 | 11.5 Friday. Alcuesar to Valdesalor.
The wander round town yesterday found us a new apparently complete but totally unopenned alburgue. This secular albergue is well off the beaten track and although it has superb views from town it will possibly not see use unless the route changes.
The monastry in which we stayed provided a very good evening meal after the blessing service conducted by the elderly catholic priest and his unsual altar boy. Donativo supports the home for those falling past the state arrangements.
We manage to get released from this secure housing by 0700, half a hour before advertised (a rope would be required to break out earlier), and started down the camino as dawn was breaking. Possibly we were the first down this track that day which might explain the abundance of hoopoes (ten seen in about a km) although they remained common all day especially one videoed by Tony, demonstrating that they peck (a telegraph pole in this case) like a woodpecker and the characteristic poo poo occuring when peak makes contact with pole. Also along the way two ?bee eaters numerous raptors and many storks both feeding in fields and in their charactetistic pose on tops of churchs. The route rejoins the Via Pecuaria, one of the larger drove routes after Casas de don Antonio having passed over the first of three roman bridges.
There are multiple small archeological digs along the way as well as actual or replacement millarios (roman milestones).
We arrive at length in Valdesalor very hot and sweaty, having staggered acroos the last bridge, even Betsy claims to be a horse, women normally glow! But after a beer in the nearest bar and we follow a spanish pilgrim who has just claimed the key to the albergue, it is free! It is the changing rooms of the local football pitch. There are hot showers (not really needed) cold is preferable just at present and a floor with gym mats to sleep on, Joe walks in 20mins later and we have a good lunch at the bar/elderly day centre we had the much needed beer at earlier.
After that there is not much to do but sleep off the heat.
26km 6hrs (it felt longer an earlier start tommorrow)
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