Day 9 - Azofra to Granõn - Bats in the belfry

Last night I slept so well that I didn't wake until 7am. I probably needed the sleep and the legs were a bit stiff for the first five or six kms. no vineyards today, mostly wheat fields.
To give you an idea what the Camino is like; imagine getting up much earlier than you normally do, putting on your shorts, socks, boots and brushing your teeth. Next you put the equivalent of 8 or 9 bags of sugar on your back and then walk uphill for six or seven hours in the blazing heat. Every couple of hours you can top up with water from a fuente (public water tap) or if you are lucky buy a coffee or a coke and something to eat. Then you repeat this every day for five or six weeks!
Somehow this is still exhilarating - or is the heat getting to me?
Wendy asked me last night when I was going to have a rest day. It had not occurred to me to even consider it yet.

I walked through Santa Domingo de Calzada today, supposed to be my destination but decided to walk on as I prefer staying at the smaller places. Tonight I am staying in Granõn (pop about 20?) I am sleeping on a mat on the floor in the bell tower of the very old church. It is a donativo hostel (you pay what you want or can afford) and it is better than any hotel I have ever stayed in! The tranquillity, character and atmosphere is magical and relaxing. There are about 20 of us there tonight and our meal is being cooked by the volunteers who run it. They also give us breakfast before we leave at seven in the morning (another lie in!)

Some photos...long morning shadow, a slower walker than me, Some views, storks on a tower, my accommodation for the night, a pilgrim playing the mandolin and my lunch today.
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I hope they do not ring the church bells all night!

Ian.