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- Jun 8, 2022, 1:59pm
- ☁️ 66 °F
- Altitude: 1,296 ft
- SpainGaliciaPortomarín42°48’29” N 7°36’54” W
Portomarin
June 8, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 66 °FMuch quieter start today. Ancient road with walls on each side and trees grown into the walls. I get that twitch I get and break out my rain gear. Other pilgrims smirk and shake their heads, but in 200m a light spritzy, evanescence, just enough to wet you through hits and I hike on by as they dig out their kit. More ancient stone farm buildings. I meet an older man having a pipe while leaning on his bike. I see that he has an artificial leg, a really expensive metal one with an articulating knee joint. As I climb the steep hill, he hops on the bike charging hard and passes me. An inspiration. I link up again with Dave and Gerry Jones. Before reaching the bridge to Portomarin I face three choices. The choices are borne out on a board.: go right and stay safe, go left (the ancient way) which clearly leads to injury and death and a further route in green. I go left and where the two part are more indications of death with pictures showing a narrow steep slot canyon with no steps on the ancient middle way, I stick to the far left green route and am rewarded with life. I reach the bridge and ring the Liberty Bell, then I read the sign indicating that if I ring the bell, I am morally obligated to visit the sister city of Portomarin. Dave and Gerry wait for me on the other side. The bridge spans 500 over a fjord of water from a vast lake to the north. I arrive too early for checkin and wind up chatting with Dave and Gerry over a long 2 beer calzone lunch. Check in, shower and a machine laundry wash and dry set up in a garage in the hotel parking lot. This is the swankiest place in Portomarin a three star Parador called the Pousada de Portomarin…a nice treat. Laundry is 4€ with automatic soap, dry for 3€, the cheapest so farRead more
The World is Out There A really terrific calzone with sausage, chorizo, and cheese. The owner started the fire for me early when she saw I was shivering.
The World is Out There The town was relocated to this hillside when the dam to the lake was built. The old site can be seen in the video, and is usually covered in water. The main church and a smaller chapel were relocated exactly, because the priest at the time insisted on numbering each stone.
Traveler Definitely a Brien stop!