Spain
Caldas de Reis

Discover travel destinations of travelers writing a travel journal on FindPenguins.
Travelers at this place
    • Day 13

      Almost There!

      October 28, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 61 °F

      We left Caldas de Reis under a heavy cloud cover with hopes that the rain would hold off. It started sprinkling right away and by the end of the day we had high winds and a downpour- hard rain for four solid hours. No big deal for us at this point because our goal is at hand and we are almost there! Today was different because we made no church visits/ not a single one! Everything is closed up tight with this weather and we are trying to be content with just admiring the exteriors of some pretty amazing churches as we walk by them. Pretty disappointed though! We spent a fair amount of time in the forests again but also on small country lanes and through vineyards. We stopped for lunch at a small café and had a delicious traditional Galician soup with turnip greens, quail with fries and some whitefish with potatoes and peas all for 11 Euro. It was filling and just what we needed to warm up a bit. When it was time to put our ponchos on and head out everyone in the restaurant tried to dissuade us from leaving in the weather- it was getting darker and colder at this point but we knew we needed to keep pushing forward- no taxi for us!! Despite the grey day we saw lots of flowers along the roads- this rain is greening up the countryside. There are lots of pilgrim spots as we pass through and Rick left his rock from Florida at a memorial site today- very moving. We try and pray some as we march along but honestly today was just a day where we tried to survive the elements. The wind was roaring , reportedly with 45 mph gusts, and pushing us along- it took a lot of concentration to place our feet safely with the wind blowing so hard. After 18 miles it was a relief to see our alburgue come in to sight. There was a pilgrim’s meal there tonight. Rick opted out but I went and it was so special to visit with other pilgrims and hear their stories. I know Uischi from Germany and Sanda from Slovenia already but tonight I met Deidre from the Baltic coast of Lithuania and Charles from Québec and a bunch of others who generously sang Happy Birthday to me at our table when they heard i had just turned 67- I almost cried it was so sweet. (And our meal a veggie curry was delicious too.) Going to sleep good tonight!
      I saw a quote written today on a poster we passed on the trails, “ Cada paso que he dado en me vida mi ha llevado aquí, ahora”which loosely means, “Every step I have taken in my life has led me here, now”. I feel that so deeply tonight. I can’t wait until the morning when we start our final steps of this Camino- stay tuned!!
      Read more

    • Day 8

      Four candles

      March 7, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

      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

    • Day 14

      Day 13 Caldas de Reis to La Coruña

      September 20, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

      My penultimate day on the Camino de Santiago. A longer day today, so that I can have a shorter day tomorrow.
      The walking today reminded me of our hiking trails at home. Pine trees, oak trees and ferns.
      Padrón is the last stop before Santiago de Compostela on the Camino Portugués pilgrim route. A must see is Igrexa de Santiago. Beneath the church's high altar stands a Roman sacrificial altar known as the Pedrón (Big Stone) – which gave Padrón its name. According to legend, the boat bearing Santiago's body was moored to the Pedrón on arrival.
      The 7 or so kms after Padrón were the longest of my life! I finally arrived at my Albergue, and it’s beautiful. The owners dog even came for a visit. He’s my new best friend after feeding him my pizza crust.
      Read more

