Hi gang. We we awoke and left our wonderful private hotel beds at around 6:45 this morning. It was so nice to have a private room rather then a bunk room in an albergue. We slept like logs. I didnt want to get up. But... Off we go. We pounded out another 12-13 today. All flat as a pancake across a nondescript stretch of farm country on a high plain to a smallish village called Villalcazar de Sirga. I had a great walk up until the final mile when my on again off again Rt ankle decided to be on again. Strange how that goes. So the final mile was a teeth gritting pain every step deal. I took Advil and iced it on arrival as well as massaged a topical aspirin creme into it several times with elevation. Its much better now. I hope it goes the distance tomorrow. Slow and steady wins the race right? So we believe we should hit the half way point tomorrow. It looks to be another flat long stretch of farm country. We will have to pack a lunch as the towns are sparse tomorrow and we wont have a handy one to stop at. Tonight we are back in the albergue but its a nice one and not crowded like the last one. I believe we will get better rest in this one. The weather was nice again today and we didnt hit rain. But it did rain after we got here and that has us drying our laundry in the Albergue on our own line between our bunks. Since everything is quick dry, it should be fine. And we have extra so its all good. A cold beer. Have you ever noticed how wonderful a really cold beer can taste when you are really hot and tired? The last mile or so today was in full sun. No shade here to speak of. I could see the town slowly getting closer and my damn ankle was really talking to me that last mile. The sun was high and pretty warm. Arriving at the town and walking almost to the far side was our albergue. It has its own cafe/bar. I ordered a beer which was Budweiser like San Miguel. Juliet, the bar tender tapped it into a frozen mug which imparted ice crystals into it! In the heat with a sore ankle at our stopping point... Oh my goodness how great that tasted. And she set me up with an ice pack for my ankle to boot. Simple pleasures folks. That is what this sort of experience imparts. Its really meant to I guess. Simple pleasures, a soft sand walking surface, a cool breeze, a stretch of shade under a hot sun, a friendly bar tender with a really cold beer and an ice pack for a sore tired ankle. A bed to call your own amongst a group of 20 strangers who havent the slightest idea what you are trying to tell them. Even a friendly smiling Spaniard who is passing the opposite direction who says Buenos Dias... Buen Camino! as they go about their business. Its wonderful to have such simple pleasures in a normally complex busy world. Im finding that you really need to slow down to notice them. I notice them now. So anyway... Todays photos... Diane is having a nice walk today among fields and fields of near harvest Sunflowers. A shot of me entering another small Spanish town along The Way and an interesting depiction of the story of St James for who the Way is named. It was taken in the local church here. A fortress church built by the Knights Templar during the 12th century called La Iglesia de la Virgen Blanca or The Church of the White Virgin. The paintings depict St James preaching the gospel, being murdered, and the return of his body to Spain via The Way. So thats where we stand this evening here in Spain folks, with the sound of thunder in the distance. Good night. Craig and Diane on The Way.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 16:39:18 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015