Toledo 30 September

Today ended up being a longer walk that I had hoped. it was 25 miles, over 40 km. I passed through several smaller towns on my way and was looking for accommodations in all of them, but there were none. I arrived near Toledo a little after 4 pm after 8 plus hours of walking, which did include a 45 minute lunch stop of ensalada and paella in Cobisa.

I knew that it would be a problem to find a place to stay here in Toledo on the weekend. The place was overrun with bus loads of tourists. I made my way up the steep hill to check out one albergue, which was full but might have two cancellations if I waited until 8:30 pm to find out. I decided to try the other albergue, which also was-this involved a walk all the way down the hill and across the river, then back up another hill. That one was full, as well, so back down the hill, across the river and back up the steep hill to the first albergue. Yes, I tried calling the second one, but they did not answer their phone. Anyway, I read and checked email while waiting three hours until I knew I could stay. In fact, I will stay two nights, so I can do a full day's sightseeing here tomorrow.

A crumbling hilltop fort near Almonacid

Irrigated, trellised olives, set up for mechanical harvest

My midday meal in Cobisa: Beer, Pamela, ensalada, and watermelon.

The view of Toledo before crossing the bridge to walk up the hill 

Mora 30 September

First today, public sculpture seems to be popular with those following me, so I've included some more examples from the streets of Tembleque. 

My walk today was 26 km or 16 miles, but there was a lot of elevation gain and loss compared to the last week of walking, which was mostly flat on the plains of La Mancha. Today much of it was through olive orchards hugging the hills and some of it was through farmed pine trees. I arrived here in Mora around 1 pm. Five hours of walking meant around 3+ miles per hour. As of yesterday and exactly one week of walking, I've covered 184 km or 114 miles.

After looking around town to find the albergue from the guidebook to be nonexistent, one hostal full, could not find the other two, I settled on the Hotel Los Conejos (The Rabbits Hotel). It is nice and I had the good menu del diá from their restaurant downstairs- see photos below.

 

The first stork nest I've seen on this Camino

Don Quixote in Tembleque 

Another Don Quixote in Tembleque

  

A  cast relief with Don Quixote and Sancho

The first part of today's walk. I would later be walking through those hills in the distance.

The farmed pines

The olive trees in the hills

The walk into Mora unfortunately involved some on the carretera. This trucker was nice enough to pull over. Most don't. 

My first plate. A rice based salad. I need the carbs. 

My second plate. Bacalao (cod). After trying lots of bacalao on my last Camino, I had pretty much given up hope of finding any decent preparations. This tomato based one was worth it. The entire meal including a bottle of wine,  bottle of agua gaseosa (bubbly water) , and dessert of arroz con leche (rice pudding) was only 10 euro.

Tembleque 28 September

First, some more photos from the wonderful stay at last night's Casa Rural. Our hosts were great!

It was a long (30 km or 18 miles) and hot (90 degrees?) walk today. There were a few hills today, more tomorrow. Much of the walking was beside the carretera but at least it was on a graveled service road that made it a bit easier and safer. I am here in Tembleque tonight, a dusty town on the autopista between Madrid and Andalucia. I am staying in a hotel along that roadway, comfortable but nondescript. I also had a non descript menu del dia (gazpacho and merluza) at a nearby restaurant. I am resting now and will go on a walk to see the church and the rest of the town when it cools off.

Inside the Casa Rural

We had dinner on the host's private indoor patio. Jean from France, Rita from Germany, our host, Juan with his dog. The barbecue is going in the background.

First course pasta with tuna

Second course was salad with lots of tomatoes. Third course was grilled ham and pork chops. 

Juan picking some pears from his courtyard tree. They were delicious. 

A big breakfast to send us on our way, plus a peach and an orange for the trail. 

Some hills with wind generators 

Walking into Tembleque

La Villa de Don Fadrique 27 September

Twenty seven km (16 miles) today on mostly flat farmland. Most of today's route was on a pretty much straight abandoned railroad right of way converted to a nature trail. I passed through the towns of Quintanar de la Orden and Puebla de Almoradiel before walking into the town of La Villa de Don Fadrique founded in the 1300's. After getting lost in the maze of medieval streets, I finally found the Plaza Mayor (thanks to Pocket Earth and a helpful local). I was going to the city hall to find out about staying in the polideportivo (where I could sleep on a wrestling mat after the badminton players left at ten pm.). That is when I noticed the Casa Rural on the plaza. I figured it would not hurt to ask, so I did. I could get my own room with private bathroom, breakfast, and clothes washing for 20 euro. And three course evening meal with wine for another 10 euro. It was a no brainer. Of course I ended up staying at the Casa Rural!

