Camino: Portomarin to Palas del Rei

Pousada de Portomarín

We meet at 8:30 for a briefing and to begin our walk, as well as a hotel change.  We get just one night in the Pousada de Portomarin, which is a Parador no more.  It still shows many of the indicators of having been a  Parador hotel, but just is not up to the visual, historic or architectural standards one has come to expect from the chain.

We will get to Pazo de Sedor this afternoon (Sunday) in a driving rain, but that is appropriate because it is what we walk through most of the day! My camera is safely packed away from the moisture, but that means I take few photographs today. Some of these here are by Alex and Cate.

Alex briefs

At the beginning, in the morning, I left the hotel parking lot fully prepared for rain because it rained overnight and was still threatening.  A poncho-clad Alex gave us a briefing about the San Nicolas church (which was still closed at that hour on a Sunday -- go figure?).

As we walked out of town in Portomarin, across the river, and began the uphill climb, it got warmer and sunnier and I took off all the extra rain gear.  We proceeded uphill through forests and more open fields, especially with pine trees on the sides, and it seemed possible the rain and storm were over.  There were even moments of bright sun and high wispy clouds.

Pre-Roman castro ruins

Finally we arrived at Castromayor to find Alex sitting under a tree and wearing a beret from the Basque Country.  I bought some of the recommended almonds from Flora who runs the little bar, and also got a stamp.  Alex offered to lead us up to an ancient castro – the old stone enclosures/forts/villages and animal pens used by the Celtic people who were here before the Romans arrived.  It was really impressive, even if some of it has been reconstructed in recent years.

Then, while we were looking at the 2000-year old castro, it started blowing and raining really hard.  I thought Karen was going to blow off of the ridge while we stood there, and Mary Ellen actually lost her hat when it got snatched by the wind.   We got thoroughly soaked very quickly, and then walked in horizontal rain for a couple of hours.   It was hard to see much of our surroundings or to admire the views because I had my head down against the wind and rain all the time.  Certainly I took few pictures.  Alex later told us the wind was 43 km/hour and the temperature was 62 degrees, and we had 18 millimeters of rain.

As we came down to Ligonde with Alex walking along with us, we came to the cruceiro, a large stone crucifix along the side of the road.  I did take my backpack off long enough to snap a picture or two, but quickly put it back on.  It’s cold out there!

On one side is a crucifix with Christ extending one hand, as though to encourage the pilgrims, while on the other side is the Virgin with the baby Jesus and the tools for the crucifixion were at the foot of the statue.  This was right beside the proverbial 1000-year-old oak tree which has been an object of pagan veneration since long before Christianity.   More marching brought us to Etrexe, where the restaurant Waldemar welcomed us on the left side of the Camino.  With all the wet clothing and wood furniture, it smelled like a ski lodge.  The food however was great, with me ordering macaroni pasta with tuna and a second plate of eggs and ham.  It felt good to get warm and a little drier.

It had quit raining when we went in for lunch, but then it started again with the blowing and raining as we departed for our last walk to Palas del Rei  I don’t think I even saw the villages that we walked through.  Fortunately, I had put on rain pants and green rain jacket for that outing, and left my camera on the bus.  In the 60 degree weather the rain jacket and pants were just right for the temperature and the winds.  Moreover, the system works – I stayed dry, if you don’t count my shoes and socks.

Finally we are walking down the hills into Palas del Rei.  The city fathers or someone has paved some of the trail, so it’s easier to walk down and you don’t get lost – at least not until you stop in the little church  (Iglesia románica de Vilar de Donas) for a couple of stamps. Just beyond there, after a slight mis-direction on where the Camino is, we find the Café Britania – a welcome and warm place to get a beer and await the arrival of others.  Our GPS total for the day is 16 miles, in a bit over five hours of walking time.

We drove via the bus to the “Pazo de Sedor” in Melide, got to our rooms and warmed up with a hot shower.  The wifi is a bit sketchy, but dinner was fantastic – a grilled medley of vegetables topped with the local cheese from Arzúa, the next town over. That was followed by a tenderloin of pork cooked in olive oil and topped with a cheese, butter and nata sauce that had everyone licking their spoons.  The nice little lemon mousse dessert was great too.

Carl and Pazo, the following morning

This Pazo is beautiful and it is filled with antique furniture, but it is hard to appreciate the gardens or other outdoor features in this wind.  Fall has certainly arrived in Spain today. We are hoping for slightly better weather tomorrow .  Maybe not much warmer, but a little less rain and less wind would be nice.   

Despite the rain, it is rewarding how many times one member of our group will – completely spontaneously and unprompted – exclaim “What a great trip this is – I’m so glad I decided to come.”  I’ve heard things like that from both experienced travelers and people who admit they barely understood where they were going at the point they signed up.  Everyone seems to like Alex and Cate as guides and supporters, and I have not heard a single complaint.