Day
34 Salamanca to
Zamora
17kms walking, 42 km by bus
Just like in life, one must carefully choose their battles and
today we chose to let the heat win. These last few days we have had record
setting temperatures of above 40 degrees. It was 41.4 degrees. The last record was 41degrees in 1994. In that kind of heat it is impossible
to walk past 10am, and even that is pushing it. Yesterday morning, whilst
having breakfast, we met another pilgrim from Romania. He told us how this was
his third pilgrimage, how he started in Seville but was now abandoning the trip
here in Salamanca. He felt it was too dangerous to continue. He was alone and
felt that if he twisted or broke an ankle and wasn’t found, he would die alone
in the heat. He recanted how he got lost between Canaveral and Galisteo just like
we had and had to cross the river by dragging himself across a log. (we found a
small bridge) With his words resonating in my head and visions of buzzards
swirling overhead and knowing the
next 50kms were on a stretch of road with NO
shade, I pleaded with Spencer to let us take the bus to Zamora.
 | |
| The long, hot road |
We walked 17kms
to the first village of Calzada de Valdunciel and caught a bus to Zamora.
Zamora is the city with the most Romanesque churches in all
of Europe. Unfortunately due to the record setting heat temperatures we
couldn’t sightsee as much as we wanted to.
Day
35 Zamora
to Montamarta
20kms
We left Zamora this morning at 5:30am only to find the streets
teeming with party goers from the night before. We walked out of our hostel and
were greeted by a stream of teenagers asking what we were doing and where we
were going. They were such fun, not at all scary or drunk, just still out
enjoying themselves. These past few days have been “Zamora Fiesta Days” The
festivities don’t start until midnight and continue until about 6 am. Of course
we couldn’t stay up for the events but we watched them set up all the platforms.
We walked for about 4hrs and came to Montamarta.
 |
| Entering Montamarta |
We had made a
reservation in a Casa Rural for tonight. I told the woman we would be arriving
around 11 am. We arrived at the house, knocked,.. phoned, waited ….waited….waited,
only to find out from neighbours, the owner had been to the fiestas last night
and was sleeping. Suddenly this tiny man rode by on a bicycle and asked what we
were up to.
We told him we needed a place and he took us to his cousin’s house
for about ½ the price of the other one. But, you get what you pay for! The
place was a little grimy, the sheets a little gritty and who knows how many
people have slept on them?? Based on the numbers of hairs, I suspect quite a
few. Am I a princess or what?
Here in Montamarta they have a funny tradition. On January 6th,
all the kids that turn 18 years old, dress up as a “Zangarron” and run around
the village terrorizing people. It is unique to this village. Interesting! Maybe
it is a good way to let kids “sow their wild oats” in a controlled manner?
 |
| The Zangarron costume |
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