Still feeling a little tender from the day before, I made my latest start yet at 8:00AM. I felt odd – a little less “criminal,” perhaps – to be leaving a town that was already illuminated by the morning sun and populated by people sweeping in front of their doors and making early deliveries (the morning loaf that the baker left hanging on a tree outside one customer’s house).
Today’s relatively short walk started with a climb, took me past farmland and the occasional ruin, including a 19th century aqueduct that was built to support gold mining in the valley (suggesting a time when the river may have been polluted with mercury? Hard to imagine, as it looks pristine today).
At the top of the climb I encountered more and more cyclists and caught my first glimpse of Granada through a gap between the hills. I spent some enjoyable hours chatting with Afina and Charlotte, but they often got ahead of me, as my feet were still tender from yesterday.
The path became increasingly crowded with weekend walkers and cyclists. It took us along a gentle stream with small farms, and eventually suburban districts, and the flamenco bars that signalled our arrival in Granada proper. We said our goodbyes in one of the elegant squares. For them, the holiday ends here. For me, there’s another 1300km or so of road ahead – I think. I hope that my legs will take me all the way.
I’ve checked into a hotel, since the convent that I called this morning had no space – and besides, I feel like pampering myself Tomorrow, I’ll take time to explore this city that I have visited twice before. I doubt that I’ll be able to see the Alhambra, since one usually needs to make reservations many weeks in advance. On Monday I have a rather silly errand to do. More on that later. All of this means that I plan to take on the next stage of the Camino on Tuesday. By then I’ll be hungry to get out on the road again. For now I’m just hungry for tapas.