    • Day 11

      Tag 10: El pensamiento positivo

      September 15, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

      Hier ist mal wieder Jan. (Wegen des nächsten Satzes muss ich dies, wie ihr gleich verstehen werdet, explizit erwähnen). Heute morgen um 6 Uhr ging ich oben ohne ins Bad um mich fertig zu machen. Dort sah ich einen anderen Typen ohne Shirt herauskommen. Wir nickten einander zur Begrüßung kurz zu und ich dachte mir: "Gott sei Dank ist noch jemand anderes so dreist, nur halb angezogen hier herumzulaufen." Erst dann fiel mir auf, dass es unsere Bekanntschaft von Tag 2 war. Der Soldat mit der Bibel war wieder auferstanden!
      Er erkannte mich auch und wir gingen mit Katja einen Kaffee trinken. Wir sprachen über die Bibel, Gebete, persönliche Weiterentwicklung und vieles mehr. Mit diesem Kerl ist es nicht möglich, Small Talk zu halten, was ich sehr erfrischend finde. Wir gingen die nächsten Kilometer des Weges gemeinsam, bis sich unsere Wege wieder trennten, denn unser Freund entschied sich für den Camino Espiritual, wo man durch eine bergige Landschaft streift und dann eine Strecke mit einem Boot (!) nach Santiago fährt. Dies soll übrigens den Weg der Gebeine des heiligen Jakob nach Santiago de Compostella nachzeichnen.
      Katja und ich gönnten uns auf den Trennungsschmerz fette Tortilla Bocadillos (Sandwiches mit spanischem Omlette) und ein Stück Tarte de Santiago (konditorisches Meisterstück aus schlicht und einfach Mandeln, Zucker und Ei). Durch galizische Wald und Wiesen, sowie durch Weinanbaufelder ging es nach Caldas de Reis. Hier checkten wir in unser Hostel ein. Es war in Ordnung, bis auf eine umständliche Duscherfahrung meinerseits. Sie war kaputt und man musste den Knopf für das Wasser durchgehend drücken, außerdem fiel das Licht aus sobald ich nackt, nass und mit Shampoo eingerieben in der Dusche stand. Es war stockduster. Drei positive Gedanken dazu: Das Wasser war direkt und durchgehend warm, der Defekt hat zur Wassereinsparung beigetragen und war somit ökologisch wertvoll. Zudem leuchtete das Zifferblatt meiner Armbanduhr, sodass ich die Zeit nicht aus den Augen verlor, einfach top. Eine positive Einstellung kann über alles siegen. Naja, danach gab es direkt das nächste schicksalshafte Wiedersehen: In unserem Hostel übernachtete unsere Wegbekanntschaft des ersten Tages Simone (mit der wir zusammen den Lachs mit der Hand essen durften...). Schon lustig, wie einen der Jakobsweg immer wieder zusammenführt! Nach einem Abstecher zu den heißen Quellen von Caldas gingen wir mit Simone und ein paar anderen Pilgern Pizza essen. Eine sehr traurige Wahrheit muss man akzeptieren: das vielfach auch von Katja gepriesene Pilgermenü ist größtenteils ausgestorben, stattdessen muss man für Besteck extra bezahlen =D. Immerhin war die Pizza riesig und der Abend durch die Leute trotzdem nett. Man muss das Leben einfach positiv sehen.

      Vor dem Zubettgehen wollte sich mein Schatz noch gemütlich eine Cola aus dem Getränkeautomaten ziehen. Bis hierher (für Katja), noch ziemlich normal. Was dann aber passierte kann ich nur durch Hörensagen berichten, denn ich habe für circa 10 Sekunden weggesehen. Sie sagte mir, sie habe sich beim Herausholen der Dose den Mittelfinger in der Klappe des Automatens eingeklemmt. Daraufhin hatte sie unfassbare Schmerzen in dem Finger, Übelkeit und ihr sei Schwarz vor Augen geworden, sie höre mich auch nur noch sehr dumpf. Ja richtig, sie erlitt einen Schock durch die Schmerzen, die ihr ein Getränkeautomat zufügte. Um positiv zu bleiben: Cola war kühl und schmeckte ihr ausgezeichnet.
      ¡Viva el pensamiento positivo!

      Orte: Pontevedra, Pontecabras, Alba, San Antoñino, Briallos, Caldas de Reis
      Read more

    • Day 8

      Day 8 - Pontevedra to Caldas De Reis

      July 4, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

      My feet feel like feet!

      It seems like forever, but finally my feet felt like feet today. They walked when I told them to walk. Moved when I told them to move. I didn’t have to think about lifting my foot and putting it down. They just moved! Praise the Lord!

      We got off to a great start at 6:30 am, which turned out to be a real blessing. Finishing the day early instead of it dragging into the afternoon makes a big difference in how you feel and thus affects your attitude. We left old town Pontevedra before the sunrise during a beautiful clear morning. Granted it was a little rough because it was very much up and down stone streets until we crossed the bridge over the Lerez river. The terrain flattened out eventually across the beautiful countryside.

      As yesterday we were blessed with an amazing walk along a stream under the trees and through the woods. We had the feeling that the world was
      going on all around us, yet we were living and enjoying the moment of simply walking through an amazing area. And a lot of it was on the Via Romana XIX.

