I forgot to mention who we met yesterday
We had breakfast with a Dutch man walking the camino. He had previously walked the Camino Frances.
As we were leaving our hotel we met an Italian couple who were cycling and on the dirt road after El Real de la Jara we met a group from Annecy in France. We decided today to stop and say hello to anyone we meet along the route.
We met a fellow Irish man on the way this morning. Tom Ryan, originally from Tipperary now living in Dublin. We had a chat about the prospects for the all Ireland game.
Today other than some rocky paths and some treacherous sections of soft sand the ride today was relatively easy, which was a blessing considering the difficulties with the bike. It was a day if wonderful vistas and monuments.
First though fields of cork trees and then endless fields of olive trees
Here is John admiring the view
Some of these olive trees are clearly very old
Later we cycled for miles through an enormous plantation of grapes( where I had the second puncture) and met some of the pickers
Merida IA a large town with Lota of old structures. I picked one to post. A Roman aqueduct
In Merida we decided to do some tourist biking along the river ( are we nuts , did we not have enough biking) but it was really beautiful. Here is a shot of John riding along the river
The river is actually on his right.
In Merida we met the Dutch couple of the first day.
And just to prove I am here
We arrived in Aljucen to meet the Italian couple, who we met at lunch and when we had our puncture along the way.
The hostel and our ‘Casa Rural’ were full so they had nowhere to stay
The lady who runs the ‘Casa Rural’ was making up a space for them.
Everyone ate at the local bar. We had a long chat with Nancy from Australia, a teacher who packed in her job to do the Camino and was having a terrible problem with blisters on her heels. Also a group of four from France who were on their third Camino.
The church here is very simple but beautiful.
Enough for now. Need to try to post these and get some rest. Tomorrow promises to be a tough day!
VDLPbyBike 
Phew, pictures, I was missing them today. Thanks for.both posts. It is really super to be following along. Love the bikes in the room! And the pictures in this one are great. Good luck tomorrow, sounds like you will need it!
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Great picture of the aqueduct
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Well at least you don’t have to worry about blisters on your feet. I’m really wary of wishing that you won’t have to worry about them anywhere else, especially after my wishes for you in my first message seem to have been spectacularly ineffective!!
The scenes are fantastic! Good luck tomorrow.
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Spain is a good place for Aloe Vera, it is probably growing around. It is very good for blisters and indeed any cut or burn. Great to have the news of every day. Kathleen
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Hi both, it sounds like quite the day (good thing you booked your accommodation in advance – to arrive to no rooms would have been quite the ending). I hope the rain holds off for you tomorrow and that you find a decent breakfast.
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Great to hear from you both again. They were some trials you had today. I’m glad you took time to embrace the country and its people, it would be a sin to miss all that beautiful landscape and I’m sure amazing people. Although it’s tough it sounds a fantantic adventure and I’m envious of your trip, a once in a life time goal. You are great and I hope if it rains it will be like a soft day in Ireland, soft on your face and cooling you down. Best wishes for tomorrow and I await with intrigue to tomorrows adventures.
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Ps, I just looked up Merida and it is UNESCO World Heritage Site and a treasured historical center of Spain. It was established in 25 BC with the name Emerita Augusta, …, did you get a chance to see any of the historical buildings they are amazing.
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What a day! so glad the tire/tubes worked out (eventually…)
It looks like a beautiful place and I’m so glad you got to savour it even with the “complications” today.
I’ve been anticipating tomorrow’s trek on your behalf since you started. Will be thinking of you both and wishing you smooth riding.
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Really enjoying the blog, Dermot. Great photos and hope you have an easier day tomorrow.
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Greta to hear from you Gerard. Thunderstorms in the forecast for today!
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Carolyn
So good to hear from you. Hope all is going well for Jim. Tell him I was asking for him
Dermot
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I’m sure that you showed off both your Italian and your Italian Bilking Associattion Membership card to the Italians?
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Wow Dermot it’s
amazing to be able to follow along this beautiful and labourous treck – the pictures are fantastic! Hope you are resting well as tomorrow( all tire castrophies aside ) sounds daunting. Safe journey 🙂
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fantástica !! (aunque usted necesita claramente a comer más tarde, mi amigo…esto es España )
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Non capisco niente!
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“fantastic !! (although you clearly need to eat later , my friend … this is Spain )”
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We are up at 6-6:30 so need all the sleep we can get!
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si·es·ta
sēˈestə
noun
an afternoon rest or nap, especially one taken during the hottest hours of the day in a hot climate.
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