Palas de Rei to Arzúa

Friday, May 20, 2016

A sunny day from Palas de Rei to Arzúa    Walking day #29

Today was a beautiful day, but just a little warm for a long walk, especially uphill (the last 3 kilometers were uphill, sometimes steeply).

This was a long day at over 28 kilometers (18 miles). And, at about 26-27 degrees C (78-80 degrees Fahrenheit),  it was the warmest day in Spain since I started walking the Camino on April 18, 2016. Very early in the morning, I shed my gloves and rain jacket, walking in a fairly thin long-sleeved base-layer over a short-sleeved base-layer. In the afternoon, I pushed my sleeves up, and was tempted to remove the outer layer completely. It was not unbearably hot, but warm enough that while walking with a backpack, we were all sweating, and drinking water.

Walking down from my hotel outside Palas de Rei into the relatively small town of Palas de Rei. At 8:15 AM, it was cool, but warmer than previous days, and I could tell this would be a very nice day. This photograph is of the pleasant walk of about 1 kilometer into the actual town of Palas de Rei.

The Camino path goes by many churches. This is outside of the main Palas de Rei church, a little smaller than I would have expected for a town of almost 5000 population. (And I base that on my having seen much larger churches in smaller towns.)

Inside of the Palas de Rei church. It is fairly simple and elegant, with much of the decoration visible in this photograph. I got a sello (stamp) here, as I do at most churches that are open when we pass by.

A Camino way marker in Palas de Rei - note the Knights Templar cross indicating a high influence in this area.

One of the Galician Camino way markers indicating only 60 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela. I am told the markers indicate the distance to the city limits, and there are four more kilometers from the city limits to the cathedral. My hotel is across the square from the cathedral, so I will be walking those four kilometers (and in just two more days).

The path much of the day today was in the forest or farmland (more forest than farmland), thankfully shading us from the sun.

And this area is not quite as shady, but still in the forest.

Someone saw this lizard on a stone wall in the moss. Everyone stopped to take pictures and videos. The lizard was very patient.

I met a mother, son, and daughter (both adults) from the Philippines. The mother took my picture about to cross the bridge into the small town of O Coto. I was hoping to talk with them more, but when I went into the church and then stopped for lunch, they continued on.

An ancient Camino way marker on the side of the Church of Santa Maria XIII In O Coto.

The side entrance to the Church of Santa Maria XIII. This was the only door open.

Inside the Church of Santa Maria XIII. I also got a stamp here.

This is the back and main entrance. I could not figure out how one gets to the back, as it is surrounded by a stone wall.

Just down the street, I stopped for a lunch of eggs, chorizo, and potatoes. I came upon Mark (maybe spelled Marque) from Toulouse, France. I have walked with Mark many times. Mark and his wife started at their home in Toulouse, walked the Camino route known as the Camino de Arles which takes a different route into Spain, meeting up with the Camino Frances (the route I am walking) at Logroño. His wife was over t the church, and they left on down the road before I finished my lunch.

In Melide, a decent-sized town of 8000 (but with busy traffic), a Camino way marker indicates 52.5 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela.

Back in the woods, and there I am on a stone bridge across a creek. I had been walking with a group of young ladies from Stanford University who are studying in Madrid and as a summer project, walking the last 100 kilometers of the Camino de Santiago. I walked with them off and on much of the day. I took pictures on their phones of them on this bridge so they did the same for me. 

And while taking this picture of the field by the woods, I met Irene and her daughter Maria from Ecuador, the first people I have met from Ecuador.

Irene took this picture of me just before we moved on. (You can really see how short my hair is here - I had it cut before I left for Europe, cut shorter in Paris, and then trimmed again in Portomarín...it seems really short.)

A Camino way marker in Arzú, just a few hundred meters from my hotel.

Irene and Maria as we were saying farewell. I enjoyed their company and hope I see them down the road again or in Santiago on Sunday.

Next: Arzúa to Amenal, maybe in the rain, but relatively flat.