Stage 15: Grimaldo to Carcaboso, 33 kms, ~6 hrs, 21C, Sun & Cloud:)

Please note that no wifi yesterday so you may wish to read the last entry first.

Best Laid Plans:

A long day today. I had planned to stay in Galisteo, but after seeing the very interesting tow in about an hour I reloaded my water, bought a chocolate bar (full of nuts), an apple and headed off towards Carcaboso where I had hoped to pick up a bus or taxi to Plasencia. However, best laid plans went for nought and I'm in an albergue in Carcaboso with a 38-40km hard walk facing me tomorrow. But that's tomorrow...live in the present. So today....something of a sunrise this morning as I walked out from my special albergue...best so far!

Our gracious host last night sat us down and explained the two options to get to Galisteo. A well documented problem occurred a few years ago when a land owner stopped peregrinos from crossing his property, creating a very long detour along highways. This held little appeal, and our host explained that we could go the traditional route and just climb the gates onto and off the property. All the Camino markings have been removed, so with a detailed hand written map in my pocket I set out r's morning to see if I could find my way there and hop a couple of fences...sounded easy, wasn't as easy as it sounded, but I managed. A good story for around a camp fire one night, complete with a  local guard, dogs and cool stff like that. I was first arriving and managed to make it across...such a criminal this peregrino! A few shots from the crossing to Galisteo...very beautiful.

Sometimes the little rock mounds are made with bones as they are around.

Cows always look at me like they want to chat?

Last fence hopped and I was through and free to walk into Galisteo.

Glaisteo was pretty cool...from the Moorish period, complete with a fully enclosing wall and an old style minaret.  I stayed here about an hour poking around and finding food.

 

Crossed a beautiful Roman bridge on the way out of town, complete with its own resident stork. Ate my lunch there then press on with a long, hot road walk.

But aside from selfies, there is always something interesting to photograph as I walk.

My friend John who knows all things bird wise, tells me that these vultures that are amongst the largest in the world....and it gave me small comfort to have them circling over me in large numbers as I walked along the road...I think on the Frances we used to say, "peregrino down!".

Any way, that's it for now. Waiting for the store to open to ick up water and supplies for the long march tomorrow. I was supposed to be sitting in a little bar in Pasencia sipping a cold beer and counting down to the Champions League soccer final, but instead I'll be humping my bag a long way, all up hill trying to get into Aldeanueva del Camino in time to get a bed, shower, then go find a local bar to watch the game. On the positive side it may be more fun to watch in a small town, rather than in a city, and a few of my pals from France, Belguim and Germany will be there to I share the fun...wish you could join is Ariel. 

We starts to climb now, and least your eye sight is failing you...that's snow up there!

Buen Camino and Happy Friday and a good weekend everyone.