Oct. 27: Barbadelo – 16 miles
Today, with no mist, we can appreciate the beautiful forest. The ups and downs go on forever, as do the amazing vistas. The water crossings – never my favorite – take all my concentration. I stop halfway through, realizing the next rock is more rounded than the others and I’ll have to balance myself before making my way to the next one. There’s nothing to do but move forward. I finish the day’s walk with even more of a spring in my step, proud of myself for overcoming the challenging day. 

We’re surprised to come upon an English couple who are artists and have built their studio and home on the Camino. We were impressed to see a poster advertising a show they had at Windsor Castle, and we stopped to chat a bit. 

Out of nowhere, we see an area with a sitting area and food offered for a donation. This resting place looks to be larger and more organized than the similar stops we’ve come across before. It even has an area for sound therapy, meditation, and a labyrinth. We are greeted warmly by a young woman from California, who takes our order for café con leches. She tells us she happened to stop here on a rainy day. She said something told her to stay and she’s been here for a couple of days volunteering. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We first came across the cabins at Casa Barbadelo in 2016. We were sorry we didn’t stay back then and decided to reserve it this time. Set up more like a motel, with outside access to the rooms, they are rustic but quite nice. We are staying right next door to the Norwegian couple we keep crossing paths with and we finally get the chance to have dinner together. 

He is a tall man, with blond wavy hair down to his shoulders that any woman would kill for. She is blond and petite. They live near the Arctic border and have a house in Spain that they will head to after the Camino. An Australian pilgrim joins us and tells us about his adventures on the Kumano Kodo, the Japanese Camino, and hiking in Nepal. 

We invite a woman from Nevada, who’s about to dine alone, to also join us. She tells us she likes to hike all over the U.S. by herself. Her car is always packed and ready to go, in case the spirit moves her. It takes most pilgrims about a month to walk the French route, but she nonchalantly mentions she’s a slow walker and it’s already taken her two months to get to this point. 

We enjoyed the lively conversation while soft music plays in the background. We are excited to see that rice is offered on this menu. This is different from the French fries served at each meal! The entrée, a thin, delicious steak with a mushroom sauce, rounds out a perfect evening! 

Oct. 28: Portomarin – 15 miles

It’s a beautiful day and the woodland path is gravel, a nice change of pace for our feet. We walked along forest paths and tree-lined lanes until we came to a beautiful spot. With a lovely outdoor patio, soft music playing, and outstanding views, it seemed this contemporary restaurant, Mercadoiro, was waiting for us to stop there for lunch. It’s no surprise that we vote their Caldo Gallego the best we’ve enjoyed on the Camino, to date. 

Happy and content, we continue onward. Up ahead, we see pilgrims all lined up in single file and now, we remember why. One by one, each person heads down a rocky gorge that sits deep into the earth. When it’s my turn, I take a moment to consider if I should shimmy down on my posterior or walk down on foot. It’s so steep, my hiking poles will be of no help. I stand there for what seems like minutes, wishing no one was behind me and wondering what would happen if just one person behind us lost their footing. Would they knock us all down like bowling pins?

A moment later, a young Spanish man turns around to face me. He smiles, holds out his hands, and walks me down and out of the gorge. I can’t thank him enough. I tell him he is “muy fuerte” (very strong) and hug him and his wife goodbye. 

And if this wasn’t enough for one day, we next crossed a long bridge. What made it so uncomfortable was that the barriers are unusually low on both the river and traffic side. We put our heads down and walk as fast as we can before vertigo has a chance to set in.

 

 

 

 

 

We’re almost in town, except for the steep staircase that now stands before us. At this point, all we can do is laugh and head upward, taking turns announcing out loud what we might eat and drink tonight after a hot shower. 

Is that the Vista Alegre Hotel or is it a mirage? The white structure has an almost Moroccan feel, with its welcoming carved wooden door and arched stone entrance. Our lovely contemporary all-white room is crisp and bright. We are sorry we don’t have the time to relax on our floor’s outdoor sitting area or visit the spa. 

We step out of our room and just at the same moment, our Australian friend is exiting the room right next to us. After a good laugh, she tells us she’s headed to join her husband. He says he’s found a lovely spot for a drink, and she invites us along. We all sit at a table by the river and chat. After a walk around town and a nice meal, we’ve forgotten all it took to get here today. 

Oct. 29: Palas de Rei – 17 miles

The weather is cool today, with just enough sun to warm us. We walk in and out of forests and fields, but soon realize those long, low inclines fool us and seem to go on forever. We come upon another rocky gorge. It’s smaller and, this time, we’re the only ones walking down it, so we can take our time and maneuver more comfortably. Feeling great after another delicious Caldo Gallego lunch stop, we realize we are only halfway to our destination. 

We immediately liked our room at Pensión Pardellas, with its stone wall, balcony, and artistic black-and-white area photos on the walls. The shower is great too, an added plus. 

Mr. Wiz reminds me that in 2018 we had a drink at Castro, so we decided to treat ourselves to dinner at this lovely restaurant. On the way, we pass our Norwegian and Australian friends on the street. Both have decided they’re exhausted and plan to shop for food and eat in their rooms. 

We happened to sit next to an Australian couple celebrating the husband’s birthday. After some Camino chatter, he mentioned he had lived and worked in Ferrol. We’ve considered stopping there, are delighted to receive some inside information, and thank them as they leave. 

It seems hunger has won out over exhaustion and our Australian friends are seated at the only available table, which happens to be right next to us! We toast to Camino coincidences, and I’m convinced we would be friends if we didn’t live a continent away from each other.