Caldas de Reis

So, Tuesday (or second Tuesday; opinions differed long after Sue’s helpful intervention from France) has dawned. I’ve often not known where I am (ever slept in a Hilton?) but usually had a fair grasp of what day it is.

Despite last night’s final stop being adjacent to a Kebab shop; I resisted, dear reader.

[I did once wake up in a hotel room when still ‘working’, accompanied by a half-eaten kebab and a pair of signed Formula One racing overalls; a sure sign that a charity auction had taken place and I’d been spending someone else’s’ money. Those days are long gone.]

Having vacated a decent hotel room, it’s worth checking what’s on offer. The shower cap’s coming with me ( protects shoes when packing for non-solo trips); but a shoe-shine pad! It’s like the 1980’s never went away. Mrs HtD recently disposed of my stock of Kiwi Parade-Gloss black polish; a relic of the days when boots were to be shiny and the russian hordes resisted across the east-German plain. Another chapter of my life best consigned to history.

The preceding was clearly typed before bed, whatever day it was.

Better get on with it.

A pre-dawn start, which isn’t that early at this time of year, was followed by the now traditional slogging up a hill in the rain. For a supposedly flat Camino there’s a surprising amount of up and down. It’ll add up over a day.

The Don Pulpo (regrettably named) in San Amaro was open for coffee and shortly after Valon provided a welcome hot chocolate via a roadside vending machine. Substantially better than nothing. At least it’s stopped raining.

Spoke too soon. Persistent drizzle’s set in. It’s ‘that rain which gets you wet’ and it’s dampened spirits a little.

Now this was a pleasure to see. A small wooden tool-handle factory. (Photo of where the hipsters should be sent) (vague reference to title of thread). That’s what it’s all about.

The 90% of under 40’s who seem to aspire to a remote working career as an ‘influencer’ would benefit from a few months on night shift in a place like this seeing what the diminishing minority who actually create economic value have to do to put food on the table. Taking €1 of wood and making €20 of tool handles vs cloud-based virtual brand development in your pyjamas? I know who I’d want on my side if the sh*t hit the fan.

A groundworks team are out on the Camino just before Caldas improving the senda, and then the Guarda Civil pull over to say ‘hello’. They’re from the dedicated ‘peregrino’ team.

Next sign is another ‘200m this way’ trap. I’m not falling for that again; (photo of blatantly misleading sign) but it’s swiftly followed by the kind of simple, reliable ‘Bar’ sign (photo of trustworthy sign) which gladdens the heart. No extraneous information, just the promise of somewhere open; and it was.

And so Caldas de Reis. Menú del día by the river and then the accommodation has taken a stratospheric leap forwards in the form of the Pousada Real; €64 including breakfast. Lovely room, nice people. I’d post a photo but 15 seconds after your’s truly arrived in a bedroom out of an interior design magazine it now looks like a war zone. I’d strongly recommend it if you’re passing. The same room in the UK would be more than double the price.

They’ll regret all this fancy-pants concealed plumbing though. After years of chasing utilities round a C17 stone house, you want your plumbing where you can get at it, believe me.

Weather forecast deteriorating, if that were possible. Wetter than an otter’s pocket tomorrow.Read more