Day10 of walking

 ARCADE TO PONTEVEDRA.

today is a long one with a good climb right off the bat. Problem is we woke up to rain,if anything says go back to sleep, it’s rain.

By 8.30 it had stopped, so we packed, grabbed a coffee, and headed out.

Rain gear doesn’t breath so it just makes you hot and sweaty from the inside. So we don’t carry any, but I did keep my eyes open for cheap ponchos. No luck but no problem, it was now just damp but chilly, the first hill takes care of the chilly bit


Climbing the first village and passing an ancient grain storage vault


Villagers seem to always show off their homes and flowers

Crossing into the tiny village of Desvio

We crossed the  old Puntesampaio bridge and headed into the mountains. Two quick climbs and then a long climb through the forest..some of the tiny villages we passed5rough reminded me of the Camino Frances, in fact I loved the coastal route up to Redondela, but it’s not the Camino, it does not have the magic, since Redondela, , I have started to feel different, almost like I came home..

There are people walking with you now, we visit with each other at the various stops and coffee shops, people who have walked the Caminos know what a Camino family is, and that’s what’s happening a little, this was missing along the coast.

I love seeing these

I have a photo of me at this exact same spot,, 6 years ago. I remembered like it was yesterday

We got a “ you got this” supportive message from Malou today, we miss that girl.


Stream crossing in the valley


Donativo,,, a volunteer rest stop where trinkets, fruit, water and rest are all available along the route given by locals, the cost is a donation of your choice, no pressure, unless you have no conscience 

At about half distance today, the rain started to come down just as we were passing an old wash station, so we sheltered inside for 20 minutes while we had a snack and I checked my guide book. Not that guide book, it’s dead to me, I’m using the Brierley book I used on this section 6 years ago.



Out of the rain, checking my directions. I don’t know what I spilled on my beard last night, but it sure bleached the color out of it.

Coming into Pontevedra, I saw an alternate route, according to the book, it was 3.7 klms long but followed the river into town, so we took that rather than the path.



Finally, a graffiti artist who has taste.



Closing in on Pontevedra, we saw a coffee shop so diverted and had something to eat while we looked for accommodation.

Dos  cafe con leche, uno bocadillo con harmon, con queso 
A daily staple of the diet

My good friend John, who I worked with at Contiki for years had asked about the PARADOR hotels and were they still out of sight pricewise, I figured they were, but my interest was piqued, so for a laugh, we looked it up as there is a Parador hotel here. Low and behold, they had a last minute special at 110 euros, what the heck, we said let’s do it, not everyday you get to experience this, so here we are, high and mighty in our comfortable room, going out for a vino in the square, very fancy.



You would think that for that price and prestige, they would have a better option camino credentials stamp
The walk into this town was really historic as we got into the old city. It’s a maze of narrow side streets and cafes
The Santuário da Peregrina coming into old town, an 18 th century baroque style chapel,built in the design of a scallop shell, the symbol of the Caminos

The Museo de Pontevedra 

Regional capital and city of 75,000 people, sits right in the middle of the route to Santiago de Compostela 

MB almost gave me a heart attack, after all her foot struggles, and this being all new to her as it’s her first Camino, we sat at coffee and she let it slip that while walking today, for one split second, she thought, I don’t want this to end,,but then she said her sanity returned,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I just smiled, wait till we walk into Santiago-on Monday I thought to myself.

J

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