Merida to Alcuescar, 22.70 miles (37 k)

How, what a day today. I started at 8:00 AM because it wanted to be able to see the directional arrows, especially in a big town like Merida where the streets run crisscross. Spain has traffic circles everywhere and it is sometime impossible to figure which way the arrows are pointing in a traffic circle intersection. Sometimes more that four streets intersect, making it even more confusing. Well, as it turns out, I took the wrong street at a traffic circle, so I have given myself the name, “Wrong Way Ted.” I realized that I had not seem more arrows so I went back to the traffic circle. I had to really look in what direction that line arrow was actually pointing and then noticed another on a pole further away.

It was still slightly dark and when I passed the ruins of the old Roman aqueduct it looked mystical. Merida was a big center for the Roman Empire and there are ruins everywhere in the city. Many of the existing bridges were built hundreds of years ago and are still in use today. 

The Camino started off on the highway and then onto a bicycle pedestrian path for several miles. Then it followed the curved bank of the reservoir, Presa romana de Prosepina. A circular path around the reservoir would have saved a lot of distance but the Camino definitely is not designed for the shortest route. After the reservo it moved onto a one lane asphalt road for a mile, and then onto a dirt path. 

At this point the terrain was uphill, rutted, rocky and very sandy surface. The sufaces made pulling the Wheelue difficult as wheels sink into the soft sand. This went on for several miles and I’d built up a pretty good sweat. The weather didn’t help because it was already 87 degrees by 10:00. 

I made it to the small town of El Carrascalejo, which was only about seven miles. It looked to be a village of a few hundred people, but it had the typical big beautiful stone church. It also had a nice looking municiple albergue. 

I got to next town, Albumen, about noon. It was a much bigger town and it has two albergues. However, it is only ten miles from Merida and I felt it was still to early to stop, but the next town was another 13 miles. 

The temperature had hit 90 degrees and I knew it would get warmer. I felt good, but how would I feel in the heat after a few hours, and this part of the Camino is uphill all the way to Alcuescar. If I encountered the same rough terrain and surface, it would be a big challenge. 

I decided to go and the Camino moved onto the shoulder of the frontage road for about a half mile before turning back onto the dirt trail. It had been so much easier on the road I just continued on it. It turned out to be a fairly good decision as the shoulder was four feet wide and there was so little traffic that I only saw one or two cars every five to ten minutes. 

The road did start to climb steadily from just outside Aljucen all the way to the turnoff for Alcuescar. At first it wasn’t bad but when the temperature it 98 degrees I began to slow a bit. I brought three liters of agua con gas (carbonate water), one liter of orange juice, and one liter of ice tea. I mix the orange juice with the water as it has a good thirst quenching flavor, plus a little energy. Drinking that much plain water, especially when the water gets warm, doesn’t set well with me after a while. 

I stopped every half hour or so and made the mix of carbonated water and juice in a twenty oz bottle and made sure I drank it all. I usually made it a point to find shade and at times it wasn’t possibly to find. Going such long distance are challenging anyway, but this kind of heat amplifies it so much more. 

The scenery was a nice change today, looking a lot like western Arixona of even New Mexico, with the low trees and brush and the red soil. I like the change from all the vineyards and dry open fields.

When I finally made it to the turnoff for Alcuescar, I was happy, especially since it was mostly downhill.

I was a little concerned because it looked like I was coming in to the outer edge of town and I might miss the Camino, and the albergues or hotels catering to the pilgrims. Just as I came into town I stopped and asked a man about an albergue, and he pointed to behind me. Wow, I was right at one! And as it turns out, it’s the only one in town. The other place is a hotel, and because there’s a carnival in town this weekend, everything is full.

The albergue is in a Catholic monastery and on the third floor. There is also a care facility for 65 mentally and physically disabled poor people in a separate building. 

The albergue is run by volunteers and that stay for two weeks. The cost to stay is a donation. The meal is included and is communal and very simple. There were only two other pilgrims. One was the Frenchman, Juan, who I had stayed with at two other albergues. He was also the guy who had whistled me to the right directions on my second day on the Camino. 

I was greeted very warmly by the first day on the job host, Karen, from Colorado. She offered to carry my backpack and another helper took the Wheelie to storage. The albergue is on the third floor and there are only stairs. 

There was also an optional short 20 minute blessing and mass for the pilgrims in the separate building that houses the disabled persons. I was told that the caretakers are very low paid and some people volunteer helping here. 

I found myself going to the building housing the disabled after I had washed my clothes I sat outside and said hello to some of the people sitting outside in their chairs or wheel chairs. Many are suffering from dementia, and having been a volunteer myself for the Alzheimer’s Association for many years, and having cared for my mother who had dementia, I was reminded that it’s horrible disease no matter where you live, but we in the USA are blessed after seeing the facility here. They are obviously taken care of by loving and caring people but it’s sad to see what they lack because of money. 

I sat with a man for a while, and he didn’t understand me but I could see he was happy to have someone talk to him. I have to admit that it was hard for me to stay there without getting emotional. 

I went into town to buy some groceries for tomorrow and had to walk my way through all the amusement rides being set up for the festival. We in the states take our big amusement parks like Disneyland for granted, but seeing the excitement in the kids eyes at the simple rides being setup was priceless. 

After the pilgrims service I waked through the hallway and stopped to glance into one of their community rooms. There were about twenty or thirty old men watching an American movie. They all seemed well dressed and cared for but I found myself putting on my sunglasses because I was more than just getting teary eyed. I pictured everyone of them as young kids, probably the pride of loving parent. Many of them probably have kids of their own. It reminded me how blessed I am to be able to walk the Camino.

I had a nice diner with the outgoing host from Spain, and the new one from Breckenridge, Colorado, and of course Juan. The third one was a bicyclist from Spain that had kindly stopped earlier in the today to ask if I was alright as I was sitting on a guard rail having a drink in the shade. Nice company!

I am laying in my bed on the third floor with the window open at my head. I am in a two bed room, by myself. The carnival is across the street, several hundred yards away, and the contemporary Spanish music is so loud that it seems like the speakers are in my room. I wish I could go see it but the doors are locked at nine and lights out at ten, and it’s 11:30. So, I am enjoying the music and picturing the crowd at the carnival. Today turned out to be one of those days that reminds me how I am blessed to be here.

Best wishes,

Ted

The Roman aqueduct ruins as I was leaving Merida 

Beautiful sight early in the morning

The reservoir 

The reservoir 

Camino with the ruts and soft sand

Big church in the tinny village of El Carrascalejo

The Shepard, his sheep dog, and his flock

Walking on the shoulder of the frontage road

The entrance to the monastery 

The main monastery building that also houses the albergue
The care facility and some of the residents 
The view from my room
 

My sparse monk’s room