El Real de la Jara to Monasterio (14.3 miles)
We crossed from Andalucia into Extremadura shortly after leaving El Real de la Jara.
A lot of the walk was along a wide dirt track (somewhat muddy after recent rains) along beautiful meadows with holm oaks and happy livestock (cows or pigs).
Yellow and purple wildflowers (species of broom and Patterson’s curse-/pretty flowers but poisonous to horses). The skies were cloudy with threatening rain. There were a couple of busy traffic circles to be crossed and some road walking including along the busy N-630 while entering Monasterio.
Stephen is still trying to understand how the grass is able to grow under the oaks. We have seen crews aggressively trimming the oaks and he speculates that the grass is able to grow because enough light filters through the leaves. I am quite sure, however, that no grass would grow under the California live oaks even if we did trim them aggressively!
Monasterio is a town of about 4000 people which prides itself on being the ham and sausage capital of Spain. Its emblem is a ham and there is a ham museum in town!
We are staying at a four star business hotel — more like a motel with a cafeteria and restaurant. We have a very large and comfortable suite (95 euros).
We ate an early dinner (during the lunch hour) in the restaurant—my first real food in about 5 days (consommé and a tiny amount of pasta with tomato sauce!!)
Happy news which I have neglected to mention earlier:
Robert and Carmen announced their engagement on April 2!!