Camino magic exists.
Cute little guy I named Benny accompanied us for a while.
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| The view from the window of our hotel in Redondela. |
Up early and down to the included breakfast at 7:30 this morning. We wanted to get into our next accommodation at a decent hour today so we can have a little down time to rest. Gina and Bill insisted on having breakfast with us, even though they were laying over here, as you never know if your paths will cross again. We bid adieu and headed out into the misty city morning. The guy at the front desk said we could get the Camino at the cathedral Santa Marta. No luck with finding any arrows. We headed north through the busy city streets asking along the way, only to be met with blank faces. No other pilgrims to follow either. Of course it can't be easy. Oh well we knew we were headed in the right direction and if worse comes to worse, my phone is charged and ready to get us to Redondela, our next stop.
Finally after walking block after block of busy urban streets, we opened our guidebook and picked an alburgue outside city limits that looks to be on the Camino path. The streets we climbed to get there have nothing on San Francisco! These were steep! Right before the alburgue, we picked up the arrows. You don't know what a welcome and comforting sight they are. They seem to take on a life and energy of their own, as if they are some benevolent entity saying "come! This way! You are not lost ". This is the Camino.
We came to a forested path called the Senda de Agua. It was so welcome and so peaceful. We really needed this after the cacophony of Vigo. We also needed to sit and take a rest and John said, "Wouldn't it be nice if around the next corner there would be a picnic table and let's just throw in a waterfall." We both laughed just happy to be in a peaceful place with no traffic. Now there is a thing around these journeys called "Camino magic ". Can you guess what is about to happen? I hardly believe it myself. Around the next corner, you guessed it, was a picnic table and a waterfall. Who knows if it truly exists or if the spirit of the Camino just magically provides us a little treat. See the picture above. Proof. I am not making this stuff up!
Finally walked into Redondela where the coastal route and the interior Portuguese route meet up. Up until now, this has been a more solitary walk but here we find LOTS of pilgrims now. Had a beer at a café while John secured reservations at the hotel. We had to go to the coffee shop around the corner to check in since there was no reception. Very nice and comfy room for 50€.
Napped after buying a sub par salad at the grocery and eating some of our snacks from the breakfast. John was dying for fresh veggies and ham and cheese sandwich is getting old fast.
Ventured out later and found a really cool bar that serves craft beer! Yay for John! I just felt like the delicious and cold Albarino vino. A tapas with each round complimentary. The couple across from us started to chat us up and recommend a beer to John. We learned that they are Mexicans living in Spain for the last 27 years! They asked if we would be up for going with them to a local bar that was their favorite. I begged off saying we really needed to go to bed since we had to get up and walk in the morning. Rodrigo (Roy) spoke our language by saying that we should not pass up opportunities for experiences presented. Of course not! Left in his Mercedes (every one in Europe seems to drive Beemers and Mercedes ) with he and Mar, his girlfriend and spent an hour or so drinking the yellow local liquor so common to this area and learning some Spanish curse words. The people were all so nice to us and interested in our journey. They were very supportive like when we told them where our destination was for tomorrow, they laughed and said, "Man, I can drive there in 5 minutes! "
In bed sometime after midnight. This has got to stop. Hahaha
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