Camino: Via de la Plata, Day 3

Today was a beautiful but long day: Almost 30kms and finishing with a steep uphill climb. But I made it!

I spent most the day in disappointment that I hadn't yet seen the Iberian Pigs as mentioned in my guide. Let me explain: I love pigs! I also love elephants and camels, but pigs are the best.

It's this extreme: I have a wonderful book at home. It's called "Beautiful Pigs", and has pictures (photos, drawings, and paintings) of different breeds of pigs. I love this book. If I'm feeling down I only have to browse the beautiful pigs to feel better! I do not like caricatures or things that do not look like real pigs, so forget acquiring for me some cutesy pig thing. I love pigs, not piggy things.

Anyway, back to today...
I was disappointed for 29kms of walking but finally I saw a pen of the black Iberian sows just 10 minutes from our pilgrims hostel. Then I showered and went to a restaurant to try the local speciality: Iberian pig.

I still walked with my 6 companions today, but I have my confidence back. This afternoon I went for a walk in this lovely village alone. And I got money from the ATM! (And so repaid the Italian.)

This village is small but sweet. And I love how on every tall building of each town (so the church) there is a stork in its' nest.

On the walk today we passed through the 'Parque Natural Sierra Norte' (north mountain range natural park). We passed old cork plantations (each 7 years the bark, which is cork, is taken), plantations of pines for pine nuts, cattle farms, goats and finally pigs. The wildflowers were still spectacular and the views (as we had that steep walk) were magnificent.

And now I'm exhausted.