A Day on the Camino: Rolling Mountains & Omelette Surprises
We had and early breakfast this morning but Kim was deep in debate—should we walk or take a taxi? She decided she'd walk., after all, it was only 11.8 kilometers. How hard could it be?
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| Church of San Xoán (also known as San Nicolás) |
We set off down the Spanish steps, turned right, and soon found ourselves at a fork in the road—literally. Two signs pointed in different directions. We checked our guide book (John Brierley's guide to Camino Frances) and both apps (Raw Travel - which by the way we still haven't worked out, and Wise Pilgrim which we use every day) and there was no mention of a detour here. One sign showed the distance, while the other read Complementario. Complementario usually meant extra distance so we decided against any added detours today, no matter how “complementary” they sounded.
The walk was much like yesterday’s—rolling hills (or as Kim called them, “rolling mountains”), tiny nameless hamlets, and breathtaking scenery. The path wound through chestnut and oak forests, with pine plantations dotting the adjacent hills. Nature’s rhythm, uninterrupted.
By lunchtime, we were ready for a break. I had a classic cheese and tomato baguette, while Kim and Alison had the Tortilla Francés con tomate. What arrived was... unexpected. Imagine an omelette and slices of tomato, all stuffed into a bread roll. It was a little different than we’d imagined, and way more than we could eat. We sat there laughing for a good five minutes before I decided to take the top off the roll and eat it open-faced. Kim followed suit, and somehow, it worked.
The café had a sign stating kitchen hours from 7:30 to 21:00, but by 1:00 PM, they were already closing up and cleaning the equipment. Rules, it seems, are made to be broken. We had better use the toilet before that gets closed as well.
Back on the road, we had 4 kilometers to go, mostly uphill. At the top, we spotted a sign for an archaeological site, Castro de Castromair. Alison suggested checking it out but "No detours today, remember". I said she could go on her own but she decided against it. So, no Complementario extras for us—we pressed on.
Kim was happily listening to her music. Her wireless earbuds kept falling out, so if you were close enough, you could her the music. It helped keep the beat of walking. There were a few comments from pilgrims passing that they liked her music. I knew I was getting too far behind when the music faded into the hills.
By the time we reached 12.6 kilometers (despite the day’s walk supposedly being only 11.8), we were ready to call it a day. Galicia, it turns out, has stricter safety provisions than other regions we’ve passed through. Pilgrims are often isolated from the road, with barriers or space between the path and traffic. However, when it comes to town name signage, Galicia seems to take a more relaxed approach—good luck figuring out where you are!
At the top of the hill, Alison trudged into a restaurant to ask for directions. The kind server informed her we were at Hospital de Casa. “Do you know where Ventas de Naron is?”, “Just 1 kilometre further up the hill,” she replied. Maybe our GPS was out or maybe Raw Travel took a different route.
Finally, we arrived at Ventas de Naron, only for my phone to die the moment I turned on the international SIM. I have had the battery pack in my backpack since we left home. Always there, never needed it. Of course, today I decided why carry the extra weight? Cue the laughter—sometimes, you just have to roll with it. Kim’s international roaming wasn’t working, and Alison doesn't have one on her plan. So we buy a drink from the cafe, ask them to ring our accommodation, which they are obviously use to doing, as they say, no problem. We are getting pretty good at using google translate. A drink later, and presto—our ride arrived.
We’re staying on a farm tonight, and it’s wonderfully isolated. The peace and quiet are fantastic, but as they say, we’re a captured market when it comes to dinner.
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| Alison's accommodation - So cute |
Oh, and it didn’t rain today—at least not while we were walking.
Until tomorrow, fellow pilgrims. Buen camino!
Steps 28,235
Accommodation: Casa Rural Roan
Kim, Louise & Alison
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