Morille to Calzada de Valdunciel (23.06 miles)


Today was a different and tough day as I again went further than I had wanted to go. 

I left this morning at 7:45 AM and it was still dark and cold at about 46 degrees. I think the temperature has started to change both because it is further north and also it’s the time of year that it starts to get colder. 

I zipped on my long pant legs, wore a long sleeve t-shirt under my regular shirt, and I put on light wool gloves. I figured it would get warm fairly early and I would be taking things off, but it wasn’t until after eleven that I finally took of the t-shirt. I never zipped off my pant legs. The temperature never got above 75 degrees and there was a slight breeze all day long. 

The Camino out of Morille was steep and rolling hills, with a lot of rocky surface areas, which made it challenging most of the morning. 

I got to within a few miles of Salamanca and the road became smoother, which made it easier to pull the Wheelie. I had followed the yellow arrows on a nice wide dirt road when a bicyclist stopped to say hello. He told me he had done several Caminos on his bike, but the reason he had stopped was to tell me I was going the longer way. Apparently there are two ways to go, but the owner’s of the alberque paint additional yellow arrows this way to attract customers. 

I turned around and went back almost a half mile thinking I had made a mistake listening to the bicyclist. When I turned onto the other road it went steeply uphill and I really started regretting my decision. However, once I got to the top, where there was a cross overlooking Salamanca, I could clearly see that it was a much shorter and direct Camino. 

From a distance I could see the Salamanca Cathedral and it looked impressive and for a flash I had the thought of staying here for the night. Once I got into town, I immediately remembered why I had wanted to pass through. The Camino markings are impossible and frustrating to find and follow in the bigger towns. Once in town I was immediately lost and could not find any Camino markings, so I just started heading towards the cathedral as it towers over all the buildings. 

Once I had crossed the old medieval stone bridge I stopped and must have looked desperate because a bicyclist standing next to me just pointed up the steep road and told me to follow it to the square. Sure enough it took me to the square and cathedral, and the thousands of people walking around there. It is Sunday and in Spain the city square is the place for the locals and tourists to be. 

I have to say the square and cathedral are very beautiful and I couldn’t help but stop and look at the sights. It was after noon and I figured it was early enough to look around and still have time to continue on out of Salamanca. I ran into another pilgrim from Italy that I had met earlier and he gave me directions to the Camino from his guide book. He was catching a bus and heading to Zamora, the next big town three days away.

Walking through blocks and blocks of thousands of people is a challenge with the Wheelie. I definitely wasn’t invisible as I constantly got comments and stares because of the Wheelie. 

By the time I had worked my way out of the busy area I felt lost again. My look of desperation must have been obvious because a woman crossing the street with me grabbed my arm and pointed straight and said, “Camino!” As much as I sometimes feel the big cities are a rat race, I realize there are nice people everywhere.

Once out of Salamanca I found the Camino on the main road out of town. Once it passed the major freeway the traffic literally disappeared. I just stayed on the shoulder as the Camino ran parallel to the old frontage road.

I went about nine miles to the town of Calzada de Valdunciel because my guide book showed it had an alberque and hotel. I passed the hotel first and stopped to looked at a room but I wasn’t real happy with it. I didn’t get the warm fuzzy feeling that I usually get at alberque type places. I think this is more of a highway stop.  

I then went to the alberque but it was closed and asked several people where to get the key? My guide book notes that the key is in the library but it’s closed on Sunday. No one seemed to know where I could get a key and it was already after five by then. I walked around a little lost and I just decided to go back to the hotel. 

When I was checking in to the hotel I ran into the Japanese man, Mikio, who I had shared the alberque with last night. He had gotten here earlier and had passed me in the morning. Sometimes when I think I am in halfway condition, I have a sixty-nine year old person blow by me on the Camino. He is very fit looking and doesn’t have an obvious gray hair on his head. I hate those kinds of people (joking of course). 

I am glade I am here tonight as I feel I need a good night’s restful sleep. Today started off a little slow for me as I didn’t seem to have any energy this morning. I was so tired when I got to Salamanca that I had considered staying there, but once I started walking through, I got a little more energy. Walking the Camino at times can be like a roller coaster, with both my energy level and emotions going up and down different times of the day. I know it’s normal and usually walk through it. 

Tomorrow should be a good day as the temperature is suppose to be cool again. It will be another new day and I look forward to what it will bring.

Best wishes,

Ted

Leaving at sunrise

Me and my shadow on the Camino in the morning

Some of the difficult grass to walk through with the Wheelie

Approaching Salamanca 

Look quick! Arrow on a tree in Salamanca. See how you can miss it!

Medieval bridge to cathedral 

Cathedral 

Back of cathedral 

Cathedral 

Plaza

Plaza

Cathedral 

Little church in small village

Hostal El Poza. My home for the night. Not my favorite.

Another smaller cathedral in Salamanca