I got up early this morning to walk as much as possible before the day turned hot. And to be perfectly honest I was worried about getting a bed, something I haven't done so far and didn't do much on two times on the Camino Frances. But the albergue was pretty full last night in Meridas. I thought maybe a lot of people start there. People start and stop in different places. A lot of Europeans do two weeks a year, and then come back and pick up where they left off.
I left town about 7am, after it got light and walked through the city until I came to these tall Roman arches that had the morning sun coming through them cast a pink glow in the arches. Of course they had stork nests on top with storks in them. It was to be a day of birds, but I didn't know that then. I had forgotten how nice it is to wAlk in the early morning. It had been so cold when I first started this Camino, I didn't want to get out until the sun had been up an hour or two.
I continued out of town toward what was referred to as a reservoir. I had visions of a large round tank. For about an hour we walked on a running/biking path. I was the last one today, I was in the pack, somewhere toward the end. So I kept thinking about the bed thing and when it started I told my head to go back to sleep and said my mantra, "I'll get where I supposed to be, when I am supposed to be there. Along the way we went through this park/preserve that ran along the remains of a Roman city. It was really neat to look at as I walked. When we got to the reservoir, I was astounded. It was a huge lake with restaurants, houses and water sports along it's edge.
The Camino led us on a path around the lake and then we were directed off that path onto a road. The problem was, there were two roads. One was the carretera to Aljucén where I was headed, and one was what looked like an old road seldom used. So I took that one because it seemed more Camino like. I walked from some time and didn't see a yellow arrow. But, I didn't care because the landscape was so captivating. Flocks of beautiful white birds that I think were egrets or cranes flew over my head from time to time. For some reason, I didn't see the pilgrims I had seen walking until the reservoir.
Bobby McFerrin was singing, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" in my ear. I still hadn't seen any arrows so I checked Google maps. It said I was headed in the right direction, though I couldn't tell from Maps if I was on the right road. But I figured if I was going in the right direction I'd be close. Then I saw an arrow. I think my favorite arrows are ones you see at times like this. It doesn't matter what they look like, they are lovely.
I thought the other pilgrims must have taken the carretera and would get to the albergue before me, but I decided I didn't care because I would not have wanted to miss the beauty of all I was seeing. I was busy taking pictures and had my earbuds in my ears listening to tunes. I only saw three cars the whole time I was on this old road. At one point I was taking a picture of some cows and I felt something bump my back. Yikes! I turned quickly to discover it was a nice man in a car trying to squeeze by without disturbing me or honking his horn and startling me. His window was down, we mutually apologized.
Then the Camino went off the road onto a trail. It was a great hike. At one point I sat down in the middle of the trail and munched on some potato chips. I bought the bag four days ago for a Euro and they are still good. Provides salt. While I'm sitting there, two of the guys I hadn't seen since the lake came by, commenting that I had found a nice place to rest. It's not the Camino Frances where you run into bars or cafes every three to five miles. There is no place to even sit down out here, except on the road. So there I sat.
I'm starting to get tired, my knee is squawking and I see a village. Oh good, I thought, I'm at my stopping place. There was even a church. I could see the steeple. But as these two chaps and I arrived, upon inquiry, a man told us there was no bar or albergue there. We were not to Aljucén yet. It was another 3 km, or about 45 minutes of walking, away. Damn, O hate when that happens.
So I finally get to Aljucén, go the wrong way, have to walk back up a steep hill to the albergue, and it is closed. It won't open until 12:30 pm, and I was the first one there. lol I guess I should have listened to Bobby all along. So I went down about half a block to a bar and drank and Aquarios while I waited. The nice lady working at the bar gave me an ice pack for my knee. I used it and then went to give it back and she told me to take it with me for later. Wow!
About 12 I returned to the albergue and I could tell the other two guys had arrived. The hospitalera came and showed me the beds. I actually got the one that was a single bed, not a bunk bed. So I went to the bar the hospitalera recommended and got the menu del día. I asked the guy working there and he said the Ensalada Rusa was homemade and the Pork stewed in tomatoes was good. It was yummy. I went back to the albergue, took a shower, and washed all my laundry. It is night and the albergue is full, even the extra beds that were filled by two bike riders at about 7pm, but only four of us were together last night. I think people do two stages at a time sometimes, so the cast of characters changes.
My knee seems to be irritated. So interesting. It happened the first Camino. Didn't happen the second. And is happening again on the third. If it gets worse, I'm going to have to stop for a few days and rest it. 
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