The Rain in Spain…

Ahhh, we finally got a bit of rain today. More of a drizzle, really, but it sure felt great for walking. I didn’t bother donning my rain gear and just enjoyed the moisture on my skin. The temperature was perfect, in the mid-60s.

We left Pontevedra just before sunrise, stopped along the way for a ridiculously huge pastry and a grande café con leche, which came with a complimentary side of more pastries. Breakfast of champions. We joined the throng of peregrinos for the long climb up the foothills of the Galicia Massif mountains toward the town of San Amaro at the summit.

My weather app told me the rain would arrive at 10:00 and at 10:00 on the dot it began. For just about everyone doing the Camino right now this is the first rain we’ve had. It was fun to watch everyone hustle to shelter under the eaves of a nearby farm building to dig out their ponchos. What had been a sea of dust covered pilgrims transformed into a rainbow of colorful flapping vinyl.

There were two bustling cafes at the top of the mountain but we were still digesting our abundance of pastries so we only stopped briefly to take photos of some pilgrims arriving on horseback.

On the way down from San Amaro we passed one of many fitness parks ironically situated along the Camino. If the climb up the mountain left you wanting more, you can stop and pump weights. I did a few leg presses while Ellen worked her biceps. Pastries are the perfect fuel for your workout. Who knew?

We’re starting to recognize a few faces among our new bubble of walkers. We’re covering longer distances and stopping less often so there isn’t as much time for camaraderie. At the cafe stops we sometimes share a table and chat with the others but there are just so many more people walking now that the interactions are pretty superficial. Still, the endless Buen Camino! greetings are fun.

Late in the day today we stopped to share a bocadillo (a baguette sandwich with meat and/or cheese) and glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice. The chorizo bocadillo was gigantic but the bread was fresh so we were able to tear it into smaller portions. We laughed ourselves silly over the joke that “this bocadillo is so terrible/“tear-able”. When the Spanish ladies at the next table through we were struggling and offered us a knife we fell apart all over again.

While we sat we were joined by Hans, a 70 year old German from Westfalia. He just retired after working 50 years for the same company! This is his first Camino and he started in Porto the day before us. After he reaches Santiago in a couple of days, he hopes to continue on to Finisterre, literally “the end of the Earth”, another 90k or so beyond Santiago on the Atlantic Ocean.

After this morning’s climb, the rest of the day was mostly downhill through the endless vineyards. So beautiful even in the rain. I somehow managed to fall off the side of an elevated section of stone paving today, diving head first into a corn field. Miraculously no one but Ellen witnessed the event so even my ego survived unscathed. Corn stalks make a surprisingly comfy landing pad.

Now we’re in Caldas de Reis, a cute little spa town with thermal hot springs. Staying at the Hotel Via XIX (named for the ancient Roman road that overlaps many sections of the Camino Portugues). After spending the last few nights in more modest accommodation I’m grateful to have a large comfy room with a private bathroom that isn’t festooned with wet laundry. Luxurious. They also offered free use of their washer and dryer so I stripped off my clothes and sent Ellen off to do REAL laundry. She has our room key card with her so, this being Europe, I have no electricity while she’s gone but I’ll manage, because I’m a real pilgrim. Would you like to see my blister?Read more