Nothing like a cozy bed on a rainy day

Didn’t want to get out of bed this morning, I was so comfy in my bed in our room with 3 balconies at the Hotel Via XIX in Caldas de Reis. It rained overnight and the clouds were still heavy when we hit the Camino. Stopped for a grandé café con leche and a normal sized chocolate croissant by Spain standards. Still plenty big.

Within minutes we were out of the city and back on the familiar country lanes and gravel roads, As we entered the woods it started to rain, softly at first, then in earnest. Everyone stopped in their tracks to suit up for the shower. I put on my rain poncho for the first time so now I have officially used every item I packed. Feels like a victory of some sort.

The rain didn’t really last long, perhaps an hour or so. The route was pretty flat and well drained so the walking felt easy even when shrouded in vinyl. The temperature was in the low 60s so I didn’t feel like I was being poached in my own sweat. Overall I’d give the poncho top marks for keeping me dry and well ventilated. We had one more brief shower a couple hours later and that was that. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny.

Today’s leg was the longest of our Camino, 25+ kilometers. Most folks were stopping in Padrón (where the famous peppers originated!) but we had a reservation a bit farther along at one of the « casas rurales », the beautiful old stone country houses dotting the hills and valleys of Galicia.
Since our place, A Casa da Meixida, was also a few kilometers off the Camino we decided that when we reached Padrón we would call a taxi to take us the rest of the way.

In Padrón we stocked up on food at an Eroski Center supermercado then made a few attempts to call a taxi to pick us up. Ellen did a masterful job speaking Spanish but wasn’t able to close the deal with any of the taxi services she called. We finally just called our hotel and within 15 minutes we were whisked right to their doorstep. Tomorrow morning we will take a taxi back to the spot where we left the Camino so we can answer truthfully that we walked all of the last 100k.

Today we were happy to meet up again with Lisa, the One Armed Peregrina from Sydney. She’s still bumping along with her shopping cart. As we walked, other pilgrims called out to her saying , « I’ve heard about you! » She’s become a Camino legend.

Only two short days until we reach Santiago, less than 25k. Many people will walk that distance in one day but I didn’t want to arrive exhausted so we will spend more night in another casa rurale and then dawdle our way into Santiago on Saturday.

For now I’m warm and snug in another comfy bed in a big stone house listening to the rain on the roof. Bliss.Read more