaseous water which makes the wine delicious. It is how women generally drink wine. We of course had bread and for desert Stu had ice cream and I had flan. All hearty and delicious. The company was great. We have a number of Spaniards doing the walk and they share their music and ideas with us. We are all tired but excited about getting to Merida tomorrow.

Which way

Along the Way

The long road to Torremejia

Lunch stop

Torremejia

Lunch with Ramon and Mara