Buen camino! Arcade to Pontevedra

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With only 14km today, we were happy to have a relaxing day! The “camino Portugues de la costa” meets again the “camino Portugues interior”. More pilgrims are on the same way and more stations to get coffee, tea, a sandwich or simply a stamp can be found along the way. Pilgrims get a ”pilgrim’s passport”. Two stamps per day are required, as a proof that the camino was walked. 100km for walking is finally required to get a certificate of having done the pilgrimage. Many would say, that they don't do it for the certificate, but stamps are in great demand.

“Buen Camino” is the greeting in Spanish when meeting a pilgrim. All have their own motivation or reason why to walk this path. Some search for answers, others for inspiration or are about deciding something important. Others do the pilgrimage for a person, who needs support or health, or for saying farewell to somebody who died recently, or for a cause, like peace. All are on the same path, people meet in silence, or some share thoughts on the go. Some walk quick as it would be a sport competition, others listen to music, are in a contemplative state or do their steps suffering. Suffering from the walking of the days before or simply as it is their wish to do this pilgrimage as long as they still are able to.

The atmosphere is peaceful and open. Only after a few km one starts to be in a steady state of focusing on steps, nature, calming down own thoughts….

Today we were walking on many very nice routes, along a small creek, though fields and forests. The light rain did not disturb much. It was nice to sit down on hay bales, have a tea and a chat with others. Finally we arrived in the sun in Pontevedra!

After a late lunch we enjoyed the time to walk in the old town of Pontevedra. Besides of many beautiful buildings - we especially like the type of closed balcony we would call veranda - and medieval streets and big squares, this was the first time we got the feeling, that the catholic church shows interest in the pilgrims. Many churches and chapels on the way we found locked. Here at Santa Maria la Mayor a group welcomed pilgrims, explained the church as a building and also explained where to get help or whom to speak with if one would like to do so. There were a folder and also single cards where topics for prayers in the mass are taken up. A bit further in the Sanctuary where Mary had appeared some decades ago, a group was very happy to welcome anyone and guided through the building.

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