 |
| Santiago (Saint James) |
 |
| Terrace at A Pousada do Peregrina |
 |
| The “famous” hot springs at Caldes |
 |
| Walking to school in Pontevedra |
 |
| Me enjoying the “hot” springs |
 |
| On our Way |
 |
| Vineyards |
 |
| Village church |
 |
| Our second breakfast |
 |
| Cruceiro (stone cross) |
 |
| Inside the village church |
17.5 miles
Another long day of walking. My feet hurt, and I've got a blister on my smallest toe.
Our hotel had a little shared kitchenette, so we started the day with a muffin and coffee. Beth met us at the city plaza, then we set off. It was fun seeing the children in their school uniforms walking with their parents. Just out of town, we came to a tiny, ancient church - our first stop and stamp of the day.
After more walking, we arrived at a favorite pilgrim stop in San Amaro, A Pousada do Peregrino. They have a lovely terrace and the food was great! Marie and I both chose a nice big bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit artfully arranged on top. "Second breakfast" is very popular among with the peregrinos!
We continued our walk through small farms, vineyards, and nature trails. I was happy for the Spanish people that small family farms are still so prevalent. Walking and more walking, and finally we reached "The Oasis", a very small cafe, very appropriately named. The cafe is literally in the family's home! In the bathroom are their toothbrushes and shower!
Our next break was at Tiva, a dusty square with a tree in the center. Many tired pilgrims were relaxing in the shade of the tree. We gathered our energy and headed to Caldes. The entry to the town is a bridge over a river with a small waterfall. We found the church in the center of town, dropped off our backpacks at our hotel, then headed back out to find the town's famous hot springs. We found it, but it wasn't very hot and didn't seem that famous either. Oh well. :) Next we found a cafe for Tinta de verano (red wine cocktail) and chips, then back to our room.
At this point, my feet hurt, I'm tired, it doesn't feel like this is life changing. I'm wondering why I've been dreaming of this for so long.
But as Scarlet O'Hara says, tomorrow is another day!
No comments:
Post a Comment