It was a big day today. I left Andalucia and entered Extramadura (Extra Tough!). I left the province of Sevilla and entered the province of Badajoz, former home of Laura's family, and a Battle Honour of a long disappeared British Regiment during the Penisula War when British, Portugese and Spanish forces, commanded by The Duke of Wellington removed Nàpoleon's army from Spain. It was also the achievement of the first 100km of the pilgrimage! My legs were begining to spasm slightly as I finished the almost 39km stage. Luckily there was hot water in the shower so shoulders and legs got most of it. It is incredible to think of the hardships endured by early pilgrims with poor, or no footwear, not enough food, sleeping in straw and no waterproof clothing. The route was beautiful and very agricultural with mostly Iberian Javilli, the black pigs, used to make the best of the Spanish ham. Their life has undoubtedly a grim conclusion but they lead it running free underneath acorn trees in the open air and, of course, they give great pleasure because they taste fantastic! My spirits were lifted during a hard climb by the arrival of 3 Red Kites in the overhead. These incredible flyers reminded me of walking Christmas Common on Bledloe Ridge, in England, where Spanish Red Kites had been reintroduced to renew the disapeared native birds. I was very much in touch with my feminine side last night as all I wanted when I stopped was chocolate!

This is the marker stone to show the Camino running through the beautiful oaklands of the Parque Natural in the North of the Province of Sevilla

And this is the

marker stone to show the camino in

Extramadura

Castilblanco - Almaden de la Plata

It was a long walk on Tarmac today about 16km and then about 14km more through Parque Natural Sierra Norte which was mostly acorn oak and cork oak. The azure winged magpies are still following me and curiously always on the right hand side. Not far from a lake in the forest there was a herd of deer (About 60 animals) and I was surprised how much my passing disturbed them. The upcoming climb had been visible from the other side of the plain. It is mentioned as strenuous in the guide info but ultimately preferable to the tarmac. It only took 20 mins of hard slog to get to the top and a wonderful Mirador/Viewpoint which afforded views back over the whole days route. Surprisingly there was no road, Spanish people normally like to drive to viewpoints but I could see waste bins and so less than 50m further on the village of Almaden de la Plata was visible through the trees down the slope. A very nice hostal here let's see if it helps the snoring!

Guillena to Castilblanco and Credencials

Good tracks today through olives as well as some on road walking but generally good footing. Day started with appeals to ayuntomiento to source me a credencial. Veronica rang the tourist info in Castilblanco and miraculously a woman called Marta has promised to deliver one between1930-2000 this evening. I will believe it when I see it! A good day for birds today, started with 8 Egrets then 20 Azure Winged Magpies and finally 7 Griffin Vultures.

After waiting for the non-existent Marta for 1 hour I rang the organisation responsible for issuing credencials in Sevilla, Los Amigos Del Camino. It was the first time their office had been open in 3 days or about 75Km lost if I had waited. They are undoubtedly volunteers so that is not a criticism and a very helpful man told me that if I had ignored the tourist offices advice that they have a sign on their door which explains which hostal to get a credencial from if they were closed! He assured me I could get a credencial in Castilblanco but from Elena, not Marta. I asked where the tourist office was and discovered that it was beside my hostal. It had no sign or opening times, as seems normal in Spain. The man who lived next door told me it was now closed for the winter, while another playing with his child told me it was 1000-1400. Spanish people are always very helpful but that sometimes includes telling you what they think you want to hear regardless of it's accuracy! Just after 0900 I noticed a window open in the building with no name. As I got closer I saw that the ground level looked closed and semi abandoned. However, the window that was open on the first level had stairs to it and I could see tourist pamphlets. Climbing the stairs in trepidation I found a well equiped tourist office run not by Marta, not by Elena but by Sonia! She sold me a credencial for 1€ (A cheaply photocopied piece of stiff paper) and I left as a properly accredited pilgrim. The whole thing was a typical Spanish experience. It involved meeting lots of people, being social with them, spending more time than necessary for such a simple task but everything works out in the end. You are smiling because your goal has been achieved at last. They are smiling in pity because you didn't come to them in the first place!

Sevilla via Italica to Guillena

The route departing the historic city of Sevilla was interesting, leaving across the Triana Bridge. There were 2 villages on route but much more interesting was the remains of the Roman city of Italica. Birthplace of the Emperor Trajan and strongly connected with Emperor Hadrian. Despite being from 200BC the ruins, some reconstructed with concrete in the Spanish way, are very impressive. The photo is part of the enormous amphitheatre. The pace of modern life astounds me at times. Last Friday night I was sitting by the Cathedral Green in Exeter, talking about Italica with Richard Parker, English Heritages best dressed historian. Today, Monday I was walking through it. I remembered that in my military days I would frequently be standing in snow still feeling the desert sunburn on my legs! The walk today, about 23 Km was largely on roads or hard tracks. About half of it was in a straight line! The refuge was open so no credencial problems. Good bunks with mattresses and running water (cold only) showers. It is in the same block as the changing rooms of a sports complex. There were 3 other pilgrims there, 1 Spanish, 2 French. Let's just see who the snorers are!

Departure

Having tried to get a Credencial (Pilgrim's Passport) in the Parochial Office in the cathedral and being told they no longer supplied them... I started walking. The other place I could have got one was closed for 3 days so... I started walking. I have this blog as my proof of the journey and I already have 2 framed "Compostelas" (Religious recognition of the pilgrimage) in my house so it is only the prospect of not being allowed to sleep in the refuges that would restrict me. The photo is what the well dressed Pilgrim is wearing this season! As the first pace from the door of the Cathedral is the first of approximately 2.5 million steps I wanted to get a photo. I asked an American woman to take my photo and tried to give her my camera to take it with. She refused saying "That she didn't have time as she had a flight in a couple of hours!!!!!" A Spanish man who was watching took the photo for me, time spent 10 seconds! I hope this is not an omen!

Sevilla

Well of course tomorrow is the Fiesta De Todos Los Santos and so therefore everywhere is closed and I would have to wait a further day to get pilgrim credencials. Well that isn't going to happen! I spent the evening getting a wonderful guided tour from my friend Pilar who despite being a Spanish teacher of French speaks English better than I do. The tour included many hidden corners as well as the world famous Plaza DeEspana built for the 1929 exhibition (Photo). We rounded the tour off by eating fried fish, sold by weight at a pavement cafe. The food was too much and the surplus went to the foulest smelling vagabond that I have ever smelt. As someone who worked among genuine refugees in active war zones that is a title not easily won! So it was back to the hostal for the last alcohol and luxurious bed until Santiago.