On the menu was Paella, Mixed Salad and Lemon Mousse. That’s what they put on every day.
Dinner was a very convivial affair. I sat next to Joy, a liberated and assertive Korean girl who has worked in Melbourne for 10 years as a pastry chef, resisting her parents attempts to get her to come home.
I also met a lovely Hungarian girl who spoke many languages. She had just come from doing a language course in Italy, where most of her classmates were young Russian men escaped from Putin’s conscription. She was travelling on a budget, looking for “donativo” Albergues. El Alfar is not such a place and was already full when she arrived, but they let her sleep on the sofa. What a kind thought!
I managed to get some sleep. People went to bed at 9.30 pm when it came dark, but of course they woke up at 5.45 am, well before the crack of dawn, shining their headlamps and rustling their bags as is the tradition. I waited till most of them had gone so that I could have a bit of space to sort myself out. Breakfast was DIY from a selection of goodies left by the owners who don’t stay on the premises overnight. I have decided that it’s best to eat a modest breakfast before a morning’s walking on the Camino and to indulge later in the day.
I set off at 7.30 am. Most people were interested in avoiding the heat. I was overtaken by just about everyone as I go at a really slow pace these days. Eventually I was joined by a very friendly French woman, Katherine, from the Champagne region. She wanted to walk with me for a while, maybe to practise her English. She told me how champagne production is carefully controlled. Growers can only produce a certain amount ever year and have to waste their excess grapes. Oh well, I never buy French champagne. We make perfectly good Australian Sparkling at a fraction of the price!
My halfway spot on today’s walk was San Bol. This is a tiny Albergue in the middle of nowhere, just off the trail so few people go there. This was my second visit. No-one was there but the door was unlocked. I imagine the Hospitalero had gone shopping. I went inside for a sit down and a rest, and also used their toilet. There is nowhere to “go” out on the Meseta!
There are only 10 beds and pilgrims write glowing reports in the Visitors Book.
Then it was time to carry on towards Hontanas:
I couldn’t check-in till 1.0 pm, so I enjoyed a shandy and a cheese sandwich while I was waiting. This is my home for the night: Santa Brigida. It’s the first place you see on entering Hontanas, a brand new place with dormitory beds and private rooms:
I noticed the white van parked outside. It was Jacotrans, delivering backpacks (including mine). When it drove away in the narrow lane it was obliged to reverse some distance to allow the yellow Correos van to get by.
Another day accomplished!
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