I got up this morning and had some café and tostada. Yummy. So, fueled up, I left El Real de la Jara for Monesterio, about a 13 mile trek. I left the town and almost immediately I was faced with visual delights. As I was leaving the pueblo, I looked back and took a picture of the pueblo in the morning light. There was a grassy field between me and the village. When I finished taking the picture I looked up and there was a beautiful ebony horse running and frolicking in the field. I checked the camera to see if the horse was in the picture. It was, but very small.
The next thing I saw was the ruins of an old castle, in a field of soft green grass and wild flowers. On top on one of it's remaining turrets was a stork standing guard. It was great.
Then there were some sheep and lambs. I was thinking about my use of the terms "baby lambs" yesterday and considering whether it was double statement. But what I meant was lambs shortly after they've come into this world and like foals, calves, fawns; that are all gangly and uncoordinated. They have trouble getting their legs to all go in the same direction. Later, very shortly later, they are still lambs, but then they are like little sheep. I saw some of those today. They were bigger than the baby lambs.
At one point, as I was coming up to pass a house there were dogs barking, but they were all chained. Then I saw this big thing in the road. I thought someone had left their pack in the road. I couldn't figure out where they had gone. Then as I got closer I realized it wasn't a backpack. Then I thought maybe it was a rock. But it was such a funny place for a rock, like right in the middle of the road, where cars and people would have to circumnavigate it. Then it started to move and I thought I was hallucinating. But then I realized it was a dog, a very big dog. It slowly rose and then lumbered over to me. I just kept walking. He didn't like he was going to attack me, he was just sort of ushering on through, making sure I didn't bother anything. He even got behind me and nudged my pack. Too funny.
Then I was treated to a serenade of the dull clanging bells on the necks of sheep. They aren't loudly, harshly clanging bells, just a soft gentle sound. It was really relaxing and calming. Until I saw a very large black bull or cow coming down the road toward me. I don't know if it was a cow or a bull I had other things on my mind, like whether I had anything red on me or my pack. All I knew was it was much bigger than me than me by about a ton, and had very sharp pointy things on it's head. Fortunately he seemed to want to stay clear of me as he passed, he slowly moved to the far side of the road. Whew!
The trek was very quiet and lovely. I saw some lambs and sheep, kids and goats, and calves and cows. It must be Spring. I walked through meadows. Then suddenly that ended and I was walking along a highway and coming up to a Rondo (traffic circle.) I thought, "oh dear." Then I saw a Guardian Civil car and two officers. Then I saw a big roadside stop with cars and buses and A CAFETERIA! I get to have lunch. I asked the Officers if I could pass over the rondo on foot and they said I could. I was so excited! I was planning to stop by the side of the trail and suck Justin's Natural Peanut Butter out of packet and suck some water to wash it down. But no, I got to go inside, sit down, eat a bocadilla, and drink some cafê con leche. It was great!
After I ate, I had to find the yellow arrows again and traverse the rondo. At one point I thought the yellow arrows were going to lead me onto the freeway. I thought I did that last year and ended up in a Civil Guardia car being taken back to the Camino. I didn't want to repeat that adventure. But the arrows pointed to the highway which ran parallel to the freeway. So I walked on the side of a highway, which I guess you are allowed to do, until the yellow arrows took me off the road to a nice trail with huge trees that ran between the highway and the freeway. Then the path kind of ended and I was faced with walking across a steeply sloped area of loose gravel or walk on the side of the highway. So I'm thinking risk sliding down this sharp scree into a barbed wire fence or risk getting smushed by a car or big truck. Hmm. I chose the scree and barbed wire. I figured the bodily damaged wouldn't likely be fatal or cause permanent injury.
I made it successfully, if not gracefully. I ended up on a semi paved side road after talking to a Spanish guy on a bike. We commiserated about our knees. His hurts and he doesn't know if he will be able to go much further. Bummer.
As I walked on this road I saw a herd of goats coming down the road towards. There must have been a hundred of them. I though this must be rush hour on the Via de la Plata. I just stood by the side of the rode thoroughly enjoying their passing. I exchanged greetings with the herder. As soon as they passed, the road was covered with sheep. Right place, right time.
What followed was a 200 meter climb to Monesterio. It wasn't as steep as the other one, but it wasn't easy. I arrived in Monesterio and saw signs for the Municipal Albergue. I followed the signs. They led me around or turn after another in a winding route until I was about to give up. Then I met another pilgrim on the corner and he seemed to know, from my confused land discouraged look, what I was looking for. He said it's right around the corner. I'm glad he was there because this is a really nice albergue. They have a washer and dryer, so I got my clothes clean. I've basically been wearing the same clothes for three days because, if I wash them, I can't get them dry. It's too cold and cloudy.
And the guy in the bunk next to me is the young man on the bike with the sore knee I ran into earlier in the day. He's from the Czech Republic and speaks English and Spanish. His name is Paul, though it doesn't sound like Paul when he says it in Czech. I lent him some of my Voltarén to see if it helps his knee. I am the only woman sleeping in a room full of men. There's one other German woman, but she's in another room. I need to learn her name because I see her and the man she walks with, Miguel every day.
There's big black clouds in the sky. It is not supposed to rain tomorrow, but we'll see.
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