Incredible views in the morning, started walking at 9:30 after having a sheep milk joghurt from a fancy ceramic jar. Plan for today was to hike until Laroles or Bayarcal and then kind of see what to do. Up to the pass of Puerta de la Ragua, where I couldn't tech anyone in the cheap albergue, or continue to Baza, where they should have some affordable accommodation, or stay in Laroles, or...
Around 500 meters after leaving the village I heard a sound behind me, turned around and saw: Chili. I had just left him (who is actually a her...) outside the other day, probably because I'm heartless, and because I always used the back entrance we didn't see each other again. I had kind of hoped she would be waiting for me, but had given up on that after leaving Yegen, and thought she probably went back to Juviles. But no, there she was, jumping up and down, and it seemed as if she was smiling at me: "Did you really think I'd leave you alone so easily?"
Together we went into Válor, the first village on the way. Didn't pass any open cafés so I decided the cafe con leche could wait until the next one, Nechite.
Met two old women with big hats on the path, walking in the other direction, which were stunned by my being alone in Spain. One of them estimated I was 14 years old though, I guess I'd be stunned as well in that case. We talked about the weather, about Yegen, and about Chili, then parted ways. This cute and encouraging encounter made me so happy about my rediscovered Spanish skills once again. Without them, we wouldn't have been able to understand a single word of what the other one was saying.
Didn't find a café in Nechite either, but feasted on some cactus fruits instead. My butter knife worked as well as Siv's sharp one, but I got myself some nasty spikes that would hurt for the rest of the day. It was still worth it, just love those fruits.
Onwards to Mairena, where the only restaurant and the only café were both closed. Not my lucky day coffee-wise, but other than that, everything was just perfect. Sun was shining all day and I used my long sleeve as a head cover.
See below: Yegen in the distance, then to the left Válor and to the right Nechite. Great to see which distance you've covered already.
Short kind-of-lunch break in the patio of the closed café, overviewing the Alpujarra valley. Had some TUCs (Chili got some as well), a banana and some nuts. Doesn't really need more to be happy...except for a coffee maybe.
Special church on the border of Mairena. No explanation given for the Star of David.
We continued to the most beautiful section of the day, leading down on one side of a gorge and back up again on the other side. At the bottom we crossed a stream with a small waterfall. All the scents were just amazing in this area, there was sage, rosemary, thyme, and hundreds of other things I can't name.
The way Chili ran up and down the steepest and rockiest paths like nothing made me imagine that she had been a shepherd dog that got sick of her job, so she just went travelling instead. I really loved her company and how she always walked closely behind me or ran a but ahead and then waited for me to follow. It motivated me a lot to have her with her and I think I wouldn't have been as fast without her.
Watering system typical for the region. Most interestingly reminds me very much of what I've seen in Oman.
Finally reached Laroles at around 2 pm and had a hard time finding my way through the usual maze of tiny steep alleys.
Had two servings of tapas, a coca cola that was blown away by the wind, and finally a cafe con leche at the Hotel Restaurante Balcón de la Alpujarra. Originally had wanted to ask for the price of a room there, but as it was still so early and the weather so nice and the Albergue at the pass still unreachable, I decided to try my luck on the road.
Chili had stayed outside again, and when I went to the bathroom, which was outside, a guy asked me if it was my dog. I told the usual story of how he (the guy then corrected me that Chili was a she) had been following me since Juviles and I didn't know what to do. He asked me if he could take her with him and of course I said yes. He looked really young but was smoking and pointed at his car, so probably he wasn't. His name was Samuél, which made him even more likable to me, and he told me he had many dogs and lived in a cortijo in the countryside. So that was it, I said goodbye to Chili (Samuél didn't like the name haha) and inside again.
It was strange to see he gone when I left the restaurant, but I hope she has a nice home now. It was definitely better than just leaving her standing on the road and driving away in a car.
Speaking of cars, no cars around of course. One transporter stopped but was only going to the camping ground a kilometer further - I wanted to come anyway, but he told me that this was a better spot and I should stay where I was.
Did so for a few minutes, then went to the camping ground anyway. Two trucks passed but didn't stop, then a car with a "Junta de Andalucia"-sign on it pulled over. And he was going not to La Calahorras, not to Guadix, but to Baza - jackpot!!! Can't believe my luck.
Passed the Puerta de la Ragua including the Albergue, which, as my driver told me, has been closed for a year now because of legal issues. No wonder they didn't answer the phone..
Then down towards a landscape that looked like another planet, temperatures dropping from 15 to 8 degrees. Passed La Calahorra with an impressive hilltop castle which I'm kinda sad I missed, and Guadix with the snow covered Sierra Nevada mountains in the background.
Couldn't find the tourist information in Baza so I went into a tobacco shop, where the young woman told me that the hostal I was looking for was quite far away and she knew one that was closer and probably cheaper. Followed her directions and already cursed myself for trusting a stranger, because I went back to where I came from, but then saw the Hostal San Carlos - with a room for 17€ per night, perfecto.
Went to LIDL after having a shower and bought way more stuff than I want to carry tomorrow. Which is why I will probably stay here another night and do a day trip through desert land. Buenas noches!
Map of the day: Walked from Yegen to Laroles, Bayarcal would've been the next official town, but I hitchhiked north across the Sierra Nevada. The single red dot in the middle is the pass, Puerta de la Ragua.
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