Elda to Villena
Elda - Sax - Santa Eulalia - Villena
NOTE: Please read the Orito - Elda post FIRST then this one. Sadly I couldnt change the order on this blog... oops...
An earlier start today we left home just before 6 am and our Support Crew dropped us at the Ermita San Anton around 6.30 am and we were on our way.
As we climbed out of Elda up past the Hospital and into the countryside once more we had a fabulous sunrise view. We aimed to make as much progress as possible before the expected 35 degree midday temperature arrived!
The guidebook needed to be followed carefully on this section as there a lot of interescting tracks and a little used road or two to negotiate. However soon after we had a limbo experience passing under the pipe show below there was a hitch.
By now we could see Sax Castle in the distance so we began to become a little more excited and our steps quickened.
However, we were dutifully following the guidebook only to discover that the track petered out into a jungle that proved impassable. We retraced about 1.5 km to a small settlement and followed an alternative track that led up to the CV833 road. Whilst there were no Camino signs we followed this road into Sax and discovered that if we continued to follow it we would end up right outside the Ayuntamiento! Que Suerte!
It was Sunday morning and therefore most bars were "cerrado". Fortunately the Hotel Fuenta del Fuera had the sign below on its walls and we were able to find the receptionist who provided the sello and a souvenir badge of the Camino Cid which also passes through Sax. We regularly run and as our running friends will testify "bling is bling" so we felt that we had bling and since we couldn't join the Tividale Trotters on their Sunday walks and runs, we had participated at a distance and had something to show for that solidarity.
Shortly afterwards we passed by the bottom of the rock on which Sax castle is built. Echoes of the Sunday School classic "The wise man built his house upon the rock" went through our minds. It is impressive.
To be fair this region of Spain has a lot of castles "castillos" so you are never far from one. Leaving that one behind we followed the well signed route from Sax to Santa Eulalia. Once at Santa Eulalia the churchyard had plenty of shade, although the church looked in need of repair and was possibly closed. We continued onwards with the occasional view and sound of the A31 Alicante - Madrid Autovia on our right and later on the sight of the Alicante - Madrid Ave line to the left. Eventaully we passed around 100 m short of the Sax-Villena Ave Station. There were a few cyclists and walkers on the route none apparently peregrinos.
It was starting to get really warm so we plodded onwards. The track was dusty, stony and just after this photograph below was taken we met a local family out for a cycle ride. They recognised the scallop shells we were wearing and stopped for a short chat - in Spanish. I have been trying to learn more Spanish since I moved to Spain to live. I was able to say who we were , where we each lived and where we had started from both on that day and at the start of the week. I was able to say that we were stopping for that day once we arrived at Villena. The dad had a Sax Cycling Club T shirt on so I asked him if they lived there and he replied that they did. It was a lovely moment and whilst my language skills are not great the were "suficiente" for that moment. We recived a warm "Buen Camino" as they rode off and we walked on.
Thank God for simple blessings!
As we continued we found the Tourist Information Centre which was, unbelievably on a Sunday, open. We asked for a sello and the young man said that we would need to go to the church next door - Sant Iago to get one. We went in and asked a lady who was giving out mass sheets where we could get one. She told us that we would have to see the "Cura" after the mass. However, as we were contemplating this the aforementioned young man appeared and told us that he had spoken with his boss who had told him that he could give us a sello and where to find the stamp! So we dutifully followed him back to his office where he stamped our credentials. We reflected that we could not imagine that anyone in the UK would have done this. To seek out those he had given wrong information to, apologise and put the matter right rather than shrug his shoulder say "never mind" to himself and that would be that. So this reminded us not to lose faith in humanity, there are some lovely caring people out there still. May he be richly blessed.
After we had left the Church of Sant Iago behind we continued along the way to reach the Hotel Salvador where the next stage of the Camino del Sureste from Villena to Yecla begins. It was on the main road with spaces on the terrace so we ordered a cerveza and contacted our support crew. They found us in time for a refill and are pictured with us. We were very greatful for their forebearance and early rising to take us to and from our starting and finishing points each day. Nikki (my wife) a peregrina (Sarria - Santiago 2018) is on the left and Di ( a mutual friend ) in the yellow top. If you are reading this maybe give thanks to God and to those who support you in whatever you do.
