Spain
Punta Ullo

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    • Day 14

      Day 13 - Redondela to Pontevedra

      May 5 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

      I know the saying “only mad dogs and Englishmen” usually refers to being out in hot weather, but I’m sure it also applies to the inclement, pour down, soaked to the bone weather we had today. When we looked out the window this morning, it looked like a drizzle, and then it came down harder. And harder. And harder. So, ponchos on, caps on to save ourselves from the waterboarding ahead, we took to the road.

      Ok, let’s be honest - it was a difficult day. But in a good way, in that, yes there were hills, and paths that became rivers, and not enough cafes to stop at, but none of it was insurmountable. It was what it was. And we did a grand job of it. We laughed, talked, sometimes said nothing, kissed on bridges, held hands, chatted to other walkers (why do they insist on talking politics???), and we made it to Pontevedra. Tonight we are staying in a hostel (Paul’s first), and we had a lovely dinner, even if the waiter forgot to put half our order through, and we had ice cream on the way back, and now I’m tucked up in my top bunk bed with Paul below, and I feel “good tired”.

      We met one cat.
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    • Day 6

      Day 2 from Arcade to Pontevedra

      August 30 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

      Today was supposed to be an easy day with our walk being about 7 miles…. But we went about 10.5 miles. And there were many very steep hills. Turns out the Camino trail we thought we were going on is closed for construction for a week, and the alternative was the more challenging version with many very big hills.Read more

    • Day 10–11

      Pontevedra

      October 17 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

      In Windeseile absolvierte ich die heutige 22km lange Etappe. Ich wollte alle Pilger überholen. Hat aber nicht ganz geklappt. Als ich hier war, liefen immer noch welche vor mir🙄. Morgen geht es auf einen neuen Weg. Den Camiño Espiritual. Er dauert 3 Tage und endet mit einer Bootsfahrt nach Padron. Ich bin gespannt, was die neue Strecke für mich bereit hält. Laut Berichten soll sie was ganz besonderes sein. Schauen wir mal.Read more

    • Day 17

      Insanity: Arcade to Pontevedra

      May 16, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

      I left my too big, two-bedroom apartment in blue collar Arcade this morning via another Roman bridge. This one sports a thin sidewalk right next to a working roadway. I can see drivers’ eyebrows as they whiz past.

      Eh, ya seen one Roman bridge…I don’t dawdle.

      It’s more than personal safety driving me off the bridge. I’m suffering from historical architecture overload today. The stone homes and medieval churches heading out of town are beautiful and interesting. They’re also ubiquitous. They’ve been ubiquitous since day one.

      Also, my foot still aches, so the hilly suburbs north of Arcade, no matter their quaintness, do nothing to lighten my mood. Which I’m sure is a contributing factor to my response when the path crosses a road and enters a shady, wooded area. I am suddenly thinking of Pennywise the Clown, and Steven King’s fictional New England towns studded with forested parks where all kinds of kids go missing.

      So…yeah….kinda in a bad mood.

      Still, the forest path is undeniably beautiful. It follows a river. And then, over the sound of water, I hear music. I’ve reached the bagpipe guy! This famous fellow plays pretty much every day for pilgrims. He’s talented, which is important for an instrument that often sounds like the player is squeezing a bag of cats to death. But this is lovely, yowl-free music.My mood lifts with the tune. It’s the kind of magic I needed today.

      The path continues to climb ( of course) through the forest, the substrate changing from carved stones to jumbled boulders to gnarled tree roots, and then back though the repertoire. If I don’t watch where I put my feet, I’ll fall for sure. But no bloodthirsty clowns have shown up, so things are looking up even if I can’t.

      I get a pilgrim’s stamp from a fellow with a donativo stand along the path, the first of many. He’s giving everyone directions to the alternative path that skips the industrial section of town. Nice guy. Just a bit further I come across a length of steel grid fence into which perigrinos have woven hundreds of crosses made from sticks and bark found on the path. I also encounter a repeating chalked pink heart on the path’s stones. The pilgrims before me have felt the angst of these last few climbing days, so have left messages of encouragement. More magic.

      There’s an element of insanity necessary in walking 10-plus miles a day with only a vague idea of what the Camino or the next stop will throw at you, good and bad. But it’s a magical insanity. At some point today, I gave in to it. Supernatural spider or bagpipe lullabies, I say, ‘Bring it!’

      I am, however, still alone and craving the sound of my own language. Some 200 or so pilgrims have zipped past my hobbling self today. They travel in packs, speaking Spanish and German and French. Sometimes someone will give me a worried look as they wish me “Buen Camino,” but everyone is in a rush to get a bed or a beer at the next town.

