Museo de Pontevedra

The Rias Bajas was perfectly nice. Clean and well organised. If I were here again, though, I’d probably stay a little out of town; the centre’s very commercial with not much of a local feel to it.

The Basilica - Santa Maria a Grande - is compact, but worth a visit; as is the Santuario da Peregrina. Good view from the top.

Otherwise, Pontevedra on a damp Tuesday [On a majority vote, although it’s by no means conclusive, it’s probably Monday] evening is inoffensive. The dining is largely more upmarket than I’m in the mood for, more rotary club than working men’s club (apologies Rotarians) I think the outer fringes probably have more of the bars where the builders start the day with a half-pint of brandy and the occasional short swarthy Spaniard runs in, shouts something incomprehensible, and runs out again.

Even here someone’s prepared to order a cheese sandwich and a bottle of water online and get someone to bike it over. Thank God that attitude’s not spread to Ukraine. [Time for bed, obviously]

The weather forecast for tomorrow’s improved now; but the two days’ rain seems to have converged on Thursday when I hope to arrive in Padron.

I’m starting to feel like it’s time to lay off the food and drink for a while. I’ve never understood the ‘how much weight did you lose on Camino?’ threads. Obviously a decent breakfast’s a necessary precaution, but I then struggle to get through to about 2030 when anywhere worthwhile’s got the grill on, and if I’m in the queue for three courses and some beer at Spanish lunchtime, that’s me done for the day. I’ve never approached Santiago from the south; perhaps the ‘all day peregrino’ culture will be more evident a little closer?

[Things that would have to happen in the unlikely event of me ever being in charge of anything ever again, #24: if you close your cafeteria you must remove all the signs which promise “Cafeteria open 200m this way”.]

[And whilst I’m on the topic #25: you will clearly indicate which of the two (or three - I don’t care anymore, they’ve worn me down) toilets I’m supposed to use with a clear internationally recognised symbol, not some comedy photograph or supposedly funny local joke. It’s a bar, you should want your clients to be impaired by alcohol, it’s how you make a living you moron.]Read more