Live from the VDLP
Hi from Cathy and Chris (aka known as Walking Nomads from Brisbane. We started from Sevilla on Sunday 8th May, and all is going really well so far, although I have to admit, a couple of days have been a bit of a slog on the feet, but nothing that a good night's sleep can't fix! The weather is great, and the spring flowers are fantastic! However, we have had 2 very cold days with a chill wind.
This is a quick resume for those following on behind. The VDLP is not very crowded yet. We walkied completely on our own to Villafranca de Barros today for instance. other days we have shared refugios with groups of Spaniards, Germans, and some French, plus a couple of Asian girls travelling alone, 1 Dutch and a young Spanish guy. Albergues have not been more than half full so far.
Now for a quick update on Albergues------Guillena now has bunk beds, m and f toilets abd showers and solar powered hot water (no more roof and floor). Bar El Poli adjoining does good nosh and the owners are very friendly.
Castilblanco has a good albergue by REPSOL fuel. Three diff rooms and 2 rooftop terraces for drying clothes. Food good at the 2 restaurants below the albergue.
Almaden was our only evening of rain so far. The albergue there is quite good although the bunk room is a little squashed (this was irinically our busiest place so far).
El Real has lovely little albergue .....the first building in the town you come to. It was a former water works building. Good food at Meson La Cochara in town.
Now we get into Public Holiday territory for the San Isidore Holiday, so beware when you are told there is a 5 day holiday, as very few things and restaurants are open so a bit hit and miss, and in the last few days we have had to plan quite carefully.
Monasterio we stayed at hotel bar Rinconcello which was in our guide book as a new good option.....really clean ensuite little bedroom and delicious lunch (we usually manage with one good meal a day) with lovely young guy running this establishment (we now know that albergues aren't always an option, so these small hotels are a really good alternative and not expensive.
In Fuente, we stayed in the albergue turistico (converted convent) which included breakfast. it was all very nice, clean and spacious and we were in a 4 bed bunk room (this was fairly full as some bike groups arrived too). Big courtyard at back for drying clothes. Really clean and good hot showers and full bedlinen !
In Zafra, it got even better. We booked into the next albergue turistico, converted San Faranciscan convent. This was fantastic with an excellent young girl running it. We had our own 2 bed room with ensuite shower, crisp white linen and duvets, and all spotlessly clean, with our own key. Zafra is a really beautiful and historic city, so we decided to stay and extra night, even though the San Isidore holiday followed us. Do visit the parador....we sailed into the cafeteria cum bar there at 9pm and had the most exquisite hot chocolate! Talk about going from one extreme to the other on the Camino.
Today we have reached Villafranca and there is even less open. Couldn't find any sign of the supposed albergue turistico, but if you stay with the yellow flecha, you come to Casa Perin, where we are staying with 2 or 3 other pilgrims. It is a lovely old house and we have the run of the sun filled back patio, the internet and washing and cooking facilities AND ensuite bedroom again (but this seems to be the only option in town)!
Yes we are enjoying the pretty lanes, drove roads and country lanes and contrary to the 2 guide books we have with us, there are now plenty of yellow arrows! Birds, frogs, flowers, oranges, vines, olives, sunflowers, wild lavender and wild sage flowering and bees busy pollinating, storks feeding their young......every day is so full of beauty!
NB Between Fuente and Zafra at tributary to Rio Atarja, we had to cross a stream with boots off as it was ankle deep.....this was our only little bit of drama so far! In fact i have had local farmers helping me with stepping stones and people are very friendly.
Hope this is helpful to those following on, and will look forward to other contributions from others.