Tag Archives: camino de Portugese

25 July – Santiago de Compostela – the last morning

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We are still in Santiago for a few hours before we take the bus back to Porto. The weather is nice and we walk again to the main square. I always thought that July 24th is the big holiday, but Sunday the 25th is the official party. It is visible. Part of the large square is closed to the public, with armed police guarding it. The great portal of the church will open for official visits today: once a year. And last night when a lady was vacuuming we got a glimpse of the illuminated interior. The restoration is complete. When we were here two years ago, there was still a lot of building activity in the church. High scaffolding stood around the altar, Now everything looks gleaming.

the doors of the main portal are open a crack

We walk to the entrance of the church on the side. You might be able to get in. We soon see that this is not the case. The queue is endlessly long and there is not much movement. We find a place on the stone bench near the entrance and watch the people who are there.

We walk further and then see a line that enters the church at a brisk pace. Then right? We join. We walk in line past the relics of St. Jacob, in a corridor under the large altar. Standing still is not allowed, but this gives us a fleeting picture of the interior of the church. On the other side of the altar we walk outside again.
We go for coffee in a nice cafe nearby. Last night we had a beer there and despite the crowds we are immediately recognized. We are happily wished a good journey as we leave.
We walk past the pilgrim’s office where the last stamp for the  ‘Credencial de Peregrino’  can be obtained. We had no intention of doing that and we already have a Compostela.

queuing for the pilgrim’s office

We walk back to our hotel; ask for a stamp there, so that we still have one from Santiago, and then walk to the bus that takes us back to Porto.

Santiago de Compostela

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July 24. We are here; in Santiago de Compostela.

Today is a weird day. We can leave early, after a delicious breakfast. It is heavily clouded and after a few kilometers we have to retrieve a rain jacket from the backpack.

The route meanders through small towns, gardens and hilly forests. There are dogs that bark hoarsely at every passer-by, but this dog looks calm.

Today there are always people in front of and behind us. The last part of the route, when you walk along highways and suburbs, is tough. We also have to climb a bit. And then suddenly there is the old town. It is busy. We walk to the large square in front of the cathedral. We are here.

We hang around for a while until it starts to rain.

After bringing the backpack to the hotel, we walk back. The weather has gotten better. There are small performances. That a lot of official things will still happen is shown in the amount of armed police and the circling helicopter.

But everything remains calm: the atmosphere is festive. When we are in the hotel room at midnight, we hear the fireworks.

Os Lambrans – Santiago de Compostela 25 km. 21°C. Cloudy, with showers

Padron

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We have a nice room in a renovated old house just before the town of Padron. Looking out the window we see geraniums and a large spruce. When we walk outside after an hour, we see that the tree obscures our view of the factory on the river. There are children in and on the water having kayak lessons. Cheerful and unconcerned about the factory’s emissions. We also become aware of the constant humming noise of the factory.

We walk to Padron through a desolate environment. The distance is disappointing. Fortunately, we decided to continue walking. The old town of Padron is nice. And in the end we can eat delicious: Pimientos de Padrón as an appetizer and a delicious Paella as a main course.

Today (Friday) we have a quiet day. Santiago is in sight. Many walkers are walking there today so that they can be at the cathedral early in the morning. We’re going there tomorrow.

Saturday 24 July is the big holiday. It is the birthday of San Tiago, of Saint James. And all the Spaniards who now walk the Camino are walking to attend that great day. It was a surprise for us when we noticed that our arrival day in Santiago coincides with this big holiday. We already discovered it at home, when we tried to book a hotel room. Everything seemed full. Fortunately, we were eventually able to find a place to stay.

We stroll through Padron and have lunch there. Also in Padron people are preparing for the feast. We get a stamp at the church. Then we walk a few kilometers out of the city to a beautiful oasis in an ugly environment.

to, through and from Padron. 10km, 19°C. cloudy and showers

Caldas de Reis – Padron

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July 22
It is already half past nine when we walk out of the Bakery shopel, where we had breakfast. Most people, the families and groups, are long gone. That makes it seem peaceful. It is cloudy and cool. We don’t have to take into account midday heat.

The route runs through rural areas and is beautiful. We cross one wooded mountain. It is only very busy at the cafe halfway through the route. Yet we take our time and order a bocadillo con queso and coffee.

