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 . . .

Pontevedra to Tivo, Caldas de Reis

After yesterday's effort, today's 22 km feels like a rest day, the combined 72 km is a good average . . . and the legs appreciate the break . . .

At the first coffee stop there are two cafes and a persuasive young woman from the second is standing before the first tempting pilgrims with all sorts of bargains. . . wondering how that competition plays out . . .

Joining Michael from Vienna, Austria, some philosophy ensues . . . a practising catholic, he suggests Jesus may have spent time in India and learnt from the Buddhists . . . though hasn't shared the idea with his priest . . . heresy is still frowned upon in the Roman church, along with female priests, married clergy . . . open minds . . .

Onwards to Caldas de Reis and the Albergue Catro Canos draws me, just before the town. Upstairs is full, Soraya says, and shows me to the downstairs one, with two bunk beds and a single . . . which is luxury after last night's room crammed with bunks . . . lunch is home-made vegetable soup, easter cake, home-made red wine and a complimentary Orujo . . . just as well today's walking is done.

At the table are Philip and Robert, sharing a son and father bonding experience, which both are enjoying. From Hanover, they fulfil the German stereotype, with father and mother engineers and son studying to be one too.

A wander into town establishes tomorrow's route, though taking the wrong road back puts me on the other side of a river, which I end up wading across . . . no problem since it is hot and shoes and trousers will soon dry . . .

Two days to Santiago (or one if another epic calls) and an intriguing alternative presents itself . . . the Via Romana XIX, which shares the Camino in places, seems to head for Lugo from here . . . cutting off Santiago and picking up the Primitive Way early is tempting . . .

In any case, it is good to get back into the rhythm of walking with a shared purpose (albeit vague and different for each pilgrim) . . . Michael asks about British routes and Richard has proposed reviving or creating some . . .

Redondela to Pontevedra

Tui to Pontevedra is two or three stages according to the guides and I seem to have done it in one day . . . over 50 km and too far . . . still, it means Santiago is only two days away and tells me 30km a day is enough.

The last 12 km is on the roadside, just head down and plod and at Pontevedra I am so tired I miss the sign to the albergue, arrive at the cathedral with crowds of people having a fiesta, trudge back to the albergue, which has 56 beds and only one left.

I am grateful.

Redondela to Pontevedra

Tui to Pontevedra is two or three stages according to the guides and I seem to have done it in one day . . . over 50 km and too far . . . still, it means Santiago is only two days away and tells me 30km a day is enough.

The last 12 km is on the roadside, just head down and plod and at Pontevedra I am so tired I miss the sign to the albergue, arrive at the cathedral with crowds of people having a fiesta, trudge back to the albergue, which has 56 beds and only one left.

I am grateful.

Tui to Bar Corisco, Redondela

Spanish time, custom and culture mean an adjustment, especially if Santander is to be walked . . . though buses are available.

To trick the mind and legs, whilst fuelling the stomach, today's plan is to go native, start early, take a long lunch, continue later, when the sun has cooled a little.

So, out at dawn and more or less non-stop to Porrino, along woodland, riverside paths then a long straight road through an industrial estate, before the first coffee after 3 hours walking. There is a new alternative route to avoid the industry, but the yellow arrows still show the old way and we are conditioned to follow them . . . along the wrong route are at least 6 other pilgrims walking, plus plenty cycling too.

Before Redondela, the possible overnight stop, the route climbs steeply, then descends steeper . . . and before the town, Bar Corisco appears, offering a pilgrim lunch for €7.50, and I am hot, hungry and tired . . . a proper peasant bar, with rough red wine served in china bowls and big plates of food.

Oscar and Anabel are proper hosts and give me a photo as well as a complimentary liqeur. Do call in and try some Galician hospitality if you are passing.

I join Jose-Luis and try some Spanish . . . he was at the albergue in Tui and is pushing on past Redondela.

And now that my meal has settled, so am I.

Ashley and Dalma

Ashley, from Pennsylvania, USA, is studying sports, business and administration in Madrid and is a semi-professional footballer. She was frustrated by the lack of opportunity in the US and found the Spanish set-up more helpful. Now she plays in the Spanish second division and has formed a company to help other women do the same.
www.mastersinmadrid.com

Dalma, from Budapest, Hungary, is studying art and design in Porto and has discovered that she does not want to live in Hungary, but wants to travel. Having walked the Camino Frances last summer, she seems to have caught the camino bug.

Both were still asleep when I left the albergue at dawn . . . Ashley is cycling so she may pass me; Dalma, perhaps at Redondela . . . anyway I enjoyed our evening picnic and meaning of life conversation in the garden of the albergue at sunset . . .

Cerveira to Tui

After three hours wandering along the Rio Minho on the brand new and not quite finished ecopista, it's Valenca and the traditional Caminho Portuguese . . . the coastal route was suggested by a couple of arrows on the Spanish side of the Friendship Bridge by Cerveira and other yellow arrows appeared at various random places today . . . sometimes they are helpful, but today it's the ecopista all the way . . . a motorway for walkers and cyclists.

The castle of Valence is very impressive. On the Spanish side, in Tui, they don't seem to have bothered . . . perhaps indicating which side was doing most of the invading (must research this topic because the French and the British have been involved here too).

For a last lunch in Portugal it's an ironic tortilla . . . ubiquitous and delicious in Spanish cafes but almost unknown in Portugal . . . then across the International Bridge, opened in 1886, with the railway on top, cars underneath, pedestrians either side . . . farewell Portugal, hello again Spain . . . where the Camino de Santiago steps up a gear . . . after all Santiago is in this region and EU funding has enabled lots of infrastructure and signage . . .

The church albergue is located within the cathedral grounds, with panoramic views across the river . . . other albergues compete for business as do restaurants offering pilgrim menus. €6 for the bed in a dormitory and a hot shower . . . kitchen with hob but no cooking pots . . . door closes at 9.30 pm and we have to be out by 8 am . . . lost another hour crossing the bridge, making two in a week, which seems rather careless . . .

Tui is lovely, the weather has warmed up, the tourist info folks have provided enough to give plenty of options for the 3 weeks or so in Spain . . . maybe Santiago in 5 or 6 days, then towards Oviedo on the Primitive Camino . . . maybe even Santander on the Northern Route . . . Finisterre is still tempting, but 3 days west and the boat for England is east . . .

Having taken it easy from Porto to here, maybe time to put in some longer stages . . . see what's possible . . .