Vigo was a maze of streets, but I followed some other pilgrims out of the city and was back on a marked path before long. I hadn’t done my due diligence, though, and when I went looking for my mid-morning coffee break, I learned from some others that there wasn’t anything to be found on the route for many miles. Doh!

The minute the way turned from the waterfront, we started climbing. It’s incredible how steep some of the roads are, but the views were worth it. I asked if the area ever got snow or ice because there was no way these hills could be navigated in slick conditions.

I found myself in a pack of pilgrims and realized when I started talking to Alex, a flight attendant from Dallas, that I was in a group rushing to the next town for a first come first serve Alberge. I didn’t need to be traveling so fast to get there early in the afternoon, but the damage was already done, I was over half way before I decided to sit down on a rock for a morning break. I will really have to stroll the rest of the day.

Finally I came upon a cafe, but as it was the only one along the route the lines were loooong.  I had the time, so sat it out. Today’s delight? Walnut cake.

The path stayed high in the trees and on an old road grade, so was quite pleasant. When we started going down, though, it was knee-screaming steep. The path took us though the town of Redondela, where I went in search of lunch and decided on a carbonara pasta; the dish was large enough that I was able to take half for dinner later on.

I was a short distance from my night’s hostel and ran into Marina on my way over. She would be staying there too. Thr best place about tonight’s stay was the extensive garden and I found a spot in the shade to close my eyes for a minute and read some of the Harper’s Magazine I had been toating with me. How relaxing!