Alcuescar – Valdesalor
What a difference from yesterday's rainy evening. It seems that sometimes, without knowing the reason, you get a reward for nasty misfortunes, like on this glorious morning.
You might think that the pictures were painted and presented by an artist, entirely for our pleasure, maybe by yesterday's cursed weather god, who probably wants to make up some points. Are there any more beautiful, impressive pictures than those orange-tinted cloud streaks, behind which the sun carefully pokes its head out casting strange shadows on the ground?
Oh dear, a real pilgrim might probably exclaim at this wonderful sunrise.
Cows and birds and other animals
Like every morning, usually later than everyone else, I pack up my things and set off. And what always amazes me is that I feel fit, rested and ready for many more kilometers along barren landscapes or, more rarely, fertile regions where life flourishes in all its facets.
Just like today. It will never get better.
The stage from Alcuéscar to Valdesalor is long but quite flat and runs through a nature sanctuary. In terms of animal attractions, there is a lot to marvel at.
Sometimes all it takes is a cow to eye our presence suspiciously. And there, a huge bird's nest on a pole, as if it were not intended for the transmission of electrical or telephonic information but solely for the well-being of a pair of birds.
An old Roman bridge crosses the Rio Ayuela, behind it a village on a hill. It might be Casas de Don Antonio, just right for a coffee stop. And who knows, maybe we'll meet someone who can tell us more about this strange name.
Casas de Don Antonio
We have no idea who this Don Antonio might have been, but in any case he seems to have played some important role in the village of the same name.He might have been a rich landowner, with large estates, houses and agricultural dependents.
How could the village be anything but deserted and dead quiet as we stroll through the alleyways in search of an open restaurant? Where are the 182 inhabitants who, according to the travel guide, live here?
For once, however, the silence couldn't be the result of a sleepy siesta, because it's only half past nine o'clock.
It is highly questionable whether there is anyone in the very modern restaurant, offering everything our hearts desire at this early hour, who might be able to help us with the name of the place. And so we make do with coffee and bread rolls and let the strange name remain a well-kept secret.
At the exit of the village, the remains of an old mill await us, lovingly cared for and preserved for posterity.
Miliarios and old bridges
The old Roman milestones, the so-called Miliarios, are frequently encountered, although not as exceptional as the one we come across shortly after Don Antonio.
It contains a kind of mailbox in which the legionnaires placed their letters, which were then probably brought to the next post office by authorized Roman postmen. The hinges of the flap, which can still be clearly seen, protected the letters from rain and wind.
And again and again, like phantoms from ancient times, the remains of Roman bridges, lying somewhere in the landscape, seemingly of no apparent use, far away from today's traffic routes. It makes you sad. They were created for eternity and are now merely enjoyed by occasional visitors with their cameras out.
Valdesalor
For once, the destination of Valdesalor is not a settlement dating back to Roman times. The village was founded as a settlement in 1965 and now serves as a residential area for Spaniards working in Caceres.
While Lin and Frank head to the neat hostel on the outskirts of the village, I have to cross the entire place to find my most expensive accommodation yet. Not surprisingly, it turns out to be completely deserted, which confirms my suspicion that the overpriced hotel mainly accommodates business travelers.
At least I find, firstly, a good shop to replenish my dwindling supplies, and secondly, the Bar Salor, where we have a pretty opulent dinner for three together. And what can I say about sleeping in extremely luxurious surroundings? Sleep corresponds to the environment. Very luxurious.
But the glowing evening sky is a fitting ending before the tired hiker hides under the expensive blanket.
But tomorrow Caceres – another highlight!
Valdesalor – Caceres
The stage from Valdesalor to Cáceres is a short and easy stage of just under 14 km and follows an old cattle drive that connects Seville with Astorga.
Even though the trail seems short and easy, I'm nevertheless standing in front of Bar Salor at seven o'clock sharp, which according to reliable information should be open at exactly this time. But it's not, and so I find myself standing under a tree, a little embarrassed, while above me a flock of birds express their displeasure at the early disturbance.
But the Spanish idea of punctuality sometimes differs from the Central European one, which can lead to upsets and misunderstandings.
