The hospitalera was nowhere to be seen last night or this morning ... which meant stamping the credential, essential for the next albergue ... and deciding whether to leave some money on the desk or accept the gift ... out early as the church bells rang 8 ... dawn coming, moon lingering ... coffee and complimentary cake nearby, then picking up backward yellow, forward blue arrows for 21 km of mostly off road walking ... passing four surprisingly early incoming elderly English speaking pilgrims from Pontevedra ... having shortened the stage with the help of a taxi driver ... on through woodland and another coffee and cake halfway ... on again, mostly beside the railway, some pilgrims, though few enough, indicating plenty of room at the Pontevedra hostel ... at the start of Pontevedra, a big town or small city, another coffee and 2 cakes, one for the pack ... caked out and craving fruit ... wandering through the pleasant city centre, recalling the albergue, bus and train stations are all on the far side ... and after a fruitless, somewhat fishy lunch, with wine, options abound at 2 pm on a sunny afternoon ... less than three hours over the hill to Arcade and the next hostel or 2 hours bashing the tarmac ... check into the albergue for an early finish and maybe some pilgrim stories for the demanding editor (perhaps catching up with Hungarian Danush and his Czech mate, also heading south) ... and having lunched at the Train Station Cafeteria, take a look at where the trains go and when ... buses not so tempting ...
Later, at the albergue, showered, most of the clothes in the wash, relaxing in the ambience, awaiting pilgrims to hijack ... train line runs to Vigo via Redondela, a short day's walk away ... tomorrow ... maybe past ... though not Portugal ... another day for that ... last night the feet were revolting, the soles threatening to erupt if further tarmac excesses attempted ... the off road routes are kinder, having energy ... soft shoulders of grass, plantain, leaves ... tarmac, like concrete, mostly inert ... two years ago the Tui to Pontevedra 50km was too much ... the challenge is always tempting to the mind ... now the feet are asserting their rights ...
Later still, fresh clothes packed, out in search of fruit for this evening and WiFi for you, since the albergue strangely require a sign up via phone ... errm, no phone ... shrug ... the beer in the bar with wifi serves crisps as a contemporary nod to tapas ... and a counterpoint to planned fruity supper ...
As for pilgrim tales, none yet ... maybe later ... and no new photos either ...
Rain in the forecast, after several warm sunny days ... unusual for Galicia at this time of year, they say .... let's see ...
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