Total ascent today = 951.5 feet
Cumulative distance = 134.3 miles
We met Joe at breakfast. He's from Dublin. After commiserating over all the noise last night we exchanged a few stories of our prior work life. Turns out we have something in common. He was a controller for the Irish post office, retired a few years ago, and now does consulting for various companies.
We briefly separated as we gathered our gear, purchased water for the day and started on our way. As Dave and I passed by the monastery,
We met Joe again and spent a great day together.
We had a brief stop in the town of Azofra for a cool beverage and a snack in case our afternoon lunch plans fell through (conflicting info in our 3 guides).
The cement structure to the right is part of an irrigation system. We saw them in the fields from time to time.
The rest of the morning was much the same. However, the time seemed to almost fly by with the addition of Joe into mix. He had many stories, among others, of auditing a NGO in Uganda where he and his wife, a nurse, spent a year helping HIV infected children. (Lots of graft). His wife wasn't on the trip because she's had a hip replacement
About midday the lack of shade began to get us. Both Dave and Joe had a sunburn on the back of their legs even though a liberal application of sunscreen was made before setting out. We were all pretty glad when we finally got to the top of the hill and Ciruena came into view.
There was some questions as to whether we'd find a cafe or not because the guides described Cirunia as a ghost town. But it's not quite that deserted. It's a golf community development that fell victim to the financial collapse in 2008 Most of the finished homes never sold and there are several unfinished buildings in the development.
But fortunately for us, the golf club was open for business complete with a tapas bar. Tapas and soda, and we were on our way somewhat refreshed.
Chirunia did have a couple pilgrim sculptures
The way was well marked in the morning. Although we didn't particularly like the constant reminders how far we had to go.
But on the afternoon we occasional had to wonder if it truly was the right way to go.
We were reassured when the traditional painted yellow arrow soon showed up.
After a couple hours walking through the shadeless fields,
Santo Domingo de la Calzada came into sight.
That made us very happy. Still it took another hour to walk through the industrial area into the old town. There we left Joe at his three star hotel, while we headed off the find the nuns and the Hospederia Cistercience, our accommodation for the night.
Since it was Sunday evening, almost everything was closed when I went out to explore. So I only a few pictures of the cathedral and town hall.
And what's left of the defensive walls.
Perhaps it was a good thing that things were closed down for Sunday evening -- after the previous evening, you were due for some quiet. The sign showed 580 to go .. I remember the first one that marked 790. You have made progress. :-)
ReplyDelete