Palas de Rey from Portomarin

Blowing and raining hard all night last night. The power in Portomarín went out several times. It’s getting a little discouraging.

Walked past the ruins of an ancient castro near a town called Castromaior. Castros are settlements built by the original inhabitants of Spain. They had no written records and little is known about their culture. This one was active from around 5 BC to 4 AD, when the Roman army assumed management of the area.

Something I’ve noticed in rural Spain is that people use everything that grows on their property. It’s common to see roofs built to accommodate the curves and thickness variations of huge tree branches. And to see huge tree branches stored up in rafters, presumably waiting for a future structure to be built. They think in longer terms than I typically do.

So I ended up folding and calling for a cab to finish my day. Just too damn crappy weather for too many days.

Palas de Rey is another town typical of the last 100 kilometers of the camino. A happening place with lots of energetic young people. I’m sounding like a grumpy old man… and with this weather I may be becoming one.

I did meet up for an enjoyable dinner with some people I had met earlier in the camino.Read more