May 10 Saturday Fienterroble de Salvatierra The Realization of the Perfect Plan

May 10 Saturday Fienterroble de Salvatierra

The Realization of the Perfect Plan

Ok so yesterday I wrapped my knee Josef style and this morning it felt better, not great but better. So I decided to walk the 8.6km, about 5.5 or 6 miles. The wall was spectacular once again. The morning was crisp turning warm. There was snow on the mountains behind me, blue in the sky above me and incredible sights on either side of me. I'm not kidding. I could have snapped a picture ever step and there wouldn't have been more than a few bad views. I didn't take a picture every step, but I took a lot of them. I got to the town with the albergue that was the 8.6km spot, but, well, you know how it goes, my feet wanted to keep walking. My knee didn't jump at the idea, but it didn't object either. So off we went. 

The first part of the day was a pretty steady climb. The second part of the day was sort of a rolling up and down. There was one past tense water element, water element turned hard mud, then there was a very challenging water element. It was wide, but not particularly deep. However there was no way to go around it. Someone had put large rocks through one side of the water to use as stepping stones. Unfortunately, the first big rock was a tall rock, in a wedge shape, with the wedge shape pointed up. It would require me to step on the first rock and then put one foot one the wedge and push with my bad leg to get up on the wedge and then balance there and step on the next rock, with no place to establish my poles to aid in the push up or to help balance if I got up. I thought about the several possible out comes and all of them were bad, except the one that would require a small miracle. I was considering taking my boots and socks off and wading through the water. About then I spotted some smaller rocks and decided I would try to lift them and throw them in the water to form a perpendicular walkway to the second big rock. I tugged and tugged on three rocks and tossed them out in a line as best I could. Then I started to walked. As I stepped on each rock I had to put some weight on it and squeegee it to stabilize it before I balanced on it and did the same thing to the next rock. At least with this plan, the worst case scenario is that my boots and socks would get wet. But I made it safely to the first big flat stone and hoisted myself up without incident. From there I used the rest of the mostly flat stepping stones and got to the other side. 

The rest of the walk was uneventful. I arrived in Fuenterroble de Salvatierra  about 2:15. However I must have made a wrong turn coming into the village because I couldn't find the albergue. The whole town is only about three blocks wide and four blocks long. Only I could get lost in a pueblo this small. And it is Saturday afternoon in Spain, so there is not one human on the street. Only a few cars passed by. Finally I flagged down a delivery truck and the kind man driving it gave me directions. Within minutes I saw the Canadians, and a bit later Marilyn from South Africa (I called her Margarite before because I'm terrible with names.) everyone kept asking me to sit and join them but I told them I wanted to check into the albergue and then I would be back. I entered the albergue and all of the hospitaleros were having lunch. They asked me to join them, but I told them I had promised my friends I would return to the street. The one asked if I wouldn't like a glass of wine. I politely declined. 

The hospitalera who checked me in is Spanish, but speaks English, French, and Italian. She also tala an moves very fast, is very kind, and goes out of her way to be helpful. After checking in I went back down the street and joined Marilyn for lunch. I had gazpacho, baked chicken, salad, helado, water, and café con leche. We spent about two hours having lunch. I think I may just be getting the hang of this Spanish meal thing. 

I went back to the albergue and found out there is a bus to Salamanca tomorrow. But the place to catch the bus is about 3 miles from here. So Team Austria and I are sharing a cab which the nice hospitalera arranged. She also gave me a blanket for tonight. About this time I realized I had left my fanny pack with my camera in it at the bar. I went back and Marilyn had it. I went back to the albergue and iced my knee. Then I went back to the bar for more café and to use an app to book a room in Salmanca where I will rest for three or four days until my leg and knee feel better. So I got that done, went back to the albergue again. After a while I decided I should get a bottle of water and some yogurt while the tienda is still open. I realize I can't find my coin purse that has money, a credit card and a debit card. I realize I must have left it on the table out side the bar where I was making my reservation. I rush back to the bar , it's not outside where I was sitting. I go inside and asked the woman working there if it had been found. She looked around and couldn't find it. Meanwhile my heart took a nose dive every time she checked a place and it wasn't there. Them a guy came in from the back and she asked him if he had seen it, and he had. Relief. I felt like a complete idiot, but relieved I was an idiot with money and cards. lol

So now I'm tucked into bed and ready for a night's sleep. However there is a church group of young people staying here tonight. They are not walking the Camino, they were bussed here and will be going home tomorrow. So they are not tired. They are having fun and being noisy. Sometimes I prefer kids that are doing things they shouldn't and sneaking around. At least they are quiet. :)

By the way, thanks everyone for all your comments and letting me know what is going on in your busy lives.