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| A quarter of the camino through Spain | A quarter of the camino through Spain |
| (4 months later) | |
| If it still felt like late summer in Andalucia, by the time the camino reached Extremadura it was definitely autumn. | If it still felt like late summer in Andalucia, by the time the camino reached Extremadura it was definitely autumn. |
| The Sierra Morena around the town of Monesterio is famous for the quality of its pata negra jamon iberico – extremely expensive mountain cured ham. The camino passes through 'dehesa' country, where pastureland is quite thickly planted with a variety of different oak trees. At this time of the year, the oaks in the dehesa are dropping their acorns, and the many black pigs that range freely are eating them up, getting ready to become the delicious – and hugely expensive – cured ham jamón ibérico. | The Sierra Morena around the town of Monesterio is famous for the quality of its pata negra jamon iberico – extremely expensive mountain cured ham. The camino passes through 'dehesa' country, where pastureland is quite thickly planted with a variety of different oak trees. At this time of the year, the oaks in the dehesa are dropping their acorns, and the many black pigs that range freely are eating them up, getting ready to become the delicious – and hugely expensive – cured ham jamón ibérico. |
| Monesterio is largely dependent on jamón for its exployment. So important is it to the town that they have a special bank holiday on the Dia del Jamón every September. There's even a newly opened very smart Museo del Jamón, which shows the life cycle of the black Iberian pigs, and of the various different varieties of oak that feed them. There's a special section on the traditional ritual of the matanza, where friends and families would gather together to slaughter a pig, and the day would be spent both feasting on the bits that need eating immediately and preparing the various other parts of the pig for conserving – for sausages, jamón, black pudding etc – so that nothing was wasted. | Monesterio is largely dependent on jamón for its exployment. So important is it to the town that they have a special bank holiday on the Dia del Jamón every September. There's even a newly opened very smart Museo del Jamón, which shows the life cycle of the black Iberian pigs, and of the various different varieties of oak that feed them. There's a special section on the traditional ritual of the matanza, where friends and families would gather together to slaughter a pig, and the day would be spent both feasting on the bits that need eating immediately and preparing the various other parts of the pig for conserving – for sausages, jamón, black pudding etc – so that nothing was wasted. |
| After a couple of days in the dehesa, the camino slowly slopes towards the plains again. As you leave pig country you find yourself once more surrounded by olive groves and vines, and arrive in Fuente de Cantos. The town was bashed about a bit by the French during the Peninsular war, and is also the birthplace of the painter Zurbaran. The pilgrim albergue is an extremely comfortable former convent of San Francisco, and in the former chapel is an exhibition dedicated to Zurbaran – you have to get past the exhibition's very fierce custodian, who is not keen on visitors. Although there are none of his paintings here, we will find an altarpiece of his tomorrow, in Zafra. | After a couple of days in the dehesa, the camino slowly slopes towards the plains again. As you leave pig country you find yourself once more surrounded by olive groves and vines, and arrive in Fuente de Cantos. The town was bashed about a bit by the French during the Peninsular war, and is also the birthplace of the painter Zurbaran. The pilgrim albergue is an extremely comfortable former convent of San Francisco, and in the former chapel is an exhibition dedicated to Zurbaran – you have to get past the exhibition's very fierce custodian, who is not keen on visitors. Although there are none of his paintings here, we will find an altarpiece of his tomorrow, in Zafra. |
| Zafra is a delightful town, where half the population seems to be permanently chatting on the streets, or enjoying the many tapas bars and restaurants. As well as the convent where the (rather dark) Zurbaran altarpiece can be found, there is also a fabulous mediaeval castle which is now a parador. Paradors are the state run chain of luxury hotels that was set up in the 1920s to preserve some of Spain's finest historical buildings. The one in Zafra is a 14th Century fortress, but inside it is more like a renaissance palace, with a dazzling white marble central courtyard. | Zafra is a delightful town, where half the population seems to be permanently chatting on the streets, or enjoying the many tapas bars and restaurants. As well as the convent where the (rather dark) Zurbaran altarpiece can be found, there is also a fabulous mediaeval castle which is now a parador. Paradors are the state run chain of luxury hotels that was set up in the 1920s to preserve some of Spain's finest historical buildings. The one in Zafra is a 14th Century fortress, but inside it is more like a renaissance palace, with a dazzling white marble central courtyard. |
| Crossing the plain to Merida you take the Via de la Plata Roman road that runs more or less due north from here all the way to Astorga, 750km off. Plata is apparently derived from the Arabic word balat, or paved road, and not from the Latin for silver. Just north of Zafra you pass Los Santos de Maimona, where the church has a remarkable Puerta del Perdon or Door of Forgiveness. Along the road the olive harvest was in full swing, with trailer-loads trundling off to be processed. The plain is wide and flat and largely without shade for 70km between Zafra and Merida. Merida itself is another delight. Established by Augustus, it was the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania, and was briefly a Visigothic capital of Spain, before being taken over by the Moors. Pilgrims enter the town by crossing the Guadiana river over a half mile long bridge, which, it is claimed, was the longest bridge in the Roman Empire. Other Roman remains in the town include a still functioning theatre, an amphitheatre, a circus, a lovely temple of Diana and a triumphal arch of Trajan. | Crossing the plain to Merida you take the Via de la Plata Roman road that runs more or less due north from here all the way to Astorga, 750km off. Plata is apparently derived from the Arabic word balat, or paved road, and not from the Latin for silver. Just north of Zafra you pass Los Santos de Maimona, where the church has a remarkable Puerta del Perdon or Door of Forgiveness. Along the road the olive harvest was in full swing, with trailer-loads trundling off to be processed. The plain is wide and flat and largely without shade for 70km between Zafra and Merida. Merida itself is another delight. Established by Augustus, it was the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania, and was briefly a Visigothic capital of Spain, before being taken over by the Moors. Pilgrims enter the town by crossing the Guadiana river over a half mile long bridge, which, it is claimed, was the longest bridge in the Roman Empire. Other Roman remains in the town include a still functioning theatre, an amphitheatre, a circus, a lovely temple of Diana and a triumphal arch of Trajan. |
| After eight days walking, about 220km out from Seville, Merida seemed like a good place to take a day off from the camino and amble around some Roman remains – and some bustling streets and bars. | After eight days walking, about 220km out from Seville, Merida seemed like a good place to take a day off from the camino and amble around some Roman remains – and some bustling streets and bars. |
| Wifi in rural Spain can be intermittent, or worse, but further updates are hoped for, either here or via @geltsdale on Twitter | Wifi in rural Spain can be intermittent, or worse, but further updates are hoped for, either here or via @geltsdale on Twitter |
| Alan Sykes is the Guardian Northerner's arts expert and much more besides. You can read his first report from the camino here. If he and the wifi hold up, he'll be back soon with Episode Three. | Alan Sykes is the Guardian Northerner's arts expert and much more besides. You can read his first report from the camino here. If he and the wifi hold up, he'll be back soon with Episode Three. |
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