Day 15 - Torremejia to Merida (9 miles)

After yesterday’s effort I awoke early feeling properly recovered; I will always be impressed by the recuperative effects of a good night's sleep. The albergue was already a hive of activity; there are only 18 beds in the Merida pilgrim hostel and nobody was wanting to run the risk of missing out. I was in no hurry though, I had a hotel booked for two days so had no need to join this rushed exit.

Today’s walking was mostly alongside roads, thankfully quiet because of the holidays here. By the time I got to within three miles of Merida I had caught my colleagues from last night and together we walked this last section across open countryside with the city in the distance looking pleasingly compact against the landscape. By mid morning we had walked the grassy banks of the Rio Guadiana and were crossing the old Roman bridge in the heart of Merida. I made for my hotel while my friends made for the albergue and after dropping my rucksack I set off to explore.

The rest of the day consisted of Roman ruins and Semana Santa. I first visited remains of a Roman house near the hotel, interesting and with the old remains protected by a stylish modern covering but no different really to villas back home. Then I made my way across the city to see the much more impressive Milagros Aqueduct that helped provide water to the Roman city, before rejoining my colleagues to visit a well preserved temple, the ruins of the amphitheatre and finally the adjacent Roman theatre, apparently one of Spain's most famous and visited landmarks.  There is evidence of Roman occupation dotted all around Merida, some grand and obvious, others lost in the background of the modern city but there if you look. It is more than living up to my expectations. 

Milagros Aqueduct 

Temple of Diana

Amphitheatre 

Roman Theatre

After lunch and a spell enjoying the comfort of my hotel I rejoined my friends to watch the evening Semana Santa procession through the streets. People dressed in the face-concealing pointed hats and robes of the Nazarenes filed slowly past followed by children in the same purple and white colours but with faces uncovered, some looking somewhat confused. They handed sweets and cards of Santa Maria to people lining the streets and were followed by women in mourning dress, a marching band and of course the massive candlelit floats of Jesus and Virgin Mary, physically carried by people shuffling underneath. 

It can not be said that the procession slid by smoothly; there was a lot of stopping and starting as those carrying the floats tried to navigate around tight corners and, by us, to pass underneath cables stretched high across the street. A loud cheer would go up from the crowd when these intricate, and for those underneath the floats exhausting, manoeuvres were successfully completed. After an hour of watching floats and children and Nazarenes in different coloured robes pass we went to a bar opposite for drinks. An hour later and with bare-footed, red robed cross bearers added to the mix we went to dinner. The procession was still going on an hour after that when I said fond farewells to these people I might not catch up with again and made my way back to my hotel. I elected to forgo the 2am silent procession that the receptionist told me about as I headed to my room.