We spend the night in a suburb of Padron. It’s an ugly place, but the hotel where we sleep is a converted old house of a famous Galician and is beautiful.

Caldas de Reis – Padron 18 km, 23ºC cloudy

Pontevedra – Caldas de Reis

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the Pilgrim’s Church in Pontevedra

t is a bit of a search in the old center of Pontevedra, but in the end we can have a delicious breakfast with freshly squeezed juice and delicious coffee. It is busy with other walkers. At the first cafe on the route it is chaotic crowds. The Camino seems like a real family event; Grandma or Grandpa walk along, and sometimes young children. There are also friend groups. They talk enthusiastically and have fun.

Still, it is possible to walk parts of the route quietly in pairs.

Walking on the edge of the forest we see some crowds in front of us. A horse jumps restlessly, a man is waving a stick … There appears to be a wild boar in the meadow.

When we crossed the river in Caldas de Reis, we passed a nice terrace. We decide to eat the ‘menu del dia’ there as a late lunch and not to wait until eight o’clock in the evening. Real Spanish food. Fried pescado. It doesn’t look photogenic, but it’s really delicious. Add white wine ;-). Melon beforehand.

Caldas de Reis is a nice place. The sun comes out in the afternoon, which also makes a difference. We have a nice room, but the WiFi is way too slow to do anything with it.

In the evening we walk to a terrace where we drink a beer in the sun. When we think about whether to order something to eat, a sandwich is served. As a snack from the cafe. 🙂

Pontevedra – Caldas de Reis. 25km, 17 – 27°C , cloudy -sunny

Redondela – Pontevedra

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It was chilly and cloudy this morning when we left Redondela. We didn’t walk far from the river that flows into the sea, but didn’t see much of it at first. We are glad we went there yesterday afternoon, when the sun had broken through. Today we first walked through buildings that will not win the beauty prize.

It gets beautiful at Pontesampaio. There we walk over the old bridge and have a beautiful view over the bay and the mountain villages. After the bridge it goes up steeply. And soon we are walking on forest paths. There are many walkers today. We regularly pass groups of people who are resting, or we are passed…

Redondela – Pontevedra. 21.5 km , 21°C cloudy

In Pontevedra we spend the night just outside the center. We are curious if we recognize the center again and walk there. On the square where we stayed before, people are still sitting at the table. It smells good and we are hungry because after the Spanish cafe breakfast we only ate some fruit. We want to sit down, but it is immediately made clear; the kitchen is closed and opens again at 8am. We’re not going to make it. Ultimately, it is clear that only the BurgerKing delivers continuous food. It will be hamburger. With a full stomach we drink a beer on a lively square. It’s busy in the city. The terraces are full. Everyone wears a mask until a drink is served.

O Perriño – Redondela

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We started the day with a small breakfast in a cafe. Café con leche, jugo de naranja y pan. All other guests also walk the Camino. We have to climb today, but we almost always walk on asphalt. It’s cool and easy. In Mos, in a monastery converted into a hostel, we have a second breakfast. It is a stopping place and stamping post. We see familiar faces; signs of recognition, small conversations. Everyone scatters along the way.

We have a nice room in a steep street in the older part of the city of Redondela. After checking in, we walk to the river near the sea. It’s ebb.

In the evening on a terrace we drink a beer with Sarah and Mario from Texas. We have already met them in Portugal. Sarah grew up in Madrid and speaks perfect Spanish. They will visit her Spanish family after the Camino.

O Perriño – Redondela 18km, 23 – 27ªC.


Galicia, España, Tui – O Porriño

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We are in another country and everything is different. The alarm clock woke us up for the first time. The house where we slept was full. In the center of the city people drank their coffee, the backpack next to them. It was foggy and cool. We walked past the cathedral and through medieval streets out of Tui town. In front of us, and behind us hikers. Many Spaniards stay in Spain and start the Camino in Tui.

The path was also different today. After 5 km there was a cafe with a terrace full of walkers. We met Toni there again. Everyone wants another cup of coffee or a beer, because there would be no other option. There are beautiful forest paths, but sometimes it goes along the highway. Or even via a viaduct over the highway. It’s less quiet.

Now we are in O Porriño. The sun has now broken through.

Tui – O Porriño. 18 km. 23°C