      I had to look up what that meant as it had nothing to do with the century the road was made. Obviously. My conclusion is that it was one of the many of the roads built by the Romans and is known as the 19th. Almost like it is 19th street. Just follow 19th to Santiago or to Rome, whichever way you’re going.

      More and more along the way we saw our Peregrino friends and made more. It’s so easy and enjoyable. As I mentioned before “my saviors” found me and we are having dinner with them in an little while.

      We also met a wonderful couple from Ireland and I spoke with John and Claudia spoke with Brenda for about an hour as we walked. They walked very fast and before we knew it our walking for the day was over. We sat down for beer and tapas and mapped out our strategy for the next few days.

      We will do 19 km tomorrow, trying to leave at 6 am. About 19 km the next day, leaving us with about 7+ left. We plan on a glorious early morning arrival so we will have plenty of time to enjoy the day in Santiago. Like I said before, I have a plan, but will follow God’s plan. Maybe they are the same this time?

      After beer and tapas we found our albergue for the night and relaxed awhile before lunch. Wonderful restaurant on the river. I had prawns. Claudia had pulpa aka octopus. Bleh. Even though it is a specialty in Galicia, no thanks.
      I even found another use for my Brierley Guidebook/Bible.

      Special treat for today were the hot springs here in Calda de Reis. Calda, get it? Since the Romans, people have come here to enjoy them. We found an open one and rested our feet in it for a few precious moments, with our fellow pilgrims.

      After relaxing, we went to dinner with the saviors and had a great time.

      Time for bed now. Early morning tomorrow.

      BUEN CAMINO!

      13.4 miles/ 35,000 steps
      Read more

    • Day 12

      Caldas de Reis

      May 24, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

      Nach sieben Stunden angekommen für heute, dass Wetter war so bescheiden - hab keine Lust mehr auf Regen ☔️
      S‘langt 😅🙏🏻 awer ehrlich …
      Haben ein Plätzchen in einer Herberge gefunden, es wird gehen für eine Nacht , die ist einfach nicht sauber 😏
      Was dieses Städtchen zu bieten hast:
      Schon vor 2000 Jahren schätzten die Römer die wohltuende Wirkung der zwischen 40 und 48 Grad heißen Thermalquellen / spanisch >caldas< von Aquis Celenis. Vor Ankunft der Römer hatte hier der keltische Stamm der Cilenos gesiedelt.
      Read more

    • Day 12

      Portela - Caldas de Reis (ca. 12 km)

      September 17, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

      - What would I miss, if there is no one or nothing showing me my way? -

      Heute wurde ich gefragt, ob es etwas gibt, was ich hier auf dem Weg von zu Hause wirklich vermisse. Wenn ich ehrlich bin, vermisse ich gar nichts - ok, mal abgesehen von einer Waschmaschine vielleicht, seit eineinhalb Wochen wasche ich alles per Hand. Warum ich nichts vermisse? Alles was ich zum (Über-)Leben brauche ist in meinem Rucksack, die wichtigsten Erinnerungen sind in meinem Kopf und die bedeutendsten Menschen in meinem Herzen (hört sich vielleicht kitschig an, aber es ist so). Meine Antwort war deswegen die Gegenfrage: Was werde ich vermissen, wenn ich morgens aufwache und weiß, nicht mehr auf dem Camino unterwegs zu sein?! Wenn ich darüber nachdenke, werde ich traurig und schon jetzt wehmütig. Ich werde die Einfachheit des Pilgerlebens, die Friedfertigkeit, die Offenheit, das Einfach-sein-können, die Hilfsbereitschaft, die Internationalität, das alle auf dem selben Weg sein und das Verfolgen eines gemeinsamen Zieles (mit den selben Mitteln und Gedanken) vermissen. Und ganz besonders werde ich vermissen, dass mir mein Weg hier ganz genau vorgegeben ist - eigentlich ein Luxus, mal nicht entscheiden zu müssen, welche Abzweigung ich heute benutzen soll.

      Lektion 11: Übertragen auf meine Gottesbeziehung, weil Gott mein “way maker” ist - “Was würde ich vermissen, wenn ich morgens aufwache und Gott keine Rolle mehr in meinem Leben spielt?!

