El camino, to find out about Santiago... and yourself

It all started flying from Barcelona to Porto on 18th August and taking the train from Porto Campanha to Valença do Minho. First good decision: traveling by train is the best for your senses!

From Porto to Valença to buying sheets for the albergues to its fortress and crossing the Minho. Galician rivers have nothing to do with the Mediterranean. Short and powerful, wide and deep, life moving. From the Minho to Tui, its wonderful cathedral and welcoming tourist information officer. Thanks to her, I saw I could have a two-hour break and take the 8:40 pm bus to Porriño which left me closer to Anna. My aim!

Then, I felt uneasy about walking between 9 and 11 pm. It was going to get dark, I had to follow some yellow arrows that I sometimes did not find easily, I was not familiar with the way, I did not have a map or a lamp... But it was the only way if I wanted to catch up with Anna and Marzena, so there I went. In the end, it was only a one hour walk and the end was worth it: a nice little village with a public and a private hostel, where Flora the owner and the worker welcomed me in the best possible way. I learnt later this is what the Camino means: good people walking, good people taking them in. In the meantime, I had the chance of going back to my now long forgotten fears when a black car kept on coming and going. But this time I asked for help! The lady at the house was very nice and nothing happened in the end.

Next morning, 19th August, at 7 sharp we saw each other and a few minutes later we started walking. 30 km was the aim... and we did it, from Mos to Pontevedra. In the heat and with a few stops.

 

 Lunch at Vao, overlooking the bridge and the river at the final part of the Vigo Ría Baixa. First of our very healthy meals, based on fish and vegetables. Together with a cup of white vine and a glass of beer-and-lemonade. Wonderful! No wonder we've become the fittest women on Earth!

Difficult to continue, but we had to get to Pontevedra if we wanted to be true to ourselves. When we made it to the public hostel, it was full and we still had to cross the city to our destination. Those final meters were hard. Lucky us, the sports hall was very big, there were only a few people there and we managed to have quite a good night's sleep. Dinner in the old town of Pontevedra was not bad either.

After that, the pilgrims' usual destination is Caldas de Reis, but on 20th August we felt strong and thought we might go a bit further if everything went all right.

After another morning full of nice views, walking in the shade of very cosy paths, well set vineyards and very convenient springs, we made it to Caldas some time after midday as usual. A good time to stop in the heat, good lunch near the public hostel and good bath for my sore blistered feet in the thermal water of a public washing place. Then we had to leave. And we managed to make it to Carracedo, where Pensión Sevi was a most appropriate stop for the night.

From Carracedo, Padrón was of course too close. After passing it, enjoying its promenade and its market on 21st August, we continued to have lunch at the Casa a Corredoira restaurant. 10 € for pilgrims! 

We rested next to the little rego de Tarrío but decided to continue at 6 pm, still in quite a hot weather. In Teo, where we were lucky enough to find a place at the private Albergue la Calabaza del Peregrino, where we once again had a very good night's sleep. Ready for the last 14 kilometers!

And that was it. Luckly, the first kilometers of that last part of our pilgrimage were just as usual, quiet and green, full of colours and good encounters. Of course road N550 kept us company from time to time, but it was not as bad as expected.

And there we were: after a good introduction to Santiago by a knowledgeable guide in Maria Magdalena chapel at Milladoiro, we only had 6 kilometers left. Then came long streets, traffic lights, people and tourists... Luckly, we knew what our aim was, looked for the welcome centre for pilgrims and felt at home again. Santiago was there in all its magnificence.

 We still had two days left and so decided to spend one of them by the sea. Best decision ever taken! We took the train to Cesantes and had the best evening ever, enjoying surfkiters and a most tasty dinner for an incredible price, best views, best weather. Unbeatable!

 We still had our last day. After one taxi, a local and a long distance train, we were back in Porto, with just enough time to catch a good view of the city, walking along its most commercial streets and finding out what a city beach is like. After that, time to quiet down in our very different accommodation choices: the Sports Hostel and the Batalha Hotel. Difference is quality and we do enjoy it!

It has been a week of heat (35c in Galicia every day!), of getting tired and sweating. 

A week of eating healthy: fish every day! A week without cars.

A week of talking to people, unknown walkers who became almost friends.

A week of enjoying wonderful, relaxing landscapes.

A week of water, streams, brooks and creeks, a week of springs, a week of life.

A week of friendship and life sharing. A week of learning.