      When Richard and Moira wander up behind me speaking Canadian English, I pounce. They’re happy to have my company, and they’re in no hurry. Richard comments on the happy birdsong, and Moira stops to take pictures of butterflies. They are perfect company for this bit of Into the Woods travel.

      We reach the big city of Redondela in the afternoon. I take a left at the roundabout, scurrying across the street. But Richard and Moira are going straight. I turn around to find them across several lanes of afternoon, big city traffic. We’re all too worn out to regroup. Moira waves and hollers across the traffic:

      “It was lovely walking with you today, Tammy.”

      I have just enough time to snap a photo of them scurrying across an intersection, and then ‘poof!’ They’re gone.

      This is an integral part of the magical insanity of the Camino. You make some friends only to lose them a couple of hours later.

      It’s ok. I don’t need the Canadian couples WhatsApp number. We came though the magical wood together and went our merry ways. And now I’m humming ‘No One is Alone,’ from Sondheim’s Into the Woods. This is a significant improvement over this mornings sewer clown imaginings.
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    • Day 13

      Arcade-Pontevedra (13 km)

      April 13, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

      Regen und Sonne gab es heute im Wechsel.
      Die Strecke war wunderschön zu Pilgern und selbst die Anstiege gingen locker von den Füßen.
      In den Pausen hatte ich immer Glück mit dem Wetter.
      Sergio habe ich heute gleich zweimal getroffen.
      3km vor Pontevedra entschied ich mich für den längeren aber schöneren Weg am Fluss entlang. Es war die richtige Entscheidung. Der zusätzliche Kilometer wurde mit viel Wald und angenehmen Untergrund belohnt.
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    • Day 11

      A Ponte nach Pontevedra 12,6km

      June 13, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

      Die Nacht war zu kurz. Eigentlich würde ich gerne hier in meinem Zimmer liegen bleiben. Die Kraftreserven sind fast am Ende. Also beschließen wir heute einen kurzen Weg zu laufen. Pontevedra ist die nächst größere Stadt und auch nicht so weit weg. Wir hoffen einfach, dass wir den Rest der Etappen dann wieder motiviert und kraftvoll schaffen. Ich suche uns ein Appartement mit 4 Zimmern im Zentrum raus und los geht es. Als wenn wir es geahnt hätten, sind die Wege heute auch sehr felsig oder mit Wurzeln durchzogen. Man muss höllisch aufpassen den Halt nicht zu verlieren. Angekommen merkt man sofort wie fertig jeder ist. Wir verschwinden alle in unsere Zimmer und ruhen uns erst mal aus. Später erkunde ich alleine die Stadt. Da ab 16 Uhr in Spanien Siesta ist, sind kaum Menschen in den Gassen. Die Restaurants öffnen erst um 19 Uhr, also gibts heute gehen den Hunger wieder Fast Food. Eine Weile liege ich noch auf dem Sofa, höre Musik und mach sonst nix. Noch bevor die Sonne untergegangen ist lege ich mich ins Bett und schlafe ein.Read more

    • Day 4

      Intentions

      March 25 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

      I set off from Arcade at 7.08am. I'm a bit scared as the sun is not up yet but the forecast is for rain at 10am and I want to get to my next stop before then. Google says I have 2.5hrs to walk to my next accommodation of I take their route, the Camino however takes a route that goes through wooded areas to avoid the streets as much as possible so I know it'll take a bit longer. I don't like walking in mud so off I go. 2 male pilgrims leave the albergue before me so I know there will at least be fellow pilgrims on the trail. Also 3 females are preparing to set off after me so there will be followers soon.

      It's pretty dark when I set off and the route goes up some stairs. What a way to start off! Soon I leave the town behind and start in the woods. Time to start taking pics of myself before the trail gets busy. Another pilgrim speeds past me. What kind of pace do some of them make! Are they even enjoying the surroundings? They make it seem like exercise. Either way everyone has their own way of doing the Camino.

      Then I start thinking of what I want out of today. Christaff gave me the great idea to have an intention for what I'd like at the end of the day. This helps to focus my mind and reinforces that the manifestion works. My last 2 days I've actually gotten what I asked for at the end of the day. We'll see if today is the same. I set my intention and keep walking.
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    • Day 20

      Arcade to Pontevedra

      October 1, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

      We had our second hill after Arcade. This was mostly on soft paths through forests, so I enjoyed the climb a lot more.

      We stopped at a roadside ‘tienda’ for a chocolate bar. It was well set up, with bales for seats, and a friendly dog.

      Entering Pontevedra there is a Complimentario route, which goes along a small stream. It was a bit longer, but was in the shade. It is a very nice path.

      Tonight we are living in luxury with a private room for two. With towels and sheets!
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