      - clarity -

      Zur Route:
      Portela - Briallos - Tivo - Caldas de Reis

      Die erste Stunde meiner Etappe lief ich heute morgen wieder mit Lucie, danach alleine. Auf manchen Wegabschnitten kann einen der Gedanke daran, noch eine Pilgerunterkunft finden zu müssen, durchaus stressen. Heute ist das zum Glück nicht der Fall. Dieses Gefühl muss aber gar nicht mal so schlecht sein, um schätzen zu lernen, wie gut man es selbst hat, immer ein Dach über dem Kopf zu haben. So banal dieser Gedanke vielleicht scheinen mag, ist er gar nicht.
      Meine Strecke von 12 km ist heute nicht lang, aber sie reicht aus. Außerdem lässt es sich hier in Caldas de Reis wirklich sehr gut aushalten. In einem Café treffe ich mal wieder auf bekannte Gesichter. Während diese heute noch ein Stück weiter laufen, liege ich erst mal zwei Stunden neben einer Kirche unter einem Dach aus Palmenblättern, bis meine Herberge öffnet. Abends hat die Kirche dann auch offen und ich setze mich für eine Stunde hinein. Danach treffe ich auf zwei Pilger, die ich am Vortag kennengelernt habe, wir unterhalten uns, gehen noch schnell einkaufen und laufen noch ein bisschen durch die Stadt. Weil ich noch etwas mehr Zeit auf dem Jakobsweg verbringen möchte, entscheide ich mich dazu, meinen bisher angedachten Ankunftstag in Santiago von Montag auf Dienstag zu verschieben und die nächsten zwei Etappen auf drei kürzere aufzuteilen. Mal sehen, was die nächsten Tage so bringen und wo es überhaupt Pilgerherbergen gibt. Mein Weg führte mich heute hauptsächlich durch ein paar Dörfer, Weinreben, ab und zu auch an Autostraßen entlang und durch Felder - es war ein ruhiger und angenehmer Weg.
      Read more

    • Day 21

      Bonked: Caldas de Reis to Lestrove

      May 20, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

      This day is my last long walk, which is a good thing because I have no more long walks in me. And, as the day progresses it turns out I don’t really have this one in me.

      I do it, but it ain’t pretty.

      I start down the Camino after a relaxing stay in lovely Caldas de Reis, where I wandered along the river and had ice cream for dinner. It was about five or six miles to get to the small city. Still, I’m bone tired as I head our for a 12 or 13-mile day. I know what bone tired means now, intimately. It means all your soft tissues have surrendered, and your skeletal forward motion is all you have left.

      Santiago is close, and this may be my last long walk. I am consciously attempting to soak it all in. This is not easy because the tour busses have arrived. These luxurious monstrosities are filled with clean, per,y pilgrims who swoop into towns and, I cannot lie, annoy the shit out of me. The busses disgorge them at one end of the Camino and pick them up at the other. Bus pilgrims can skip the hills if they like.

      I am trying not to be salty. It isn’t working.

      As I hobble and groan my road
      -weary way along the last of the forested pathways, I am in the moment. The morning sun gives the ferns their own glowing life and lights the edges of the oak leaves aflame. Ahhh.

      Several dozen bus people jabber past. They are loud, and American.

      “I don’t even like social media any more….” “And then she says to me…” “Oh, I only drink bottle water here…” “…hotel…” “…daughter…” “…dinner…”

      It’s DIFFICULT to be one with nature right now. I finally find a pace, about a 30-minute mile, that keeps me between these gaggles of folks who, without meaning to, are seriously harassing my mellow. It’s an imperfect plan. At one point a guy is blithely sitting dead center of the stone walkway over a creek, lighting a cigarette.

      But I do manage about 5 miles of connecting with the mockingbirds, and moss covered trees and the glowing morning sun. The chipper birds are singing up a storm. There’s a river below the path. I hear it constantly, and it occasionally sweeps alongside the Camino so I can glimpse the clean, bright water. There are a couple of horses along the way. I like horses.

      Somewhere between mile 5 and mile 6, my body revolts. Not like the French storming the Bastille, but like a pissed off toddler fighting a nap. My pace slows to about half of normal and my brain turns to oatmeal. This is the point at which exhaustion and pain merge to become one lumbering beast.

