It’s another feature I have overlooked as it’s become commonplace. Considerable parts of the small villages we pass through are either built or coated in this stuff ….. yep Mud , Straw , ( add ingredient of choice ) – Adobe bricks . If your looking for authentic – look no further 👀

Spanish design often delights – this one turns out to be a church ( not a fire station) as we leave Bercianos… with radical bell tower at dawn .

The ‘Mahoosive ‘ Storks nest on the random tower next to it is still – unexplained 👓

2nd Breakfast stop in a 2 building hamlet just before El Burgo Ranero . Clearly they take pride in their 11.00am Pacheran 🥃 and 3kg per slice Tortilla. Feeds 4 Pelegrínos – well it did today 👍

I’ve crossed paths 5 or 6 times with these next 2 wonderful guys . You’ll see them on pics of common mealtimes in previous texts representing Chile 🇨🇱 and Colombia 🇨🇴 with their lovely travelling companions .

Here is the fabulous Rolando Earnst – he’s not this huge it’s camera angle .

Rolando has a German name clearly. But comes from the line of the 1852 German Lutheran emigre settlement of Chile . Look up Puerto Montt , Chile he’s 40k outside and the place looks like Germany / Austria in style and buildings – astonishing cultural transference.

They may not see me tomorrow- as I’ve got a surprise booked for what’s left of our original walking group for my last night ( secret ! ) . So Rolando and his friends brought good wine into the kitchen of our €5 Albergue and we had such a great home cooked dinner .

Thankyou Chefs ! – Brigs and Carmen …… I washed up 😇)

Thankyou Rolando and sommelier Reinhardt Rimmerman (Lübeck , Germany ) next to me who chose the wine .

We tried to sum up our cumulative Camino thoughts which as we speak 4 different languages was ‘fun’ – but based on all our experiences………

Spanish is the glue – so I tried this

Which roughly translates as : –

All agreed – 👋👋👋

Time for bed ! …… last day and 500k beckons xxx