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| a square in Villafranca |
Finally we have a little peregrino community going, we bonded last night in the tiny bar of the warm kitchen over red wine and trail notes. There's some concern over how busy the camino is due to Semana Santa (Easter Holy Week) so the 7 of us booked ahead for tonight at the brand new albergue in Villafranca (just opened on the 1st. And being privately run, we could make reservations).
This morning dawned overcast once again. It's warmer than usual but a fleece, windbreaker and gloves are still necessary. It's not bad walking weather but poor for photos :(
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| arrows thru Los Santos |
The way-marking was excellent today until I got lost! The arrows took me right thru the village of Los Santos, up along a smelly path that locals seem to use as a convenient dumping site, and spit me out among acres of olive groves. All was good so far until I came to a 3-way intersection and one indeterminate purple arrow. Obviously I must have taken the 2nd left instead of the 1st left because that was the last arrow I saw for 1.5hrs! The dirt road seemed well packed and to be going in the right direction but by the time I started doubting my chosen route I'd already descended a steep hill and didn't want to backtrack. My road paralleled a rail line, which I knew I had to cross about 8kms on, so I thought I'd eventually come out right. Well, I did in the end but not before my track suddenly stopped and I was left wandering about the olive trees looking for a way out! The trees were lovely: they looked centuries old but pruned so regularly that they were short with tender branches poking out the top and fat gnarly stumps of trunks beneath; but I wanted out! Eventually I saw an overpass in the distance so I bushwhacked to that an Lo and Behold! The Camino!
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| where am I??? |
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| huh?!! |
Back on safe ground I clicked right along and then Iris, a German pilgrim and one of our Group of Seven, suddenly appeared from the left, about 4 kms from town. Apparently the arrows I followed in weren't the only ones, she must have found a different (correct!) way. We walked on together to find the new albergue - it's fine, if a little featureless. At least being brand new it's spanking clean!
There was talk of Roberto, our lone Italian, making a big spaghetti dinner for all tonight but I succumbed to an excellent Menu del Dia at a nice restaurant in town. After only eating an apple and little square of cake on the road I was starving by 2:30. A big 2-course meal will set me for the day and it's a great opportunity to have some vegetables, which are generally lacking in a pilgrims diet unless one is especially conscientious. Sandwiches & pasta are so much easier to make!
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| Anna, Gemma, Roberto, Henry, Iris, Philomena, Guntram |
The restaurant I chose is on a central square and seemed warm and inviting, as it did apparently to all the other pilgrims! There was 4 tables full of them here so I had a coffee with 3 of my Seven before they wandered off sightseeing and I settled down to lunch. A large first course of fresh green beans baked in some kind of egg mixture with baby shrimp on top. Then a second course of fish with salad. Yum!
I've a table by the window and 5-6 late pilgrims have been strolling past; backpacks still attached and a homeless look in their eyes. This means that the new albergue is already full or they missed the newly painted directional arrows and are lost. I'd better return 'home' to make sure no one took my coveted bottom bunk cause it's time for a nap!
PS: thanks to everyone for their emails and good wishes!
Thanks, Allison
Sent from my iPhone
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