12. Tag 10 nach Cañaveral

I woke up on time, 5 minutes before the alarm, so as not to disturb the other person in the room. Then I quietly took my things outside, packed everything, and got dressed. After that, I went to the kitchen, ate my peppers quickly, had a protein shake, and then left around 6:15. The route led out of the city and then onto a highway. At first, I could walk comfortably on a bike lane, but from the next roundabout, I simply walked on the edge, and I must say I felt a bit insecure there. On one hand, it was still dark since it was early, and on the other hand, cars, especially trucks, drove by just 5 centimeters away from me. I was really glad when I could finally turn into a side road and then onto a forest path. Although this is indeed the official Camino de Santiago, and there are signs indicating it, people still seem to drive by at 100 km/h. Well, I survived it. It was a total of nearly 11 kilometers along this path. Initially close to the highway and then somewhat secluded. Then I arrived in Cæsar de Cáceres, where the best stinky cheese in the world is said to be. Unfortunately, everything was still closed, and the place looked quite deserted. Almost every other building had a 'Se vende' sign on it, which means 'For Sale' in English. Then we left the place again. And now I walked a very beautiful but also long stage. It led to the Tajo Reservoir. This stage is 23 kilometers long and passes only through forests, fields, and finally over hills to the reservoir. I must say, it's definitely one of the highlights of this Camino. The sun peeked through, and it was somewhat strenuous because it went uphill as well. But the view and the animals were really magnificent. I met a donkey that came right up to me and let me pet it. I would have liked to take it with me, but unfortunately, it was fenced in, so it probably belonged to someone. The landscape with the animals was so beautiful to look at. Then, after climbing over stones next to the road for 4 kilometers, I finally saw the reservoir. I really liked this part. There were also some benches for resting. I saw a pair of shoes that still looked good, but unfortunately, they were too small. Then we crossed two bridges, and from then on, it was along the road again. Fortunately, the road wasn't too busy, although toward the end, I encountered more than 30 motorcycles from the local police, the Guardia Civil, coming my way. Even after walking so many kilometers, I didn’t feel the need to take a break, and I was concerned about slowing down afterward. Then we went off the road and up a hill. When I reached the top, there was a small hut with a bench, and since I hadn’t taken a break yet and still had 10 kilometers ahead of me, I decided to take a break. That turned out to be a very good decision. And the breaks should not be underestimated.

After that, we continued, of course, a bit slower at first to get back into rhythm. But the path was again nice to look at. In the distance, I could already see the destination, but it was still far away, and it actually took me another 2 hours from here. Because after a while, I first had to go down the hill I had climbed up. When I reached the bottom, my left calf started to cramp. I hope that doesn’t persist. I arrived exhausted at the accommodation, where the owner was not there, but a pilgrim named Nef, a cool guy originally from England but now living in Prague. I chatted with him, and he had worked as a volunteer hostel owner for a month at the Albergue Casa de Reloj, where I stayed on the third day. What a coincidence. He also knew the owner I had spoken with. I could also imagine working voluntarily in a hostel. You get to meet a lot of people, and Nef said that most are nice, but of course, there are also jerks who steal or break things. Finally, a positive pilgrim experience. He still has time until December 16th. He also mentioned that it depends on when you start your Camino how many other pilgrims you meet along the way. After the shower, we talked a bit more, and I explored the place, mostly just looking for something to eat. But one store was closed today, another seems to have closed for good, and the last one was open, but the selection was very poor, and you could definitely knock someone out with the baguette. I got something to drink and a sweet treat, and then returned home because there wasn’t much in the town. The 3 cafés and restaurants don’t open until 8 PM. Once back at the accommodation, I first wrote the blog and then planned the next days. As it looks, I won't be able to walk the entire way to Santiago, but that’s okay. I will finish the rest next year. I plan to get to Ourense and then take 2 buses to Porto, where my return flight is. But I’ll see how it goes. Today’s 46 kilometers were already quite a challenge. Tomorrow I have a distance of about 40 kilometers. Just now, two more cycling pilgrims arrived. It’s a 6-bed room, and now we are four. The accommodation is simple but really clean, and the bed is comfortable. Let’s see if I can sleep, as Nef already warned me that he snores. I will report tomorrow whether I managed to get any sleep.

PS: I will add photos later. Somehow, the internet is too slow.