16. Day 14 to Salamanca

The day started very early today. My roommate returned from his coffee outing around 11 PM yesterday. He is taking a rest day today because his legs hurt. Around 1 AM, I briefly heard him while he was in the bathroom. But he tried to be quiet. I woke up at 4:40 and immediately grabbed my things. I've gotten used to this in vacation: getting up right after the alarm and not lying in bed any longer. I hope to keep this up after the vacation.

I then went into the kitchen, changed, and treated myself to coffee and cookies for breakfast. I packed a chocolate croissant for the road. The hostel owners said I could take whatever I wanted. Such an albergue is really something special, and they even offered to pick us up and help if a river flooded. I rested briefly and set out around 5 AM. That’s why I started so early, as 50 kilometers were planned for the day. I quickly left the village and took the country road, which is rarely used for this village, and I believe, for others as well. It was only today that I noticed how many stars are in the sky. It’s really beautiful. For a while, they were visible, but as I later entered the woods, I had to focus on not getting lost or tripping, since the trail often went over fields with large rocks. And it was still pitch dark. I must have scared a few birds, who then startled me as they flew off in a panic. I also probably scared a few other animals in the forest, but I couldn't see what they were. It’s a bit eerie to be walking on meadow paths at 5 in the morning. It was also very foggy, and then I went uphill. There were many leaves on the ground, and I had to be careful not to slip. It was slowly getting light, but the path was poorly marked. I believe that without my app, I would have definitely gotten lost since the path mostly ran over fields and meadows. When I saw a road in the distance, I hoped that it would lead further, as my shoes were nice and damp from the grass, and it would be a nice change not to have to watch my steps so closely. And yes, I continued along the road. What I didn’t know was that I would now stay on this road for over 3 hours. After a while, the sun rose. It’s a pity that I never or rarely take the time in my daily life to watch or enjoy the sunrise or sunset. I definitely need to incorporate that more into my routine. Fortunately, the road was not very busy. Every 15 minutes, a car would pass by. Oh, it was also unusually cold this morning. I was glad I put on a long shirt at the accommodation, or I would have really frozen. I think it was about 7 or 8 degrees. I'm also considering whether I should put on my long pants again. I was quite cold on my legs and, if needed, I can always roll them up. Moreover, it was extremely windy all day. I had some animal support along the way and was stared at quite a bit. I sometimes wonder what cows or cattle think or if they even think complexly. I didn’t meet anyone all day long. I could have turned left to a village, but there was really nothing there except for a hostel I didn't want to stay in, so I continued straight and arrived at the next village, called Morille, after 4 kilometers. There isn't much here either, just a few bars and two hostels, but the town felt deserted, though I saw two cars drive by. Shortly before the end, I spotted a nice bench that I had chosen for my break. Shoes off, socks too. A little snack and then a relaxed lie down. That’s usually how my breaks go. I need to make sure not to take too long breaks because it’s hard to get going again afterwards, depending on how long the break is. So I set off again and continued over pebble roads and field paths. I still had 20 kilometers ahead of me, but in the distance, Salamanca was already visible, yet it is always a bit tiring every time because my mind thinks, 'Cool. I see Salamanca, so we must be there soon.' Then I automatically walk slower, but I ended up needing over 4 more hours for the journey. I climbed a small hill where there is a cross at the top. After that, it went quickly, and before I knew it, I was already passing through the first residential area of Salamanca. However, because it is such a large city, it still took almost another hour to reach the city center. In the park, I encountered a dog that barked at me aggressively. The owner said it would not harm me but couldn’t catch it. I have never seen a more poorly trained dog than this one. The man then ran away, hoping the dog would follow him, but it did not. It stayed with me for about 5 minutes. I stopped a few times, but he couldn't catch his dog, so I continued on. Fortunately, it finally returned to its owner. I crossed two bridges and then saw the grand cathedral. The entire city has impressive architecture, and I believe I could definitely visit this place again. I then looked around a bit and took a few photos. After that, I went to a supermarket and then to my accommodation. I booked a hotel room for €28 which was all clean and hygienic. And the best part: the water pressure in the shower was so extreme that I felt completely refreshed afterward. I then enjoyed my grocery haul and can say that hummus with warm bread or baguette is the best combination. I was considering going out briefly, but I have to make use of my hotel room. I turned up the heating and felt comfortable in the double bed. I reviewed the next routes and days, but due to the weather, I can’t plan too precisely, but that’s not too tragic, as I will be staying in hostels again in the coming days where I cannot make reservations. So I can flexibly decide if I want to walk more or simply stay in the village. I will go to bed early tonight as the day was exhausting, and despite the 50 kilometers, I’m very pleased that I have no physical ailments. Let’s keep it going. With that said, I’ll check in tomorrow.