VDLP 2013 - Day 3: Torremejia

Last night, I was soooo lucky

to have a room all to myself. 

It was like heaven!

I got a really good night's sleep.

Breakfast was tostada con Pate de Conchuela,

 zumo naranja (boxed),

 cafe con leche, 

and various other pate spreads and jams.

 If you've never eaten Pâté de Conchuela, 

I hope you will at least give it a try when you are in Spain.

 In Sevilla they call this by a different name 

but you will recognize the distinct fragrance of it. 

It is a pâté made from pork. 

 I do not generally like liver but this has such a mild taste, 

if I hadn't been told it was liver I would have thought it was simply pork. 

On the top of the pâté is a layer of lard 

that has been cooked with garlic, pimiento and other herbs. 

You dip your knife deep into the pâté,

 taking up both meat and the fragrant oil and spread it on your bread. 

All I can say is "OH! MY! GOSH!" 

 It makes my mouth do the happy dance!

I'm going to pick some up in Torremejia 

to carry in my mochilla

 if I can find it in small packets. 

It's my new favorite thing!

I have a Welsh friend who taught me 

an expression used in her country 

when things just aren't quite right. 

She says, "That is very INTERESTING!"

Well, one of the group I ran into last night 

turned out to be "very interesting!"

Three of them were quite normal. 

However, the group appeared to be headed 

by two folks who were pretty serious about competing

 to make all decisions for the rest. 

It's a long story, 

but the woman decided she did not want to walk 

the entire 30-something kilometers to Torremejia. 

 The rest of us agreed

 (except the mean man, who wanted to walk all the way to Merida!)

One idea was to bus to Almendralejo 

then walk the 14 k to Torremejia. 

On most days there are many buses beginning at 8 am 

between Villafranca and Almendralejo 

but not on Saturday. 

The first bus didn't leave until noon, 

and it is too hot to begin walking that late. 

So a taxi was suggested. 

She asked the hospitalero to inquire the cost of a taxi ride 

just outside Almendralejo and he returned with information 

that it would cost 13 euros. 

A taxi can take 4 people and there were 6 of us 

so the woman decided we would go "3 and 3."

 Ok. Sounded good to me.

The taxi ride was uncomfortable. 

The mean man yelled at me and said I was intruding on their group. 

So I hopped out when we stopped, 

bid them a 'Buen Camiino" 

and headed out alone.

I had a wonderfully peaceful walk into Torremejia!

   I will post a few photos of the walk below.

The track was nice dirt and the morning made for cool walking

This was a magical moment!

There was one magical moment 

when a man on a white horse 

appeared on the hill in the sunrise.

Interesting Graffiti

By the way, 

I'm using the Via de la Plata app by Melanie

 and so far, her information has been perfect. 

I found the arrow going under the viaduct. 

There was shallow stream of water running 

but I was able to cross and stay dry.

 On the other side was the hill of dirt 

she describes with a narrow path going up and over. 

Be careful of the thistles. 

I used my sticks to push them aside. 

After a short walk on this weedy trail 

I came to a clear dirt road leading straight into town. 

If you are staying at the Albergue Turistico,

 this will save you some walking if you enter town here.