Tag Archives: Camino de Santiago

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

from Durrâes to Ponte de Lima

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The day started with a good breakfast of cereals and blueberries with rice milk, juice and coffee. And then there was also cake, home-baked bread and fruit. We couldn’t take it all. But we tasted everything and it gave us energy for a new walk.

The walk was immediately beautiful, more pleasant than yesterday. We walked on smaller roads and paths, with more shade. The eucalyptus trees smelled wonderful. Occasionally there was a water point. We had the feeling that we were now really walking on the caminho.

When we rested for a while the first peregrino, a boy from America, passed us. It is still very quiet.

And now we are in Ponte de Lima. A nice place on the river, a place where we were two years ago, during our bicycle tour.

We have washed our clothes; they hang to dry in the sun on the balcony. In the shade of the plane trees we ate the Menu de Perigrino which even included the large glass of cool white wine. And now we rest in the air-conditioned cool room.

20,5 km / 33° CC

The weather differences within Europe are large. We just saw images of extreme flooding in Limburg and Germany.

We just heard the tragic news of the death of Peter R de Vries.

from Barcelos to Durraes

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Today we made the start of the Caminho. We started the route in Barcelos. Two hours by train from Porto, past many stations. In Barcelos we had a coffee and then we were on our way. It took quite a while before we left all the neighborhoods of Barcelos behind us. But slowly the landscape became more beautiful. It was hot and there wasn’t much shade. The terraces that we thought we remembered from the cycling trip were not there either. Fortunately there was a well with cold water. And later we could have a cold Coke in a bakery. In Durraes we crossed the railway and then it was a short climb to our sleeping place. A lovely room in an agricultura hotel. People come here to relax for a week. We are the only walkers there. They even bought beers in the supermarket especially for us. We are about to warm up the vegan dishes that are waiting for us.

and tomorrow to Ponte de Lima

Along the Ocean

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There are two routes from Porto to Santiago. One runs along the coast, the other inland. Difficult to choose. We opted for inland, but still wanted to see the ocean. That is why we walked a route along the coast today. And because there is a strong north wind, we decided to walk from north to south. By metro to the starting point and by metro from the end point back to Porto center where we spend the night. Tomorrow we will really start with the Caminho from Barcelos.

The path along the coast runs largely on a plank over the beach or through the dunes.

A few times we passed a fishing village with colorful houses and fishing gear.

Vila do Conde/Modivas – Matosinhos. 20 km, 24º C – north wind

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Caminho Português

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We are going to walk the Caminho Português from Porto to Santiago de Compostela. More than two years ago we were in Santiago after a bike ride along the Ruta de la Plata, from the south of Spain.

17-06-2019
We entered the city by bike via the Ruta de la Plata.
In our eyes, the real pilgrims are the walkers.

My idea about the Camino has already changed quite a bit last year.
Now I’m all over. The caminos are a beautiful and special phenomenon.
Last year I wrote; Maybe I should go to Santiago again.
Now I write: Maybe I should walk there again.

Below you will find two posts I wrote earlier.
When you click on the blue link it will appear.

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G E K A N T E L D

Lang heb ik het niets gevonden; al die mensen die naar Santiago trekken. ‘Kunnen ze niet iets originelers bedenken?’ Maar ik ben om. M’n mening heb ik moeten herzien. Door de ontmoetingen tijdens het fietsen over delen van de Camino’s begon … 
Meer lezen over GEKANTELD…en de kunst van het kijken

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D E C A M I N O (s)

Buen Camino!. Buen Camino! Hoe vaak zal ik dat afgelopen maand gezegd hebben. Dikwijls. Lang geleden was ik eens in Santiago de Compastelo. Tijdens de eerste fietsreis met Jan. We waren niet op pelgrimstocht. We fietsten door Noord Spanje en … 
Meer lezen over DE CAMINO(s)…en de kunst van het kijken

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There are many routes to Santiago. We opted for the one from Porto.
We still have the Credencial, the pilgrim’s passport, which you can have stamped on the way. There is still room for new stamps.
The idea was to run the route in 2020. But, as is well known, things turned out differently then. Corona limited the freedom of movement of everyone.
Now, summer 2021, we are on our way. It remains exciting, because the pandemic is far from over. But we are fully vaccinated and believe that we are sufficiently protected ourselves and will not infect others.
We plan to report on our trip from time to time.