It's March 2019 and I'm approaching Calzadilla de la Cueza. Like all the rest, this village appeared like an apparition out of the ground.
Walking along the Calle Mayor it was like walking onto a film set where all the inhabitants had been abducted. No one in front of me, no one behind on the Camino. It was lunchtime, (Spanish time) and I was starving.
Propped up on the corner of the main street and Calle de Eleuterio Velasco was a sign indicting 'Menu del Dia'. The only thing was that those three words were the only thing it indicated. No arrows, no name, nothing. I looked all around and couldn't see any sort of Bar/Restaurant. There wasn't anything in view on the main drag and nothing down the side street. Where was it? Who to ask?
I walked on the few yards/metres to Calle Fragua and up that street, in the distance, was a tractor and driver.
In my non existent Spanish I managed to convey my need for food and via hand signals I was directed back to Mayor and to turn into right into Calle de Eleuterio Velasco where I was assured there was the Bar/Restaurant.
And that is how I found the Hostal Restaurante Camino Real.
I was offered a Menu for 10€ comprising a salad, Chicken and chips and ice cream and the table I occupied already had the obligatory bottle of vino tinto and water.
Well, the salad arrived that could have easily have provided enough for two. This was closely followed by half a chicken that had, in it's lifetime, attended the Arnie school of body building. It was a Big Chuck!
How to follow that? The 'Ice Cream' had me laughing out loud. What was presented to me was a Mini Magnum, which for those who haven't come across those is a small chocolate coated ice cream on a stick. The juxtaposition between the portions really had me chuckling.
The things we remember eh? The only thing in the above that I had to look up (via Google Maps) were the names of the streets. All the rest came back to me in perfect clarity, four years on, just by seeing the name, "Calzadilla de la Cueza"
Buen Camino!
