Day 13 Walking to Villafranca Montes de Oca. 4 May

After a great night with our camino family in the attic of the church, we walked on early with the promise of a sunny day, and it was. Very cold early, Lex is still suffering with cold hands.

Dinner at Granon, the previous night.  

It was a beautiful day for walking (also a good day to dry washing on the back of a pack). Saturday, and I don't know whether it was the sun that brought people outdoors, or weekend, or just different villages. But we saw windows open, people in the streets, hanging washing out and planting in their small market gardens. We were wished Buen Camino by so many, passers by, truckies, even a couple of ultra-lights detoured to buzz overhead and wave to us.

Was also a day I tried walking in sandals.... And socks ;-(.

We walked 28km, passing through several small villages, stopped several times for our usual hot chocolate, or supplies, or a beer, and once again met up with Gabriel before reaching Villafranca somewhere between 3 and 4pm.

Checked into the Albergue San Antonio Abad.  Amazing place, but even more amazing story. San Antonio Abad is a flash hotel, and an Albergue, together. Some years ago, the owner of the hotel walked the camino and was so taken by his experience that he started an Albergue alongside his hotel, to give something back to the camino.

Pilgrims are given the same warm, friendly welcome in the same reception area as hotel guests. The building is amazing and facilities are great. We were taken up to our building, shown our beds, told where dinner would be available, etc, etc. Even the respect and treatment in the hotel's bar was no different from hotel guests. Amazing. Can't imagine anywhere else where backpackers would be treated as well as hotel guests.

We enjoyed the warm afternoon sunshine in the outdoor bar area. Met some new Pilgrim friends, and continue to be amazed by the people we meet and their stories; more people who are walking another stage this year, continuing a journey that started several years ago, and often from much further back than we started. Gotta admire their commitment. We spoke briefly with a French woman, this year walking a stage with her elderly father. Not her first preference for a holiday, but an invitation that she accepted and was enjoying the privilege of time spent with her dad. Beautiful.

Notes to self

• 28km.  Grañon to Villafranca Montes de Oca
• San Antonio Abad Albergue. 5€ per person. Great value. Pilgrim's menu 12€. 15€ for those without a pilgrim's passport. Nice
• Great to catch up with Gabriel. Must reread Black Beauty. Haha. And talk to him a bit more about his work. He sooo reminds me of Pete
• Getting back into a dorm after most people are asleep is not a good idea, especially after several vino tintos.

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