A Change In Delicate Direction
Well I woke up earlier than I needed to this morning? But the sun was up. In the Casa Rural there was a coffee pot and coffee, old school American style. So I filled the carafe with water, poured it in the well in the coffee maker, scooped some coffee in the basket and pushed the button. It was nostalgia. And the coffee was yummy. Sat and reflected on the journey so far and the one to come. It is all one journey. It is life. Grateful I get to experience it with all it's ups and downs, shifts and changes. I have to say this morning, yesterday didn't seem so terrible any longer.
I lingered over my coffee and then got up and started getting ready. Last night I saw everyone who had walked from Zamora to here today. Four others were staying at the other Casa Rural. So the only ones who chose to go on were Linda and Claud. I was a little worried for them. I hope they made it to the next pueblo and found a place to sleep and a way to get rid of the bed bugs. Late this evening right before dark, so about 9pm, the French hipster and the older man showed up. I found the owner of the Casa Rural and he found them beds.
There was a tv in the kitchen sitting room, so last night I turned it on to see if it would show the big futból match tonight. The two major Spanish rivals, Real Madrid and Atlético are playing for the Spanish title. It's kind of like the World Series or Super Bowl. It's also kind of like the Yankees and the Red Sox. Real means royal in Spanish. Atlética is more the team of the working people. I know those are simplistic concepts, so I hope no one gets their panties in a twist. No such luck on seeing the game at the Cada Rural. It's a channel you have to pay for. Apparently the only place in town to watch it is the bar on the plaza. That bar is about as big as my dining room. So I don't know if I want to watch the game that badly. There will be a festa in the plaza as well. They have installed a traveling electric bumper car ride for the kids. The fun probably will start about 9pm, about my bed time.
There are some kids in this pueblo and parental units. But the old folks are by far the majority of the population. This is true of many of the pueblos I've been in. I think the young have left the pueblos for the larger towns and cities. Th reasons for leaving are probably as varied as they are similar; the economy, jobs, education, night life, etc.
I had a little dilemma this morning. The information I got about a bus tomorrow, Sunday in Spain, ran the gamut from there will be no buses, it's Sunday to there will only be one at 7:15pm. I was told three or four different times for a morning bus; 8:55am, 9:15am, 9:30am and 9:40am. So I got my stuff together and headed to the bus stop about half a block from the Casa Rural at 8:50am. As the terrors and frustration of yesterday had slipped into a misty dim memory, I thought I could just continue walking this morning. If there was no bus, plan B was to either stay in Montamarta another night or continue walking. I think walking would have won out. I had ruled out hitch hiking this time, though it turned out fine last year. While standing waiting for a bus that might never come I was occasionally tempted to stick out my thumb. 
I had decided that if the bus came, I was meant to go to Zamora. If it didn't come, I was meant to continue walking. My god takes many forms, even a Spanish autobus. lol While waiting for the bus my friend Trish kept me company in a Facebook message conversation. And, eventually the bus came at 9:45am. I put my pack in the luggage compartment under the bus, hopped on board, and paid my fare.. The fare was a whopping 1.45€. As the bus rolled along the highway I looked out the window at the green rolling hills and thought, "It wasn't that bad, why did I stop?" Then I saw the construction and the big high future overpasses, and the narrow place to walk on the side of the highway while big buses, like the one I was on swept by me. And I remembered the walking part if this adventure was going to end in five days anyway, so get over it. Iade a reservation for that night at the Parador while on the bus.
We got to Zamora and the bus and train stations were both dead. So I decided I would have to gather in go tomorrow. It took about 20 minutes to walk from the bus and train station to the old part of town. I stopped at my favorite little cafe panadería and had croissant a la plancha and café. Then I went and checked in at the Parador.
The hotel is lovely. It is a former palace with a central courtyard, old squeaky wooden floors, and a gentle view of the river and green hillside. The room is spacious and very comfy. Everything must have been comfy because I didn't leave the hotel all day. I had a luxurious long hot shower. They even had conditioner for my hair. It made my hair happy. And big fluffy towels. I washed some clothes and took a wonderful nap. After the nap I went down to the poolside terrace café and had some croquettes, pastries and a diet coke. Then I had a very nice FaceTime chat with hubby.
After I talked to the love of my life, I spent some time on the internet researching possible destinations. I also decided to spend another night in this comfy place. I'll go to the train and bus stations tomorrow and work out how to get to where I want to go. Meanwhile, the Dodgers were playing an early game in Philadelphia, so at 7pm here, I got my AtBat app going and watched Josh Beckett pitch a "No Hitter." I couldn't have done that with no wifi in the pueblo. This tells me that everything is exactly the way it supposed to be and I am exactly where I am supposed to be, when I'm supposed to be there.
Now it's time for bed.
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