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Day #10: Redondela to Pontevedra: 12.2 miles 10/5

As we left this morning, the weather was improving, and we looked forward to Pontevedra which we had heard was a lovely city. We have two climbs today, but still it’s listed as an “easy” walk.  

After the first climb, we head down again to an interesting town called Arcade which is probably pronounced (ar-ka-day) with a lovely old bridge.  After crossing, we had to climb again, first through some beautiful forests and then toward the city. By mid-day, the sky had cleared, the day was warm, and we especially enjoyed walking through lovely forests.  

After crossing the bridge, we turned to the left and started a rather long uphill walk on switchback roads.
To the right, and up the hill, always following the yellow arrows.
We love walking on forest paths. Often it's very quiet and peaceful.
Ever since we left Tui, we are walking with more and more Pilgrims. Groups of friends often walk together, talking and laughing.
During this day, we were in between two rather large groups of students walking the Camino. We loved their enthusiasm. They seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.
It looks like a traffic jam on the Camino at this point. It's only occasionally like this - often in the mornings as people start out at similar times. Different walking paces tend to separate us as the day goes on. Before we arrived in Tui, we rarely saw another walker. Tui is the spot most people start from on the Camino Portuguese. Ironically they are walking only the Spanish portion of the Portugues Camino.
Sometimes, in the middle of "nowhere," we will run across bagpipers......or someone who has set up a refreshment stand. This was one of those "Camino moments" for me. I had just been telling Evan I was really craving a drink called "Kaz." It's a carbonated orange or lemon drink with electrolytes. We had been walking a while and it was humid. Within 10 minutes of this conversation, here sits this guy and he has the drink I was craving right in that blue cooler. It's like Camino magic!

By the time we reached the outskirts of Pontevedra, we were really hungry, so we stopped at a café along a main road. The inexpensive pilgrim’s meal began with a delicious lentil soup followed by chicken and fries.  

Incredible art graffiti under this overpass. What a surprise!

After lunch we made our way into the “Old Town” which is a particularly large area in this city. It includes one cathedral and a number of other churches, plenty of shopping, and restaurants everywhere you turn.  Most of it is pedestrian, and each plaza features outdoor dining.  The city government buildings are here along a really huge park area where tourists gather and children run and play freely. Today the park features a large display with a history of the artistic depictions of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.  

This was a wonderful large square. Families out, kids playing and riding their bikes, playgrounds, benches and park areas all around. People young and old gather here enjoying the early Fall evening.
This is the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, dating from the 16th Century. It's the main church and functioning as the Cathedral..
Most of the Old Town of Pontevedre had pedestrian-only streets. The streets were lined with cafes, restaurants and outdoor eating areas.
So many beautiful squares, churches, and buildings are in the Pontevedre old town.

Pontevedra is clean, modern, busy, and quite tourist friendly.  So often, even after walking 12 miles, we walk even more as we explore the city we’ve arrived in. We spent most of this evening roaming the streets of the Old Town until we made our way back to the hotel.  Sara and I thought we’d like to come back to explore more thoroughly, wishing we had another night here.  

Walking through the Old Town as the sun starts to set.
Heading back to our hostel.