Not this morning, because a gentleman with rather sleepy eyes and a grumpy face eventually emerges from the darkness, grumbles something into his non-existent beard and opens the bar. Everything else is as expected. Café grande con Leche y Tostada and another café, as my buddies are running late.
Then we set off for the last few kilometers to the next important stage town – Caceres.
Landscape with sheep
As usual, Frank has refueled this morning leaving us slower hikers far behind. Who might have known at this point that this was going to be our last stage together? And so Zhilin and I take it easy, with lots of breaks and long conversations about God and the world and hiking in general and life in particular.
There's not much to see, or rather we don't have time for it, even if flocks of sheep and brooks to cross, which aren't brooks at all, add to the variety. And sometimes you invent mind games about it, such as: "Photo 1 Lin crosses the stone bolders; Photo 2 Lin falls into the water; Photo 3 Lin is angry and shouts at me". Yeah, mind games for our pleasure.
But then we approach the day's destination, Frank is waiting for us, and together we enter the outskirts of Caceres.
Caceres
Cáceres is the capital and the most populous municipality of the province of Cáceres. The old town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986 because it features a mix of Roman, Moorish, Northern Gothic and Italian Renaissance architecture. Cáceres is located on the historic Vía de la Plata, an ancient trade and pilgrimage route that connects Seville with Astorga.
The path up to the old town is quite steep and strenuous, but we are already greeted by a different world.
I don't know the reason for this, but the blueness of the sky this afternoon surpasses anything we've seen before. Did it want to make itself particularly impressive for our visit, or is it a painting made for everyone? We're obviously hope for the former.
Panting and sweating a little, we finally reach the upper areas of the city and enjoy the view of the Plaza Mayor with the mighty Torre Bujaco for the first time.
The Plaza Mayor and missing hotel rooms
The Plaza Mayor is the central square of the city and borders to the east a part of the city walls with the famous Bujaco Tower, the Arco de la Estrella and the Púlpitos Tower. To the south is the Town Hall and the Foro de los Balbos, from where Pintores Street, the most commercial street in Cáceres, begins.
The arcades lined with bars, restaurants and various shops stand out on the western facade. In the middle of the square there is a promenade that was built in 2001.
We will give our reference to the beauties of the city a little later, first we have to look for a hotel. It's Saturday, there's apparently a music festival, in other words, the city is packed.
I have reserved a room, even perfectly located on the Plaza, but Frank and Lin are reaching the limits of spontaneously looking for a hostel for the first time. In other words – they find nothing. While I'm extending a night at the reception of my hotel, the two of them rush down the stairs looking for a solution.
I watch them absentmindedly, not realizing that I will never see them again. I later find out that Frank is taking the bus back to Valdesalor, while Lin has decided to hike to the next stop, Casar de Caceres.
Arcades, shadows and beer
It is now three o'clock in the afternoon, it is getting hot and people are seeking shade in the numerous restaurants under the arcades lining the plaza. A good opportunity to soak up the special atmosphere of the city over a cool beer.
It takes quite a while before I dare to set foot on the hot pavement and start exploring. When you see so much beauty in one place, you tend to become suspicious. How is it possible that human activity, creativity and willpower can produce such magic in a single place, while in other places there is only ugliness and ruin? I don't know, and to be honest, I don't want to know.
And so I let myself be carried away by the magic and, for once, leave it exclusively to the pictures to make a comment.
Evening with Irish music
Beauty makes you tired, we know that in the meantime, and at some point you let it go. All you have to do is grab a seat in the full restaurants and then drink another beer and do nothing but watch, listen and enjoy.
Only the planned and eagerly awaited concert by Irish artists can lure me out of my self-imposed wonderful apathy. The path to the concert is paved with buildings illuminated by darkness, giving it an added touch.
The space in front of the stage is packed and the artists take their time, as is usual for celebrities. But then they are greeted by a thousand enthusiastic throats and the spectacle begins. Very nice and once again a successful end to an extraordinary day.
Matching song: O'Hara's Dream – Relaxed Traditional Celtic Song
And here the Camino continues… to Cañaveral
