DAY 12: OCT 17 CACERES TO CASAR DE CACERES (11 KM) 14,581 STEPS

My original plan had been to make this a rest day but Franck pointed out that it made a lot more sense to make it a half-rest day by walking the 11 km to Casar de Caceres thereby avoiding a 46 km walk to Canaveral the following day. The walk took only two-and-a-half hours albeit mostly along the shoulder of a surprisingly busy secondary highway. Not far from my destination I had to share the path with a shepherd and his dogs and flock.

This lengthy trellised promenade was like a red carpet

guiding us into Casar de Caceres 

The albergue was excellent. Eventually most of the 24 beds were filled, primarily with hikers. We met a couple of brothers who had started their Camino from their home town  in Switzerland. Over five months they had walked to France making their way into Spain by crossing the Pyrenees Mountains. Then, on to Barcelona,  Granada and Sevilla. They were going to Santiago de Compostela from where they would walk the Camino del Norte in reverse before making their way home via France. Total distance - a whopping 6000 km!

Entrance to the albergue

Typically crowded but clean albergue

The Swiss brothers
 

The town is famous for a cheese that is made from sheep's milk, Torta de Casar. I took the time to tour the local cheese museum that focuses on the historical way of making the cheese as well as more modern methods now employed. It was very interesting and  of course I had to buy some. The cheese is runny to the point where you spoon in onto your bread. It's smelly but once you get it past your nose it tastes really good.