The Meseta Continues

Once again, the day started in the dark of night. Very glad I brought my headlamp, and didn't listen to the people who said it was fine without one! Walking before dawn is tough, as even with a headlamp it can be difficult to avoid the rocks in the trail, but the upside is getting to see the stars. I haven't seen this many stars this many days in a row for a long time, maybe not since doing star parties as a kid.

Early in the morning we passed a ruined church that has been converted into an albergue. The place was absolutely gorgeous, and were I ever to walk the Camino Frances again I would certainly try to stay here. Beyond that was a town with a historic church which charged a Euro to enter, I believe in an attempt to fund its restoration. I went in, and even though it was a brief visit it was quite pretty, and had some impressively intricate woodcarvings.

After that, it was back to the Meseta.

You get the idea.

Eventually I made it to my albergue for the night, a place in a small town a few kilometers outside of the larger town that's the normal stopping point. There was not much to do until dinner, and I questioned if I'd made the right choice stopping rather than pushing on, until my friends who had pushed on informed us that the larger town was "creepy", and my ankle began to hurt.

I mostly sat around for the rest of the day, reading a bit and talking to people, and dipping my feet in the pool next door. Then it was dinner, followed by a long after-dinner conversation with some folks about what brought us on the Camino, and then bed. We'll see what tomorrow brings! ...Probably more Meseta.

Also our albergue had this statue of Saturn Devouring His Son, which was a very unexpected choice of decor.