September 17, 2021: Another isolated village in the middle of nowhere with a population of 54. There was a lot of tractor traffic and not many cars. We were surrounded by sunflower fields everywhere.
There were two places to stay in town and both were sold out. Because of the reduced capacity due to covid, several without a reservation were turned away.
This is the part of the Meseta where those walking it are asking themselves, “Why am I walking this?” The miles of fields become monotonous and the days drag by. Several of the coffee shop/bars didn’t survive covid as well as a few albergues. There was an 11 mile stretch between this town and the previous one. To walk all that way in the sun and then find out there is no place to stay and you need to walk another 6-7 miles can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
This albergue had a laundry facility with washers and dryers as well as a grassy lawn area with a pool. It was a good day to catch up on laundry.
We have the feeling that albergues were owned by the same family with one shutting down their bar and restaurant so both could conserve resources.
Sunset is around 8:00 pm. After being outside in the hot sun and walking for miles, no one complains about going to bed early.
Jane in Spain 