      I want to soak up the small farms and hamlets I’m passing, but I know if I take my eyes off the cobbles or gravel or dirt in front of me I could trip. And if I trip my feet will crumble like graham crackers, and my ankles, calves and knees will follow suit. Then I will flump forward, never to rise again. I consider a taxi. Even in its oatmeal state, my mind rejects the notion. I have not come this far to call in a lifeline.

      So I keep moving forward…not so much walking as perambulating. Bus people who pass increasingly look concerned and offer a worried, “Buen Camino?”

      I am the grumpy old woman waving them on, mumbling incoherently. “Gedda, gedda air conditioning…fancy shoes…gedda gedda…”

      My accommodation is off the path, of course. I trod a half mile through farmland into a mean headwind. A dust devil attacks me. “Gedda, gedda… dust teeth….”

      In a final moment of clarity I just have to laugh. I take a selfie for my friends, my hat at full mast and my cooling scarf flying. Life is ridiculously hard sometimes.

      I finally reach the family hotel where I’m staying and I literally, not figuratively, lay my head upon the reception desk. I am THIS CLOSE to a full meltdown. The receptionist does not care a whit. She is rude. She checks me in without even looking at me, then waves over at my suitcase. (I carry a pack with basics, but send my other stuff ahead via courier.) I’m going to have to haul it up about 30 steps to my second floor room.

      Friends, I have never been so tired that I can’t carry my suitcase up a flight of stairs. Today I am. I sit on a couch at the foot of that climb and ponder it for about 20 minutes. Then, with my last ounce of will, I ascend, dragging the bastard thump-bump one stair at a time.

      When I arrive in my (not kidding) attic room, I call Jake. Because I need to cry very, very much. He bears witness to my meltdown, offering loving support. He also teaches me a new word.

      I, he informs me, am bonked. This happens to hikers when they have pushed themselves past the limit; when electrolytes go bye-bye and continued forward motion becomes a sort of body-mind meld insanity.

      This has not been the mindful last big push I wanted. Still, I didn’t give up. Maybe I should have, but I didn’t. I am about a dozen miles and two days from Santiago. Today has been one of the most physically demanding of my life: 13 miles and the equivalent of 14 flights of stairs. It sucked.

      Buts it’s also part of the story: The Day I Bonked.

      Hard.
      Read more

    • Day 16

      The Rain in Spain…

      September 28, 2022 ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

      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

    • Day 31

      Day 28/17 Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis

      May 31, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

      When we set out this morning at 7:30, the temperature was a very humid 18 C and there were a few sunny breaks in the cloud cover.

      We didn't have much of a chance to explore Pontevedra yesterday, but on our way out of town we discovered what a pretty and interesting city it is. The old town is really well preserved and maintained and there are lovely buildings everywhere. We even came across an archeological dig with some newly uncovered Roman ruins. Too bad we didn't have an extra day here.

      Our destination today was Caldas de Reis, about 21 kilometers from Pontevedra. There are very few photos of today's journey for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there really wasn't much to see. The majority of the first part of the trek was through woodlands or along paved roads. Not too exciting.

      At our rest stop 9.7 kilometers out, the forecasted rains finally materialized...and with a vengeance. Fortunately, we were able to take cover in the cafe's garage where we finished our refreshments and prepared ourselves for our first real wet-weather walk. Our €22.00 ponchos finally got to see the light of day and we couldn't have been happier with our purchases. The rain continued all the way into Caldas de Reis but, other than our feet, we all managed to stay dry and comfortable.

      Lunch and dinner were good, especially the grilled vegetables at lunch, but at €11.00 a plate, we expected more than a few slices of zucchini and eggplants and a handful of carrots and broccoli. The most remarkable thing about eating out is the shear number of pilgrims crowding every restaurant. And, of course, we're the only ones dining at 6:00 p.m. in a country where the dinner hour typically is just getting started at 9:00.

      We're now well under fifty kilometers to our destination and, by the end of the day tomorrow we'll be under twenty to go.

      Rain is in the forecast for both days but it's in no way dimming the light at the end of the tunnel.
      Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Caldas de Reis, كالداس دي رييس, Caldas de Reyes, کالداس د ریس, カルダス・デ・レイス, Кальдас-де-Рейес, Кальдас-де-Рейс, 卡尔达斯德雷斯

    Join us:

    FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android