We are travelling through El Cid country so there are many signs around with a knight on horseback like on the wood heater in our Airbnb.
Today was a delightful walk. Not such a cold start and lovely sunshine all day. It was a steady climb up so we soon got warm. We passed through two towns, neither of which had a bar open so it was muesli bars to keep us going and water for the 19 kms.
One of the towns had pretty street signs with poems under each sign and some one was immortalising some local cats. Some of these little towns surprise you.
This area has an enormous number of botegas- cellars dug into the hill sides that look like hobbit houses. They are used for storing grain or produce because of the even temperature. In San Estaban where we are staying overnight, the hill side has about 300! Some look like they might even be lived in.
We passed through wheat fields, vineyards, vegetable farms and apple orchards. The onions could be smelt from the road. They were huge white ones. Most of the pickers were Africans.
When we finally arrived at San Estaban we couldn’t get into our place till after 4 and it was only 2pm. Karen had already explored the town and Peter was tired so it was only Andy and I who wanted to wander. Looking for a bar or restaurant on the way, only to find once again they were closed from the date we arrived! We keep missing out but we manage to get enough groceries to keep our selves going. I had my first pork ribs and pinchos (olives, chilli, beans and anchovies). I was craving something different.
We checked out the Romanesque churches which had unique covered porticos. They were the original source of the style copied later by other churches.
After waiting to get in we were tired and I went up for a nap. Karen set to making dinner, a rice with curried chickpea and vegetables and a mixed green salad. I had been craving salad for a couple of days. Then it was a couple of games of cards and off to bed. I was very happy to snuggle into bed and slept immediately.
fleetfootkath 
I don’t know anything about Spain but it sounds very rural. It may be that you have selected such a trail.
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Loris It is the wool route- an historic droving route so very rural. Spain has a rich history through the Middle Ages and was under Muslim control for 800 years and then reconquered by the Christian’s from the 10 th and 11 Centuries.
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Thank you, Kathy
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