Caldas de Reis to Santiago

Since Santiago is possible, since the pilgrims I speak to propose to stop 10km before, at Teo, at an albergue with 28 beds and probably three times that knocking at the door, and since the alternative Hotel Glorioso looks less than glorious as we pass, Santiago it is . . . after 40 km, the last part with Jose-Luis, from Vigo, who speaks less English than I speak Spanish, but keeps speaking, since I nod and smile and he thinks I understand what he is saying . . . still communication is far more than words and we enjoy each other's company and support until Santiago and 10 minutes before the cathedral . . . a hostal appears, the last room is €20, it is a big festival here and I am lucky to find it . . . Jose-Luis declines, maybe he will take the train home, maybe find a pilgrim bed cheaper . . . after checking in and drinking a glass of wine to celebrate arrival, I wander up to the cathedral in case he is looking for somewhere, but no sign . . .

. . . before all that . . . an early start always opens up possibilities and I am out of the albergue at 7.30 . . . pre-dawn, but I know the way and the first few hours is steady, with lots of pilgrims to pass, some walking, plenty cycling too . . .

At Valga, chatting to Joao and Mariana from Lisbon, a little dog trots alongside . . . no collar but looking healthy enough . . . and stays on the camino to Padron, by which time I have joined Jaime and Joao from Vigo, who say they saw it yesterday before Redondela. Maybe the spirit of a past pilgrim suggests Jaime . . . it certainly is otherworldly . . . crossing the bridge over the Rio Ulla into Padron, it eschews the pedestrian path and cooly trots towards the oncoming cars, forcing them to swerve, causing concern to Joao . . . sitting with a coffee in Padron, it comes to say goodbye . . . strange, but true!

After Padron, I pop into the shop by the church for chocolate to go with my bread, fruit and honey, when a bus going to Santiago stops right in front of me . . . temptation, but not for long . . . by the church Antonino, Isabel, Paul and Lurdes from Coimbra, are having a picnic and invite me to join them for a coffee . . . onwards and Jose-Luis, plus Monika, Anna and Simone, Erasmus students from Lisbon, are having their lunch.

Which brings us back to the beginning . . . it's all happening in town . . . and having had supper, this very tired pilgrim is going to bed . . .