Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic ’til I’m gathered safely in
Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove
Dance me to the end of love

Last night we met up with the Bordeaux Guys and our Dutch – French friends… all back again under one roof in the municipal albergue.

Maggie and I decided that we’d eaten our fill at lunch so we decided to skip dinner and just enjoy a vino tinto in Plaza Espagnol just one more time.

En route we found a Carrefour and hatched a plan to have a breakfast picnic in the park before we left in the morning.  We bought bread and fruit and yoghurt and nuts and for some reason we thought roquefort would also be good. Carrier bag in hand we headed off to the square for our last evening in town.

What we didn’t appreciate was that everyone in town had the same idea.  It’s Saturday night in downtown Merida and the square was alive with the throng of a thousand voices. Families with babes in arms and teenagers and grandparents crowded around tables. Children ran and played.  Old couples, dressed to the nines, walked arm in arm greeting friends and neighbours.  People arrived and hugged and laughed and still more folks ambled into the square. We enjoyed a nightcap watching from the sidelines… the waiters will earn their tips tonight for sure.

It felt as if we were leaving the party  just as it was starting… but the albergue was calling and we didn’t know if the door locked at 9:30 or 10:00… so we headed home.  We’ve seen the sunrise and sets over Merida… it has been a good stopover.

Back in the muni, lights were out but folks were awake.  We sorted ourselves quickly and quietly and jumped into bed. After a quick hello with Gerry I put in my earplugs and snuggled under my quilt… oooh it felt good being back in the pilgrim nest.

Maggie had to wake me this morning… I slept well.  I didn’t grind my teeth either so I must be feeling happier now the stress of the last week has lifted.

Guy and his wife came to see us before we left and hugged us goodbye… we made plans with the Bordeaux guys to meet later… we said cheerio to the Italians and the Koreans and set off into the dark… looking for a park bench under a lamp.

As we searched for the perfect place we were spotted by a herd of geese… not sure if geese hunt in herds… but they were there and there were lots of them… and they started running towards us… then chasing us.  I hide behind a tree as it was every man for himself… Maggie headed them off … or they got bored…we took photos and laughed.

After a quick breakfast I went back to the albergue to use the facilities… said goodbye once more and returned to our bench… I was going to repeated this again in 10 minutes later and clearly my tummy wasn’t happy.  I took a couple pepto bismal tablets and we set off… watching the sun rise over the roman aquaduct.

There are no stops today so having a dodgy tummy is not great.  I stopped a few times and Anna and Staf caught us. We talked about which albergue to choose for tonight but on reflection I thought maybe a private casa would be better… with no queuing for the bathroom.

I sent our French support team a message (aka Gerry) to see if he could book us a room in town… and the sweet sweet man did just that.  We walked on past a beautiful reservoir edged with sandy beaches.  The original reservoir was built by the Romans and their walls still hold the waters back.  They have a series of aquaducts running over 10kms feeding the surrounding countryside with water.

It’s a beautiful spot but not one bar was open and not one loo around… it’s been ages since I’ve had a cafe con leche.

The views are beautiful and the path is busy with cyclists… it’s Sunday and everyone is out enjoying the autumn sunshine. Walking in such a wonderful place always makes me think of home… I am  just a little homesick.  I miss the fabulous men in my life and I count my blessings with every step I take.  I reflect on our family and our friends and the messages that I’m carrying with me. You meet many people on this path who’s life is far from happy… some are suffering from loss or heartache or some are struggling to escape their past…  and I think of all the fabous people that share my world and I am grateful for each and every one of you.

Maggie asked at one point what makes us want to walk a thousand kilometres across a strange land so far from home… I have no answer… I don’t know.

There was meant to be a coffee stop 3km from the end but when we arrived it was all closed so sadly still no loo for me… thank goodness Aljucen is just a few kilometres more… and our casa rural is the first house in town.  It’s a hotel that has been set up as a Roman Domus house and comes complete with Thermal bath and spa.

I booked a spa and Maggie a massage… then dinner in town the the pilgrims… life is still good on the Via… even with a bit of a tummy… but I miss home… only around 750km to go.