Torres de Rio (Th 12 Sep)

The countryside is gradually changing.  It's becoming drier, and we're not seeing the red soil as much.  We saw fewer people on the Camino today and that felt good.  Nice to walk in isolation for a change.

Looking back towards where we started the day:

We were both drawn to this tree, spared by the farmer for some reason, and standing alone.   The Camino can be a very social time -- so many opportunities to meet new people, reconnect with people you've spent time with before.   This tree is a reminder to also spend some time in solitude, reflecting on life:

Longer paths today, fewer people, so lots of time for reflection:

 Great views of nearby mountains and monastery ridge:

Arriving in a town for a coffee break, we saw these three men at work prepping and roasting peppers:

Of course we did meet people and we walked for a half-hour or so with two young women from Israel, Nata and Yaara, who we'd seen various times, but never had much of a chat with.  

We talked about life in Israel and Canada, our respective ancestral origins, how the pioneers in both countries faced extreme hardships (cold in Canada, heat in Israel).  Neither are Jewish; both were raised in secular households.  I told them that I always wanted to visit Israel, that a University buddy and I had planned to go and work on a kibbutz as soon as we graduated.  However, just before graduation, I met this beautiful young woman, named Jan, and we've been together since. 

Nata and Yaara:

Our destination today: another small village that has 3 albergues, the first one you come to is a brand new one, front and centre on the trail, with big sign.  We stood in line behind Rosa (Korean) and Heinz (German) who were trying to understand the Spaniard's English, and turned to me for help.  Together we figured him out, but I didn't like the guy/place, so we moved on.  Number two had a large advertisement as you entered the town, showing a swimming pool, so I was dubious (not so authentic), and when we walked into their courtyard, the music was loud, the tiny pool was actually part of the bar, so we pressed on to the last chance: Casa Mari.  It was perfect.  At the edge of town, quiet, all facilities, two courtyards, everything tiled floor, walls, and clean.  

Nice siting area off our room:

View from the Albergue looking towards the church.  The church in the distance is in another town, Sansol, just 1 km away:

We'd walked so much along farmer's fields and now we'd spend the night right beside one.  Our clothesline.  If anything dropped, it would land directly onto the freshly plowed field.

Here is Mari, very nice proprietor of Casa Mari.  She left out a plate of fresh figs in the evening:

For dinner, we walked around the village in the afternoon, checked out both restaurants and settled on Cafe Lili at the bottom of the hill leading into town.  The process is you pay in advance (10 Euro in this case) so they know how much to prepare, they give you a ticket and you come back at the set time to join the meal with others.  When we returned, it looked empty.  Just one person sitting out front, and the inside was also deserted, dark and smokey smelling.  However, the bartender waved us upstairs into a completely diferent world -- clean, airy, wood trimmed dining area, tables set and packed with 30-40 pilgrims. 

At our table, I had a good chat with Daniel, a retired psychiatric social worker from Phoenix.  He got on the subject of shelters for homeless individuals.  I'd run for one for the last 3 winters, one that only opens when the wether gets extremely cold (-2 C).   His church is one of 7 churches in Phoenix who each take a day a week to feed and shelter those needing a home.  The government pays for the mats; the church covers the food.  Fifty to sixty per night, open year round.   They add extra beds during their extreme weather (110F and above).

I thought I was over my gastro-intestinal ailment, but this meal brought it on again.  Not that bad.  Just a lesson to be very careful what I eat until my system is ready for it.  And for about the third day running, Jan has been forced to consume the entire daily quota of 125g bar of chocolate (Milka brand from Germany) we buy everyday to fuel our walk.  She's lovin that.