We left in mist at the usual time and made fairly good progress through wood and lane for nine kilometres to Portomarin - a small town on a hill and sat by a lake - with the aim of catching the girls as they set out. But we were later than we had hoped and they left earlier than usual meaning we missed them by ten minutes, so we set off out of town to catch them. It was great to see them all again and to meet Robin's husband and grandson and after briefly sharing stories we set off in good weather for a relaxed walk through landscapes similar to yesterday. For Gale and I it was nice to not be trying to push on as far as possible and we relaxed into the day enjoying the lengthy breaks that we could now make.
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| Portomarin |
The most noticeable thing about today is the number of people that have now joined the Camino. I knew there would be more but did not expect what I have seen; there is a whole tsunami of freshly laundered pilgrims on the route now. In the short time that Gale and I sat on the path outside Portomarin, group after group walked past, groups of twenty to thirty all smelling of soap and washing powder. It made us wonder what we must smell like after our six days of extended walking. The crowds are more noisy, the cafes are heaving - and larger to meet the demand - and despite the numbers the 'buen Caminos' seem less frequent and less heartfelt, both from walkers and from locals. And there also seems to be a different attitude now that I can not quite place; maybe I simply can not relate to the numbers compared to the previous four weeks. Oh, and neither can I relate to the coaches that seem to plough between the various cafes - clearly linked to the groups somehow - or the taxis that pass you along the way taking struggling walkers forward.
Because of the numbers of people we initially thought it prudent to phone ahead and book a hostel during the course of the day. However, the one we chose was full so we opted to 'let the Camino decide' once we got to Palas de Reí. However, by the time we arrived and had snacked and drank in a bar, the idea of searching the town for accommodation just didn’t seem to resonate and so we have ended up in a hotel next to the bar. The fact that I am paying the same for one night as I might for a week in a municipal albergue seems irrelevant and a worthwhile reward for the last few days.
Robin and her family had an albergue slightly out of town so caught a taxi there, agreeing to meet us in the morning, so Gale, Janna, Myra and I found a small restaurant for dinner. Sadly they had run out of octopus but I had a great meal nevertheless and I headed off to bed knowing that I wouldn’t have a 6.30 start in the morning....
I also sensed a different attitude as the road got busier. Many 'new pilgrim's seemed to be on a 'touristy'type agenda driven quest, ticking boxes as they talked of 'walking the Camino. Each to their own I suppose!
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