Day 23 – Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis – 30-May-2018

This Camino stuff can be hard work at times. The quality of our sleep last night was less than optimal. Our albergue was well and truly full last night, as literally hundreds of pilgrims have descended on the trails since the town of Tui. This is a reasonably common occurrence, as a lot of people do the last hundred or so kilometres, so that they can qualify for that all important ‘credencial’, which recognises that you have completed a Camino. Anyway, the albergue was full with people from all parts of the world, but I think we came across the loudest, rudest, most inconsiderate people in Camino history.

The general protocol amongst pilgrims is that by lights out (10:00pm), everyone goes quiet and if it is essential that they talk, then they whisper in quiet tones. Well, not these two Spanish guys. It seemed like they were camped just outside our room, and they were talking and laughing and joking around as if they were in the local bar. This went on incessantly for about half an hour, despite a number of people politely asking them to be quite. They then decided to go and get some dinner, at around 10:30. We were all relieved and began to finally fall asleep. To our disgust, these two guys came back just after midnight and started the same routine again. So for another half hour or so, everyone around us suffered the same fete.

That’s life on the Camino. You meet all sorts, you come across a multitude of situations, it throws up all sorts of challenges, and you just have to deal with them.

Today’s walk again was fairly straightforward from Pontevedra to Caldas De Reis. It was the 3 amigos walking again today as Jose’s feet situation had somewhat improved – well they hadn’t gotten worse. The weather again was threatening rain early but again fortunately it did not eventuate. The trail was pretty good for most of the way, although we did have to negotiate some roads, but begrudgingly we’ve become accustomed to that as well.
Our albergue at Caldas De Reis (Cuatro Canos) was reached by about 11:30, so we went through the usual activities – check in, lunch, shower etc. We were just outside of the main drag, about 2kms, so Michael and I decided to take a stroll in town after lunch – we figured we had not done enough walking for today just yet. The town of Caldas De Reis is pretty small and whilst it does have an old city part, it was not that extensive. Its main claim to fame is that it has some hot springs which have been around since early Roman times, but there is precious little else that is worth seeing, apart from a stately church, which Thomas A’beckett is purported to have visited about three years before Henry did away with him..

On the way back to the albergue, we came across a young mum with a backpack, pushing a pram containing a very young toddler, who was fast asleep. It reinforced to us the fact that the Camino can be for every one, young or old; there are no barriers or qualifications to be achieved before you can start a Camino – just a willingness to become connected with the way, on some level.
The rest of the Arvo was spent in usual fashion – beer, rest, conversations and later on an early dinner.

We are now about 45kms out from Santiago De Compostela, and the competition for accommodation is on in earnest, so an early start is on the cards.