Day 11 walking

 CALDAS DE REIS TO PADRON

There was no rush this morning, so we slept till 8 and took our time getting on the road, we had ponchos now but there was no rain in the forecast, so we packed them at the bottom of our packs and headed out. We stopped for a quick breakfast of coffee and omelet sandwich, then struck out for PADRON 20 klms away,,,,,,it started raining.




I’m NOT putting my pack down in the mud and unpacking it to get the ponchos, I say, stamping my feet like a spoiled brat.

 Luckily it didn’t last long so we kept going till the hamlet of Moducto, there was one heck of a race between this guy and Mary Beth till we reached Moducto ,,


there Mary Beth got a cup of coffee, then it was no contest.

Most of the day was farmland with gentle ups and downs the rain came and went a few times but the trail was forest and river valleys today






There seem to be quite a few grain storage vaults in this area,but it looks a lot like grapes ar now the main focus of the small farmers.







I don’t think the lamb was all that happy, but man did it smell good 😊 

We had a few stops at village centers for water and a break, plus a few Camino cafes where it seems more and more pilgrims have arrived as for most, this would be only one day out of their destination, Santiago de Compostela.


Coffee near Puente at pilgrim roadside cafe.





For us it’s two days out as we are holding back a day to walk in on my birthday, this was the original plan and I was ok getting in early, but MB is adamant I celebrate as I had planned, so for the second time in my life, I will finish a camino on my birthday, first was my 65 th, and now my 71 st.


A change, the red arrow took us off the Camino, but to the monastery



Got to the pilgrim stop outside San Miguel de Volga, and yes it’s after 1 pm,,,,',somewhere



 Because we have the time, we decided to not walk into PADRON today, but to take a 4 klm detour into the mountains around PADRON and stay at the Monastery in Herbon.




But once over the mountain, the Way dropped down into a stunning river valley, the RIO SAR

 This is a great opportunity for MB to experience this, it really is part of a camino journey.

 Not many people know of this place but it is the MONASTERIO FRANCISCANO DE HERBON,

It was built 1392 years ago, it is maintained and run, purely on the donations given by the pilgrims like us who come and stay the night, get dinner, a pilgrim church service, and a breakfast. We pay what we feel is fair ( donativo). 

The last three remaining Franciscan priest in this order live here, they are all in their 80s, and when they die, there will be no more.









Originally it was a seminary and the kids would come here at 5, and not be allowed out of the grounds till they were 10, their parents could visit twice a month. After that, if they chose, they went on to a senior seminary, and I thought my boarding school was bad,,,,,not so much!,

It’s a pretty special place, and time, to be here.. even if there are about 40 people in my bedroom.


The sleeping quarters, two to a box

Tomorrow we walk back to the Way trail and go to PADRON, we will grab a coffee and keep going for a short 10 klms, or 7 miles more, find a hamlet who will have us and get ready to finish on Monday.

It’s been very special for me being back on the Camino, especially since we rejoined the central way, but I’m looking forward to dinner in Santiago., but for now, I’m looking forward to the pilgrim service, and dinner supplied by the monastery volunteers, I’ll let you know how that goes.


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