Don Quixote in La Puebla de Almoradiel

A shaded portion of the railroad right of way

Most of the railroad right of way looked like this, out in the open and with wine grapes on both sides, sometimes the carretera on one side 

The Casa Rural

The Church in Don Fadrique 

Scallop shells on the door of the church. The scallop shell is an important symbol of Spain's patron saint, Santiago. I have a real scallop shell on the back/of my pack to identify myself.

A closeup of the cast iron scallop shell

El Toboso 26 September

Today's Camino route was from Las Pedroneras through three fair sized towns, El Pedernoso, Santa Maria de las Llanes, Moto del Cuervo, and ending up in El Toboso. In all about 18 miles or 31 km, according to the guide book. However I think I may have walked an additional two km, as I apparently took the wrong direction on an unmarked fork (or perhaps I missed the yellow arrow) just outside of Santa Maria.

I caught up with the two pilgrims who are keeping the same pace as I as we were walking into El Pedernoso. The are a German woman and a French man. We stopped at the local bar for a cafe con leche. They took the photo of me by the statues of Don Quixote and his sidekick Sancho Panza. Remember this is La Mancha and it is definitely Quixote country.

After my afternoon menu del dia, I took a walk around El Toboso. I did not realize it, but this town is one of the oldest in La Mancha, an important spot because it was on the Roman road from Toledo to Murcia. And it seems to be in the very heart of Don Quixote country, apparently where his platonic love, Dulcinea lived. The church here dates from the 1540's, before Cervantes wrote about Don Quixote.

Melon harvest

 

 Grape harvest

 The winery

Don Quixote and Dulcinea

The church in El Toboso 

Las Pedroñeras 25 September

The walk today was a bit easier because it was shorter at about 15 miles (24 km). The nice thing about this Camino (at least so far) is that is on almost entirely unpaved farm roads, very little on asphalt or concrete. Weather has been clear and cool in the mornings and up to the mid 80's by the afternoon. After getting to Las Pedroneras, I managed to find the Casa Parroquial, which is supposed to house the albergue. No one answered either the door or the two phone numbers. After waiting thirty minutes more, I gave up and walked to the carretera to get a room in a roadside hotel with a restaurant from which I had the menu del dia.

What in the world are these large clay containers?

Drying onions

Sunflowers

The Torre de Santiago, 16th century 

San Clemente 24 September

Walking 7 1/2 hours and covering 21 miles (35 km) with a 25 pound back pack made for one tired 68 year old today. My leg muscles are a bit sore since this is only my third day of walking. My feet are fine, a bit tender on the bottom, but no blisters. I'm bandaging a few toes as a preemptive measure to protect them.

 I reached Minaya, the only intermediate town with accommodations by 11 am, too early to stop for the day. The walk had a bit more elevation change, but still fairly flat. The high point was probably waiting for the shepherd to cross over the freeway with his sheep and goats. The sheep followed blindly without looking at me, but the goats were curious. I also saw a lot of young plantings of almonds, olives, and pistachios.

I found the albergue about 3:30, but you need to get the keys from the tourist office which only opens at 5. As I was walking back to the city center to wait, I saw two fellow pilgrims returning and they let me in. As tired as I was, that was definitely appreciated.

La Roda 23 September

Today's walk of twelve miles was through relatively flat farm country. I'll let the photos speak for themselves. The municipal albergue here in La Roda is in an interesting place- the Plaza de Toros or bullfighting ring. The albergue itself is in the infirmary.

Sorry for the squint in this selfie-the sun was in my eyes!

Finally, a real Camino sign

A cool morning breeze, the sun at my back, and miles to walk today!

A nice field of irrigated alfalfa

A rest stop under an oak tree 

Irrigation canal

Tractor cultivating  a young olive orchard

The albergue that is also an infirmary

The bullfighting ring