Day 9 - Salamanca - Zamora

Life, as they say, is never easy. I started of heading to Fuentesauco, but after a few kms the rear tyre literally exploded. To make matters even more entertaining, at that moment the heavens opened and a very heavy thunderstorm proceeded to vent its hate on me.

Not a lot can be done to fix a shattered outer tube, and an ignominious lift into Zamora, and the nearest cycle shop was required. Cycle shops, oddly for a country like Spain that boasts many cyclists, are few and far between. And being a man that knows his limitations, I got the cycle shop to fit both a new inner tube and outer tyre.

By now the day had worn on, and it was well past 2 pm before I was back in the saddle and heading north.

To avoid a busy, non motorway, part of the N630, I chose to take the minor road out of Zamora, via Carbajales de Alba, to Tabara on the N631. A lift was then needed to get back to the curious hotel booked for the night, Casa Aurelia on the outskirts of Zamora, book, before the blown tyre. In contrast to the Castillo Buen Amor last night, Casa Aurelia was a bad hotel, with bad staff (when you could find them, then tended to try to avoid guests whenever possible). The only possible advice I can give anyone is not to stay there.

There is a Parador in Zamora, and that would be my recommendation for the overnight stop.

Overall not a good day, but the terrain was not difficult, and if I had avoided punctures and the rain, then I could have had a great day. Such is life.

Zamora	Zamora church
Zamora in the sunshine	Dinner at Casa Aurelia

Camino de Santiago - Via de la Plata Map of my route

Day 10 Day 10 of my route