A glimpse into the journal I kept for all 38 days on the Camino Frances, including up to 10 photos (not necessarily the best pictures but more that they represent that day in some particular way). Today is day 35 – May 25th. Portomarin to Palas del Rei
Lovely mist over the river when I left about 7am today. Didn’t have breakfast but not sure if that is why I still felt so energy-less. I probably need a rest day! Today’s walk was more countryside, road, and random villages. I stopped for breakfast at a roadside café-bar about 7km into the walk. Was crappy but I needed the food. …
Today, I stopped three times in total – my second stop was for a real breakfast but the place only had bocadillos so I only had a hot chocolate. Third stop was at a place in the middle of the countryside. By that time, it was probably about 11am and I was walking with Peter the German. Nice guy – we ended up walking together for a couple hours. The conversation ranged from Chancellor Angela Merkel and the EU economy to a German story called Nathan the Wise (a fascinating story that includes a parable featuring a ring – the story is about religion and religious tolerance). We parted ways at the church in Palas del Rei after we each got a photo of both of us with our respective cameras.
I got lost trying to find the municipal albergue so I asked one lady for directions but she wouldn’t help – she almost looked afraid of me or something. It was very weird. A young couple directed me instead and I eventually found it. However, the place was full even though I’d arrived just after 2pm. They’d been full a long time, apparently. Off I went to another albergue which thankfully had space. I didn’t enjoy the walk back and forth through Palas del Rei. It was a busy Saturday early afternoon and the town was ugly.
Ran into Irish Derek and Australian Claire again. We had dinner with an Irish family, tapas style. A break from the pilgrim menu! Had tortilla, roasted salted green chili peppers, bread, lovely cheese, a charcuterie plate, and pulpo. It had a strange texture and taste, the pulpo. But what did I expect from boiled octopus only sprinkled with paprika… I had two pieces – one with suckers and one without. Will never have pulpo again, I think…
Got sick again so somewhere in my food today, there was fresh pork. It’s like Russian roulette, eating in Spain!
Wow! You’re lucky you found a place to stay. After already feeling tired that would’ve been a miserable turn of events.
I was going to say your food sounded delicious until you got to the pulpo, ugh, that does not appeal!
LOL yeah, I’m not sure anyone likes pulpo unless one has grown up on it.
Can you hurry up and go take another month long trip somewhere? I don’t want your daily postings to end!
hahaha! oh, I want to go on a month long trip, that’s for sure!! Unfortunately, not happening until next spring. Until then, little trips only…