Monesterio to La Fuente de Cantos

Pilgrims appear again ... on the track to La Fuente, soon after leaving the main road, Salvador, from Catalonia, walking to Caceras, having started his pilgrimage in Monesterio ... having noted an attempt to communicate in Spanish, falls into English for four hours, all the way to La Fuente ... which makes the journey pass quickly ... working a quarter of full time, at 63 easing into retirement from his administrative job, he walks the ways in instalments .... two more pass by, talking to Salvador in Spanish, though he says they are not from Spain ...

At the edge of town a hostel owner attempts a kidnap, since there are many options here and his €15 offer was not one of them ... hearing Salvador fancies the Albergue at the old convent, stresses the heating at his place ... and today is cooler at 10 degrees, though Sun stays out all day to warm us ... identifying as a Catholic, though a little lapsed, some suffering is in order, though not for this pilgrim, who, after a look at the convent, heads for the special offer with heating ... and finds a rather wonderful apartment, with garden, terrace, swimming pool, kitchen, lounge ...astute readers may have observed the bar has been raised from previous austere hostel living, though these will doubtless feature again before too long ...

After a filling late lunch (the only meal besides breakfast required or desired), back at the apartment German pilgrim couple, Annelore and Theo, have arrived ... walking to Merida before flying back to the snow ... which, according to the tv at breakfast is heavy in the north of Spain as well as other places ... unlikely here though, and today's cool 10 is set to climb back to 15 before some rain at the weekend ... let's see ...

Strolling by the church in this very pretty town, Salvador appears and offers an invitation to join his cultural tour, led by Christina. .. first the life and work of well known (though not to this philistine) native born painter Zurburan; next wonderful sculptures by local artist, relocated to Brazil, Julian Gonzales Garcia; finally the church with its totally over the top baroque fresco ... the sincere question of who dusts these things goes unanswered ... a lemon from the tree in the Zurburan garden comes free, to make tea, with honey from the pack ... plus a sweet cake from the bakery near the Zaguan apartments, which are so congenial that an option of a rest day or two sits alongside the more likely 25k morning meander to Zafra ...