Vicquilter: 3 Interesting Encounters

Yes the sun is shining but the wind is bitterly cold. It was a headwind all day.

Below is supposedly a reservoir. It cannot be good news that it is very very low in the month of May.
The route today was well signed.

We hadn't seen lavender for a few days.

Encounter number 1
A large flock of sheep led by 1 man
No dog
(No photo)
They turned as a unit into a field ahead of us.
All very docile and obedient.
This got me thinking
About all the pilgrims all in a line obediently following arrows to Santiago.
Hmmmm!?

But lots of poppies
And euphorbia (no photo)

Surprise, an unexpected ruin in the distance.

Encounter number 2
I had turned off the camino (no sheep am I!) when a pilgrim came from the other direction. He is a permanent pilgrim whose home base is in Valencia. He has no home, everything he owns is in his backpack. He has just walked from Valencia to Santiago and is now on his return journey. From Valencia his plan is to continue on to Rome and then Jerusalem. His face was very weathered looking and he looked lean and strong. Mom was asking about the other pilgrims ... so Mom he is one example of many. More to come about my fellow pilgrims. It seems like our group will be walking together for a bit .. just how the upcoming stages are distance wise.

Castrotorafe, founded in 1127 and populated for about 100 years.

Encounter number 3

In the Village of Fontanillas de Castro, while looking for the bar for coffees, we happened on a brand new Albergue. The volunteer hospitalero kindly invited us in, made coffee for Daniel and served me juice. We played with his highly intelligent and funloving border collie puppy. He told us that his parents brought him up on the caminos so he is happy to provide hospitality to pilgrims. All on his own he makes a dinner and a "breakfast", cleans, launders the towels, drives 40 kms each way for groceries ... he is a busy guy. He somehow finds time for his art and music. Puppy loves to play piano as well.

There are poppies everywhere.

It was a bed race today. I was extremely happy to get an upper bunk. Danielle was a few minutes behind me, walking with 4 Germans. They got the last beds and that was at about 1:30! We are all feeling frustrated that we need to run to the next town for a bed, this is why we are walking The Via de la Plata and not the Camino Frances .... what we are all trying to avoid.

I emailed Geert from Belguim who is 2 days ahead. They are having the same issue. It seems I have discovered the camino the same year as the rest of the world.

We registered for our bed at a bar. There are always signs to the Albergue, today they pointed to the bar. Our credential is stamoed and our passport information noted. Today we were given a paper pillow slip and bottom sheet. Across and down the street to the actual Albergue where I see the younger and faster pilgrims who have claimed the bottom bunks (nc).
I make my bed to claim it and then with Danielle head back to the bar, where, for only a 1 hour window a pilgrim lunch is served.