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Published: November 30th 2017
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Santa Maria de BaionaI'm trying to get caught up on my blog posts, so you may see several in the next few days. We're actually In Madrid now, having made it to Santiago last Sunday.
Sunday, November 19 to Baiona, Hostel Santa Maria Playa, 12.3 kms. It was dark again when we left at 7:45 and stayed that way for quite a while as we had mountains to our right that blocked the sun. Although it was just 12 kms. to our room at Baiona we were trying to catch the 12:00 or 1:00 Mass at Santa Maria de Baiona, a 13
th century built church.. Again, no breakfast until 9:00, it being a Sunday, but the hotel made us a small tray of bread, oranges and juice, but no coffee! We thought we’d find something on the way, but nada. Everything’s closed on Sunday, and we didn’t get our coffee until Baiona. We found the church in time for the 12:00 Mass, sat down in a cold cold stone church and figured it was us and 5 old ladies. We waited and waited and waited. Around 12:15 the bells rang, more people filed in, and finally Mass started at 12:30. Turns
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Baiona - our destination out the diocesan website is wrong. After Mass a gentleman approached us as we were putting on our backpacks and took us back to the sacristy where the priest was delighted to see us. He took out a big book and recorded our names in it (numbers 794 and 795) copied information from our credencials and stamped them, asked us our ages and former occupations, and gave us a blessing. When I told him I was 69 he said he was too and that today was his birthday. We made it to our place early and were disappointed that they did not have a clothes washer (a review on Booking.com said they did), so Charlie went out to a nearby laundromat. I wish we had more time to explore Baiona, a medieval city, but we’re already 3 days behind our original plan. Happy birthday to our darling daughter, Heather!
Monday, November 20th to Vigo, Hotel Nautica, 25.2 kms. I had a bad night – stomach cramps and was still having problems in the morning. I was in another “I want to go home” mood. Charlie went out and bought me some yogurt and gluten-free cookies. I felt better, and
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The start of the Green Arrows we finally got going around 9:00. We were able to walk pretty close to the seashore part of the day – along walkways through the cities coming out of Baiona, walkways along the river, built years ago for the residents – some of the light poles had the date 1882 on them. We were following the optional route closest to the water, and green, not yellow, arrows led the way. Later we had some road walking, but with wide sidewalks next to the cyclists path. The way into Vigo was exhausting. We’d been told at the restaurant where we had lunch that it was 7 kms. more to Vigo, but after entering the city, we walked and walked and walked – another 7 kms. at least. Vigo is a huge city and port, with all the support services a big port needs. It’s the largest city in Galicia (over 200,000), I knew our little hotel was on the north side of town, but it was late afternoon and looking at the map we could see that we were only ½ way through. Vigo just goes on and on and on. We didn’t get to our hotel until 6:30. It was
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Walking along the municipal walkways coming out of Vigo already dark, we were exhausted, and just ordered a gluten-free pizza for supper. Not my best Spanish meal.
Tuesday, November 21st to Redondela, Apartamentos O’Descansino, 19.7 kms. We got another late start – almost 9:30 after breakfast. Our hotel last night was in Baja Vigo (???) as opposed to Alto Vigo which is up in the hills. The Coastal route goes through Upper Vigo, so when we left this morning rather than climb up a long steep hill we followed the alternate route that’s along the river from the Confraternity of St. James book. It was nice walking along the river, but eventually we had to pay the piper and climb up steep hills to meet the so-called Coastal route, which ran along the side of the mountain. But it was worth it, with lovely views, partially along the fall-colored wooded Senda Auga (spelled both Auga and Agua), a nature trail near Vigo. The only problem – no cafes. Another day without lunch. And what goes up must come down – a very steep road down to Redondela. We met a very nice Spanish man in a café before the no-café zone. He has done 3 Portuguese Caminos and
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Santiago Cruciero told us about a beautiful waterfall between Pontevedra and Caldas de Reis that’s just a few meters off the road that most pilgrims just walk by. Here in Rodondela the Coastal Route ends and joins up with the Central Route. We saw our first pilgrims in over a week. We’re in an apartment with a kitchen so we stopped for some groceries and had an interesting supper of frozen lasagna, canned lentils with vegetables, potato chips and yummy Magnum chocolate-covered raspberry ice cream bars. I got 2 new blisters today. Ouch. I don’t know why I’m getting them so late in the walk – we’re almost to Santiago, and I’ve walked up and down lots of hills, rougher too.
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