Mansilla de las Mulas

We made good progress, although we did have a sandwich emergency. I had made jamon and cheese sandwiches for lunch, which were in  a plastic bag, hanging from Nico's backpack.  One of the edges of the bread  must have been very sharp, because suddenly Nico shouted "the sandwiches" and they had fallen to the ground, with the bag completely cut across the middle. We grabbed them quickly, rewrapped them, and put them into a backpack. 

 We continued on, on a path alongside the road until we got to Reliegos, some 12 km down the road.  We stopped for coffee and some tortilla de patata.  Some of the Martin Sheen film, The Way, was filmed around Reliegos.  Refreshed from our stopped we continued, and were soon in Mansilla de las Mulas.  It was only 11:40, and the albergue was not yet open.   We had a choice, to stop here or have a short break, eat lunch and continue on a little way.  While we were sitting with a drink at the bar outside the albergue, KJ walked by.  He was going to to walk on a further 10 km, or 2 more villages.  It was already getting hot, and we had seen a good looking pilgrims' menu in a bar/restaurant with father name of someone we know, and had more or less decided to eat there that evening.  Sometimes a decision comes back to bite you a little.  This one did.  KJ joined us for a drink, and then carried on and we registered at the albergue.  We found bunks, got showered and the washing started and I st in the patio while the boys rested.  Gradually more and more people arrived, and it soon turned into a party albergue.  Gerry arrived and we chatted for a while, over a beer, but by then I knew that our decision was one we might end up regretting, especially with one of the characters who had introduced himself to us.

The boys and I had a quiet meal in the restaurant, which was very good, and then walked back to the albergue.  I got a bottle of wine, which we shared with Gerry and another couple of Spanish  people we had met in El Burgo Ranero, but shortly after that we went to bed.  It was rather difficult sleeping with the party going on the the patio down below.   I am not sure that the good meal we had outweighed the interrupted sleep.