Day 6: Monesterio to Fuente de Cantos

So last night didn't go exactly as planned. The bus company decided to cancel the last bus to Monesterio from Seville, so we had to travel from Seville airport by a rather expensive taxi. It was a Sunday evening prior to a feast day, the Epiphany, which is celebrated in Spain on its correct day, complete with gifts brought by the Magi. I suppose they give Santa Claus a rest. Anyway we arrived in Monesterio in good time for a late dinner before bed.

Today began with the discovery that the 10am Mass at the Tentudía shrine church in Monesterio was cancelled. So, after two coffees, we hit the road. On this stage of the Camino, I'm being accompanied by Terry Stanway from English Martyrs' parish, Biddulph.

As always along the road there are numerous smallholdings with a few livestock, as well as sizeable farms. Just like the last section of the Camino, there were many black Iberian pigs, but also sheep, cows and goats. The sheep are now producing their young and so there were a number of newborn lambs to be seen.

The sheep and lambs were very noisy: not with bleating but rather with cow bells which a number of them wear. While black pigs were normally quite active and trotting around in their dehesa enclosures, today they were quite torpid, lying around. 

The first part of today's journey was mainly flat, walking though dehesa (enclosed farm land with trees, usually Holm oaks). However there were a couple of hills. They weren't exactly steep, but they did make me regret every mince pie, piece of chocolate, Christmas cake and pudding that I've consumed over the Christmas period. Three wonderful and notable thing was being somewhere with views over the vastness of this part of rural Spain, and the utter silence. 

At about the half way point on today's 21km route we saw clearly the end point of our journey: the town of Fuente de Cantos. It seemed really close but we soon discovered, after our lunch stop, that this was an optical illusion. We still had a full 10km to walk, mainly through the midst of cereal fields recently planted out. The sun, which had been with us throughout, really beat down on our vacks as we walked along. Although the official temperature did not rise above 13°, it felt much warmer. Along the route there was a reminder of how far I had come and how far there is still to go.

Eventually we arrived at Fuente de Cantos. Being the siesta time on Feast day it was very quiet, but we gained access to our two bedroom apartment which is very we've appointed with terrace and swimming pool! It's rather cold for a dip though. 

Having consumed no more than two large milky coffees and a small ham sandwich all day, hunger came easily. After two very welcome things - a shower, and Mass (after a disappointment last time I made sure I brought a Mass kit with me this time) - we headed out to the excellent Bar-Restaurant El Gato ("The Cat") for a simple but excellent dinner.

It's great to be out on the Camino again. Tomorrow is a longer section through to the larger town of Zafra.