19th – 21st September: A bit more about Salamanca to Zamora

The walk from Salamanca to Calzada de Valdunciel took rather longer than planned. The weather had unexpectedly turned quite cool so I diverted to the local Decathlon to buy a lightweight fleece. Decathlon is on the south side of Salamanca, Calzada de Valdunciel is to the north. Oh well, it only added and 6-7 miles to the day.

I arrived (hungrily) at the cosy Albergue in Calzada de Valdunciel at around 8.30pm. With everywhere in the village being closed I had to rely on my rather meagre rations for sustenance. At least I managed to get a nice hot shower before bed.

The dorm had some rather unwelcome guests. The only legitimate guests, Patrice, Christien and I, all suffered at their teeth. Bedbugs.

The buggers caused some severe itchings, scratchings and general irritation. I’d sprayed my sleeping bag and liner with Permethrin prior to leaving home and this no doubt saved me from the worst ravages of the little beasts, but the nasty blighters still managed to take a good few nibbles of my exposed tender bits.

Bedbug Central, Calzada de Valdunciel 

Where Bedbugs love to eat 

 

  Knackered old cart, Calzada de Valdunciel 

Scratching and itching our rather hungry way northwards, to El Cubo de la Tierra del Vino (to give it’s full title) we three decided to just go for it – we’d be bound to find somewhere to eat before too long….after all, this was Spain, a country where eating is taken seriously.

Although not around here.

Christien, little me, and Patrice… and El Cubo 

Fortunately the Albergue Torre de Sabre in El Cubo came to the rescue in fine style:

L>R: Allan and & Christina from Denmark (serious walkers!), our Hospitalero, Frank, Miguel – all troughing in El Cubo. The hospitalero at the head of the table making sure we all eat our greens…otherwise there’s no pudding. We did, and there was.

Frankfurt Frank getting fresh with Mrs Hospitalera…he was hoping for another helping of dinner. Miguel, the cycling peregrino, is actually an undercover divorce lawyer on the look out for potential business.

Zamora

The next day we (Frankfurt Frank and me) arrived in Zamora.

Zamora is a small city that’s well worth exploring. Frankfurt Frank and I spent quite some time wandering around the bars  the many interesting sites and sights:

 San Juan de Puerta Nueva Church

Teatro Ramos Carrion

The Hotel Parador – we were wandering around the outside of the building, gawping at it’s magnificent beauty, when a very smartly–dressed man invited us inside to look around. ‘Open any door’ he said….so we did:

 

Our next stop was the Albergue…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

….where we were to enjoy excellent hospitality…

…and no bedbugs:

The next morning we all left – apart from Matthew who was suffering a knee injury. An extra night in company of Seranella and Maria would see him right. Frankfurt Frank headed out west to Portugal to rest his broken foot. And to celebrate his birthday. I hope he got mended…and enjoyed his birthday!

L > R: Seranella, Frank, Maria, me, Miguel

Seranella in sun salutation mode

 

 

An overview of the route and more information on the Via de la Plata can be found here.