On to Villafranca de Los Barros

Before we even started our day, we had a plan. We would walk the 20km, stay in Villafranca and the next morning, take the bus the next leg to Torremejía....27km and from there, walk into Mérida. The comments about the albergue in Torremejía were not great, my toe hurt and Noëlle’s legs were hurting a bit, so it seemed like a good plan. 

So as we entered Villafranca, we decided NOT to stay where our friends had the previous night as it seemed a little out of town. (It was likely closer to the bus terminal but we didn’t know that then.) We walked to albergue Carmen. Closed for January and February. On to albergue Extrenatura. Liked the name. The woman was helpful and we were the only people there in our room for two. Dinner was tapas and beer and tasted great. 

The next morning we took to the bus to Torremejía and while waiting and in the bus, we met a woman from Germany who walks the camino. She likes winter walking and had been walking since the end of September. She was taking the bus to Mérida so she could walk out of Mérida for less expensive accommodation. Her budget is €10 per day for room and board. She said the the piece from Sevilla, being so wide and open, really left her no place protected to camp. Oh my. It’s a whole different lifestyle. She said she lives in the here and now and owns no property.