On The Road Again
Had my alarm set for 7:30 am because there were no other pilgrims in my room to rustle around packing and waking me up. But I woke up at 6:45. So I laid in bed for about five minutes reading the two comments I had received while sleeping. Then I got busy getting ready. I checked out of the hotel and was on the road by 8 am. It felt marvelous! But getting out of Salamanca was a nightmare. They tell you to go straight, but when you're going through twenty rondas, it's hard to keep track of what is straight. But People saw me going the wrong way and they would call out to me and point to the direction I needed to go.
I had dressed for cold weather because it had rained last night and yesterday had a very chilly wind. I stopped on the outskirts of town to have a grande café and when I used the restroom decided to take off my stretchy pants that I wore under my hiking pants. Then I got on the road again, I mean literally on the road. About a kilometer down the road I suddenly for some strange reason thought about the pants I had taken off. These are what I call my Star Trek pants because they have a silver material on the inside that is supposed to keep you cool when it's hot and warm when it's cold. Couldn't prove it by me, but I'm very fond of them. I bought them on my first Camino at a Chino Bazaar after I lost my yoga pants. Because of my fondness for them, I took off my pack and looked for them. They weren't there! Darn. I'd left my pants in the bar. It's been over thirty years since that had happened. hehehe Well, I didn't debate for long, I turned around and went back and got them. After all, they are my Star Trek pants. 
So I got back on the road again and stayed on the road for about five miles (7.2km) to Aldeaseca de Armuña. After that pueblo, I was supposed to be walking on a dirt track through fields of sunflowers. Somehow I missed the turn. I'll tell you it's not hard to do. From Salamanca to that pueblo is the most poorly marked part of the Camino so far. Finally, after another 4 miles on the road, I got to Castellanos de Villiquera. From there on it was well marked for the next three miles.
The day was sunny, but cool, with bunches of clouds on the horizon. The landscape was exquisite. There were wheat fields with the wheat waving in the breezes that rolled over the fields. There were tiny wildflowers in reds, yellows and purples dotting the canvas. Water elements appeared, but at the side of the trail, not in the middle of it and they shone dark blue reflecting the darkening sky.
I arrived in Calzada de Valdunciel about 12:30 pm along with about five other pilgrims. I had only seen two others while walking, but we all arrived in a bunch. The door to the albergue was open. There was no Hospitalero there, just one other pilgrim. I grabbed a bed and headed for the shower. After that, I washed my clothes, hung them on the line. Then I walked down to the restaurant and ate. They were nice and gave me some ice for my knee. I went back to the albergue, iced my knee and took a nap.
When I woke up, I needed to find some more ice for my knee. There isn't even a refer raptor in the albergue, never mind a freezer. So, I went exploring. I found the tienda, but they didn't have any frozen vegetables, only fish. I didn't think frozen cod would work too well, it would be more expensive, and I would probably wind up smelling a lot like fish.
Well, all the beds are full, there are eight beds. No hospitalero. He did come by to check us in but then left. So three French guys have come in who are going to sleep on the floor. Ok by me, as long as they don't block the path to the bathroom during the night. lol
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