We start the day luxuriously. After sleeping an hour longer than usual, we enjoy a sumptuous breakfast at the hostel. This means we're back on the road a lot later than we're used to. By the time we've packed all our stuff and stand outside of the hostel, it's already bright and busy in the narrow alleys of Zafra. There is a school around the corner, and apparently classes start a lot later here than in the Netherlands. By half past nine the youngsters are walking towards the schoolyard. We go in the other direction and walk through the centre via beautiful narrow streets with tall white houses from one pretty little square to the next. We pass at least four large and small churches. Zafra is a beautiful place. It's already pretty warm and before we leave town we've already put on some sunscreen against the already scorching sun. Today we walk slightly into the hills again. To get to the next village, Los Santos de Maimona, we have to cross a limestone ridge: Sierra de los Olivos. The highest point lays a bit higher, but we will cross the ridge at 615 meters. Walking out of the built-up area of Zafra, we pass a 16th-century monastery of which only a tower remains. Once located far outside the town, the growth of the place means it's now just inside the built-up area. Every tower, every ruin, every town and village have such rich history, so much of which is still preserved. So does this tower. It was used by the French to lay siege to Zafra in the 19th century.
Strategically a good place, because looking back we have a great view over the town, with the hills of sierra de los Olivos in front of us. On this side we first walk past some buildings and later through (of course) beautiful olive groves, while on the other side of the hill the landscape is a bit more natural. Here grows the prickly holly oak, the mastic tree from the wig tree family (how did they ever come up with all those plant names!?) of the same genus as the pistachio tree, pines and even the wild olive, an ancient olive that grows as a bush. There are also many orchids along the path, but most have already flowered out. Through the forest, we walk down into Los Santos de Maimona. A small village with mostly low houses, but with a large church and of course a 'Plaza de España', which we find in almost every Spanish village. Often beautifully decorated squares, but they still can't match their namesake in Seville. As we walk out of the village, the route climbs briefly but then descends gently. Just after the village, the vegetation is still green and there are some puddles of water on and next to the path. Little tadpoles swim in them, so there must be a spring somewhere. Further on, the ground and vegetation becomes very dry again and the grass more yellow, but wherever we walk, the fields are full of flowers. Besides olive trees and vineyards, there are many almond trees here. Earlier this year we saw them in full bloom, here there are already large green fruits hanging from them.
From the slope we can see Villafranca de los Barros, where we will sleep tonight, laying in the vast plain. Up to the mountains in the northwest, it's completely flat. The motorway we encountered at Monesterio is also situated here. We have to pass under it, and then it's about 5 kilometers to the village. It has been 2 o'clock and on the wide white paths between grape fields it's scorching hot by now. Hiking in previous days was lovely until about 11 o'clock and was still fine until 2 o'clock, but after that it gets really hot. Spaniards don't normally interfere much with each other or with us, but almost everyone we meet in the villages and small towns is really friendly. We greet and wave all day long, but asking what we are doing, or having a chat rarely happens. But when people think they can help us, they never fail to say: "You'd better walk via that road, and not this one, because it's too busy." "Are you walking to the village? ou can ride along, it's much too hot". At the beginning of the village, a lady stops along the road, because she's worried that we're still walking in the afternoon. She advises us to have lunch in the village untill about 6 o'clock and only continue walking when the weather is cooler. So friendly! Fortunately, we are almost there and don't have to wait until 6 pm to walk on. We walk into the village with again 4 church towers, some nice little squares and a cosy little centre. Some fellow walkers are already sitting on the terraces (they probably didn't have breakfast in their hotel and left a bit earlier), and we arrive at our final destination around 3 o'clock. Unfortunately, another room without daylight, with furnishings as you would expect at a hotel on a pilgrimage route, but wonderfully cool and comfortable. With 21 kilometers and few altimeters, this was a luxurious stage!
