Today was a mixed day. A long old hike, a disaster with food and then a celebration of food.
The day started well. A perfectly fine breakfast at the hotel and then out of Carmazana, and back across the Rio Tera. A beautiful blue sky and I was looking forward to that morning coffee break.
The first town was Calzadilla de Tera (naming conventions around here aren't that imaginative). I was hoping to find a shop open but, it was a Monday, and I was out of luck. No matter, it was only a few kms to the next town, Olleros de Tera. Needed to get some water and food as it was another 13 km to the next town. There was a big sign on the approach which promised an albergue open every day.
But sadly, every day doesn't include Monday. I asked a local where I could buy some water and they kindly gave me directions to the shop. Which was closed. I was a bit disconcerted by this - no food is fine, but no water is not smart and my water bottle was low.
Just then, an elderly lady came past with a big container of water. She looked at me and the peregrina who had foolishly trusted me when I had confidently said a couple of hours earlier that there were food stops ahead. I asked her if I could buy some water from her. She was charm itself and with a blackened smile graciously allowed me to fill my water bottle from her container. It was a bit late for me to realise that the water container was not some new purchase but rather some old container she used to get water from the well...or pond...or maybe the Rio Tera. Anyway, my bottle filled up with slightly green and slightly wriggly water. The peregrina, much sharper than me, smiled sweetly and declined the water. I thanked the old lady but she hadn't finished; she popped into her house and came out with a couple of kilos of grapes which she insisted on us taking. The Camino gives...
It was then a long walk around the dam at Aravanzal.
The grapes were a godsend. Then we came to a little semi-abandoned village called Villar de Farfon. And there, like a mirage, was an open albergue, called Albergue Rehoboth, I guess named after the well dug in Genesis 26 about which there was no quarrelling. It was run by a super evangelist originally from South Africa who had been called with his family to this deserted part of Spain. There was beer available and a nice chat with a guy who was just an all-out Christian.
Food was still a bit of an issue though - the Rehoboth oasis meant the thirst was gone but it was another 6km into Rionegro del Puente, And when we got there... the little bar in the square next to the albergue was closed.
However a man was standing at what seemed to be the door of a closed restaurant. He waved at us and beckoned us over. He asked if we wanted to eat - absolutely yes - and invited us in. He was the maitre d', the waiter, the cook and the entertainer. The restaurant is called "Me gusta comer" or "I like to eat" and I can see why. It was a splendid meal, superb quality, all served with smiles, laughter and panache. This was about 5 in the afternoon - we were the only guests - and our host was just amazing. The bill at the end was insultingly small.
At this stage, I had done enough walking and after that amazing meal it was time to call it a day. The charming restaurant owner called a taxi and I headed off to a small lodge next to the Valparaiso dam. I slept well.
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