Day 14- Los Arcos to Torres del Rio

• Distance today:                      4.8 mi
• Distance Camino 2017:        91.3mi

We decided to take advantage of an open-at-6:30-bar just a few steps from our room and have a light breakfast before we walked, changing our routine. By the time we got back to our room, packed up and left, it was 7:30.

It’s 49 degrees but the sun is up and should warm the delightfully refreshing morning air pretty quickly.

Our walk today was pretty easy, just under 5 miles. We walked mostly through wheat fields and several vineyards and small olive orchards. The first village we passed was Sansol. It offered a picturesque setting, perched on a hill overlooking the surrounding farms. We stopped for a glass of orange juice after about 3 miles.

The next village, less than a mile away, was Torres del Rio, our destination for today. We’re giving ourselves an easy day today because tomorrow’s walk will be twice as long. We’re still babying our bodies a bit, while we tone our leg muscles, let our packs morph into our bodies and develop a good walking rhythm that’s knee and feet friendly.

We were able to check into our room at albergue Pata del Oca (50€) shortly after we arrived at around 10:30. Our room was apparently the only one not occupied last night but the albergue is “completo”, fully booked tonight.

The albergue’s exterior and interior is medieval in decor and construction but very clean and well maintained whether you are in a dorm/bunk bed type room (10€) or a double room with bathroom like ours. There is little to do or see in this small village (pop. 156), but we’ll be very comfortable just chillin’ in the albergue courtyard, checking out the Iglesia de Santo Sepulcro, or resting in our “habitacion “.

We made a visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (1€) and found it to be interesting and mysterious.

The church was built in the 12th century and the Crucifix at the altar is from the 13th century. The master builder who designed it and the sculptors who adorned it were Mudejar working in the service of Christian employers. It’s construction and use are assumed, but not confirmed, to be Templar, because it does not have a typical floor. It is the only church that has a done over a single octagonal floor.

We skipped the pilgrim dinner and had a light snack then retired for the evening.  Today we passed the 100 mile mark… only 400 to go!