Almaden de la Plata to Monasterio

Well, you can realize from this headline that we ended in Monasterio. Departure was at six and fifteen (not like yesterday’s at five) because at first we felt that will be very difficult to get in the same day all the way to Monasterio. The path toward El Real de la Jara was all uphill and downhill over beautiful small hills. Some seven or eight of those. It might look difficult yet we walked over those without any special effort. But before those hills, still before dawn, we entered a farm and passed by the farmer’s house. Some dogs were guarding the house and we walked around that house with extreme caution. That waliking in dangerous areas consumed more of our energy then walking itself. This will happen again on this Camino.

*Hills we had to climb this morning resmebled hills around my father’s home village of Cipri – specifically the Benkich Hill in the Beram Valley. I went there many times during my childhood. Our family had vineyards, plough lands and grass meadows on it. Although being a relativetly small hill it would always take a certain effort to climb it. If someone would tell me then I would need to climb another hill like this I would consider it to heavy. This morning we had some seven or eight hills like Benkich to ascend and descend. I realized how important is to set to myself high yet achievable yet great goals!

First sunlights came out and we enjoying passing through lovely farms full of black pigs – pata negra (black paw). We actually entered their home, their enclosure, and soon after had first direct encounter. It was a little bit scary as they were there in dozens and awaiting their breakfast. As their impatiente was growing they were clashing the metal fence nearby the feeding ground. That repetitive sound that were emitting… Andrej immediately recalled – the Mad Max movie. Still, after the first step in, after we passed the gate, the atmosphere somehow became more friendly. Those pigs are probably already accustomed to Camino pilgrims.

After some time we found ourselves in the center of this small village, El Real de la Jara, at ten thirty. “Ok, we are in good time, we feel well, so we can proceed to Monasterio”.

A half hour brunch in the picturesque local tavern, Bar Los Claveles, in the middle of this old little town. It looks like time has stopped. Local people were sitting in front of the tavern in deep leisure. It was hot but the hotest time of the day was still to come. In the two floor house, just opposite to the bar, one old lady was taking a nap on the first floor balcony. Actually in the space between her room and the small balcony, half covered with a narrow tent. Thus her face was half hidden in the shadow. She was monitoring other people having brunch, as she was watching some reality ty show. Since our table was close to the window I was able to follow this whole „brunch time“ picture that seemed frozen in time. I assume a painter would admire this frame. By the time I took my camera out, she went back to her room so here we have only this scene taken by my smartphone camera.

Exactly with the church bell ringing 11 hours we finished our brunch. Our meals were poek fillets and cofee, for 4 Euros. In order to come back to the connected world I needed to buy a local SIM card for 5 Euros and I found it in a small shop just across this bar! We left this pitoresque village behind us and proceeded toward Monasterio. Just on the outskirts of the village a nice place to take a photo – ruins of an old castle Castillo Las Torres.

The same point marks the entrance to the Extremadura autonomous province. We are leaving Andalusia. At that point it didn’t cross my mind those: „extrema“ (extreme) and „dura“ (tough). What a mistake! Later, we will think about the meanings of those words many, many times… It was sunny, with little shadow but the soil was fine and we were marching in a good pace toward Monasterio.

Hot and arid strech of the way made us drink almost all the water we were carrying with us. I was keeping a bottle inside my backpack and another one attached on the outside of my backpack. The valley was still flat, and in one moment a huge and extremely tall camion encountered us and continued on the opposite side. Just few minutes later the same huge camion came back and surpassed us. A second later he stopped just few meters ahead of us with the engine still running. Damn suspense!!! I wasn’t sure about their intentions (not to say suspicious and scared). We stood there for few seconds (that might had looked for us like minutes). The powerful engine was still running and we slowly approached passenger’s window (again, which was very high up). After a short suspense, the window came down and… no one showed out for few seconds (again looked like minutes). And then, first a hand with a 1.5 liter bottle of water and then a face exposed: “Do you need water. This is for you“. He said something like that. In the first moment, we didn’t hear well and in the second, we kind of couldn’t believe it. “Yes, of course. Thank you, thank you very much”. The second miracle! So we continued our walk through this nice valley and this flat and nice terrain. It was one hour past noon already. Sunny and clear skies above and kilometers were elapsed with some ease. I thought how nice would be now after we quenched our thirs, to satisfy our hunger and… just a hundred meters after, a bush of wild blackberries appeared by the side of our road! Another miracle?! Those blackberries were so tasty and we were so grateful.

Finally we joined the N-630 national road passing nearby the weird church of San Isidro de Labrabor (Saint protector of farmers). The church looks like as an alien spider landed there?!

Anyhow, we still had some nine kilometers of distance until Monasterio and two hundred and fifty meters altitude ahead. We passed the first two kilometers somehow yet after that every step felt heavier and heavier. The path was guiding us first on the road, then across it, and then again on heavy slopes and narrow paths over sharp stones. A fig tree on this stretch offered just a temporary relief.

After this demanding uphill it got a bit easier yet we were still not into Monasterio and our last forces were fading out. Andrej’s lower legs capillaries just busted! My right Achilles’ tendon was hurting me in every step I was doing but I still was not able to figure how severely my health conditions actually deteriorated. At this point our Camino was already on the edge of endurance! In addition walking on this asphalt gravel was not helping at all. Every step toward Monasterio was a „mile long“ one.

We didn’t think about any other thing then to settle in the very first accommodation we might encounter. And there it was – Hotel Moya.

Apparently the sole employee in the hotel, the receptionist, welcomed us very kindly. One would say a typical Iberian figure, with mustaches and beard, speaking fast, gesticulating a lot and constantly smiling. He was trying to be humorous… yet we just wanted to get keys of our rooms as soon as possible and have a good rest. We will later have a nice, short talk at the dinner. Once in my room I even couldn’t go for a shower before resting for some time on my bed first! And then, when I saw that small chair in the bathroom I couldn’t but burst out laughing as I knew I will shower myself sitted on that chair. Then, when I open the hot water tap and the flow of hot water started to play some funny sounds – my laughter couldn’t find an end. My stomach muscles ended in spasms out of the passionate laughter that seemed would never end. “Pain and Laughter“. My first definition of the Camino.

After siesta we went for a short walk around the hotel yet quickly returend as this place seemed so depressive. Probably because we were to tired? So we went directly for an early dinner. Minestrone for primo was something that we really enjoyed. For the first time local ham was offered and we just had to taste it. Not bad, not bad at all. Two portions of ham were 10 Euros and two “menu del dia” were 20 Euros.

It was really hard to fall asleep as rooms were not equipped with air-conditioning. Monasterio is on a hill top and the air coming through the windows wasn’t to hot (as previous two nights) yet refreshment was not to be found in it. Once again I had just few hours of sleep.

Our odyssey in Extremadura begins…