Monesterio to Fuente de Cantos, 14 miles

Today I had decided to get an early start so I could hopefully finish by early afternoon before I started to bad. 

Had had my egg sandwich from the day before for breakfast and I actually started at 7:45 AM. Unfortunately it’s still dark at that time and I had to go slowly to make sure I didn’t miss the small Camino yellow arrows.

This time I was on the Camino with a few others and I don’t think the last one to leave. It turned out to be a benefit because I ended up the first in Fuente de Cantos and had my pick of private two bed rooms. I think the hostleras (owners/clerks) don’t know if they will fill up so the are willing to give you better rooms at a better price. 

The Camino was similar as it has been with the wide dirt and gravel road on the rolling roller coaster terrain. This again was pig country because you could smell and hear the farms before you saw them.

The temperature was in the low nineties and occasionally the wind would blow and you could feel the temperature drop, but most of the day it was hot.

I started out feel well, and for the first time since starting the Plata I felt that I had found my rhythm walking. Every prior day had be a challenge because my stomach bug, so this was a great feeling. 

I found myself catching up and passing several people, though I am not in a hurry but it is my normal pace that I found again.

The day went so well that I was actually very hungry by the time I got to Fuente de Cantos. It was the first day in almost ten that I was hungry for lunch.

As I just entered the city around noon and one of the hostelares stopped next to me in his car. He got out and showed me pictures and literature for his hostel. He asked for my name and could not pronounce it and asked if I could write it on a piece of paper. Funny, but later I found out that he caught others coming into town and told them their amigo, “Ted,” was staying at his hostel. I have got to hand it to him for being a good business man.

His hostel turned out to be absolutely a nice place to stay, almost a resort atmosphere, which isn’t really good as it spoils you for what you might find down the road.

I was the first one there and asked for a private room, and all they had were rooms with two beds. It was 13€ ($14.5), plus 2€ for breakfast. 

The place had a beautiful patio and upper patio deck. The garden was tropical and lush, with hammocks, and the surprise of all, a pool. 

I had not felt this hungry in ten days, so I headed to the super mercado to by some snacks. The old saying, “never go food shopping when your hungry,” applied to me today. I ended up with two shopping bags full of food! And, I ate most of it by the early afternoon. Good sign!

As it turned out most of the people I had seem the last few days ended up here. The main room with eight beds appeared full. It was a nice crowd from all over, mostly French and Dutch, and some Spanish, Italians, British, Australian, Belgian, and two from the USA.

A group of us went out to diner at the restaurant that was recommended as the best in town by the hostelera. It turned out to be owned by a family member. Not surprising. As it turned out it was very good and our waiter, owner, was a very nice entertaining host. Our wonderful pilgrim meal that had two courses, homemade desert, beer, wine, or water, was 8€ ($9.00). As a special treat the owner offered everyone a glass of the local acorn liqueur. 

I had a good day, from my trek to the hostel, and then topped off by a nice meal. Tomorrow the distance is a little further and will be a good short stretch to get me back into my rhythm. 

Please excuse the typos, spelling, etc., as this is done on a phone without much review. 

Best wishes,

Ted

Hitting the CVdlP early in the morning

Fuente de Cantos in the distance

You could smell them and hear them before you saw them. The pig farms.

I like seem signs, but not if it tells you it’s another 889 kilometers (552 miles)

Into the town square

Beautiful little business street with stores on each side. Our hostel is a block up.

Our hostel

Pool!

Me

Crocs by the pool! Asians are not the only ones that love them

Owner serving us our special desert 

Our walk back to the hostel 

My room