Thursday, May 26, it’s repeat again: Walk Eat Sleep….. And we start with waking up and this whole in albergue procedure first. It’s not the best night, was awake several times. But duty calls, we have to move on.
Leaving the albergue, go left and first Street right and the sign is already there. Don’t walk back to the bridge when you can pick up the trail closer to your start.
It goes a bit down and then up… Up…… Up….. down…… Up…… but it’s not as steep and long…. Almost no pilgrims yet, it’s not very early, but the village I stayed is not so much used for a stopover. Even the backpipe player isn’t there yet….. Last year he played but when we passed by it was already 11 or so. A bit further on there was already 1 stand open where you can get a stamp, coffee, snacks and other things, but I move on……
A bit later, the lady with her stand was not open too, all here stuff were still packed in plastic, nobody there and nobody takes. So move on then, on to Pontevedra. Around 9.30 I arrive in Pontevedra have a cappuccino and croissant after I visited the churches. When it’s finished, up and away.
To the bridge to leave this Ponte and walk through backstreet’s. After a few km you’ll reach the place where you can diverse to the Spiritual variant. Which was my intention first, but I will stay at the Central. There’s an Albergue in Caldes des Reis with a nice old fashioned seal for you credential. That’s where I will go.
It’s getting warmer by the minute. The forecast was 30 degrees. The route is familiar but know I remember that last year’s entry in Pontevedra was different…… That time we took the complinentario route….. Now I followed the original route…… Good morning!!!!!
Ok let’s pay attention where I am going…. It gets more crowded on the road. It looks al familiar and I keep repeating myself…..
I have a late lunch, where I meet 3 Filipinos from the U.S. of A. I ordered something to drink, tortilla and a bocadillo hamon chessoo. This last on is huge…… but I finish it…..
Now it’s just 11 km to Caldas….. in the heat of the day, in the traffic jam of pilgrims….. But we get there eventually. The Albergue is in the city, with a detour I reached it….. There is roadblock ahead.
At the registration I receive my special celio of this Albergue. She showed me my bed and I could start my rituals upon arrival. And it’s laundry day again…….
Afterward a walk through the town, a drink and past 19.00 a dinner…….. And the pilgrims ritual starts or ends once again.