Plasencia

I have been through a lot of little villages since I last wrote. The weather has been very hot, making it necessary to travel early in the day, and I understand the tradition of siestas. Though now it has turned and become cool and rainy again.

It is bullfighting week here in Spain, so it is on TV at all the bars. Bars here are usually crowded and noisy and smoky, filled with men who are talking and laughing. But during the bullfights they are silent with the suspense, and then break out into cheers when the torreador is successful.

One night I found an albergue in the middle of nowhere ... nothing to do there, nowhere to go. It was exactly what I needed. The hospitalero heated up frozen pizzas for us. I shared the place with three English pilgrims with whom I've been traveling for several days.

The scenery has been beautiful, rolling hills, big boulders, lots of green ... the sound of bells on the cattle and the sheep is a constant companion. Many birds and butterflies as well ... and lines of ants and salamanders crossing the road.

A couple of nights ago there were 7 peregrinos at the albergue and we all ate together at the restaurant next door. We were under the impression that the meal would be salad and pasta, but the owner-cook-server had her own ideas. She brought salad to some of us, pasta to others. One pilgrim was only joining us for wine, but she brought him tortilla (a wonderful dish made with eggs and potatoes). We had no idea how she decided who would get what, but we were laughing so hard it was difficult to eat.

When we finished the first course, she brought out tortilla to some pilgrims, and slabs of pork and fries to others. We waited to see what would be next. Then for dessert, she insisted that we eat her homemade custard, for the other choices were all 'industrial'. None of us dared to ask for anything different. Then a round of liqueurs ... she chose those for us too. I would have liked the local specialty made from acorns, but was served an herbed orujo instead. An interesting evening all around. And in the morning she came downstairs with curlers in her hair to serve us our breakfast.

Today I am at a little village just off the Camino, suggested as a good detour point, and in the rain, it seemed as good a place to spend the day as any. There is little information available about what is open on the next section of the Camino ... this all changes daily, so I am interested to see where I shall go next.