Somewhere Slowly

Started by walking to the harbour to get the first stamp at the pilgrim office right by the first marker or mojon. Then went back to Parador for their stamp and also use the facilities one more time in case there were few facilities en route. Which would turn out to be a good idea. 

While getting ready I had decided I didn’t like my hat or my visor thing, so I nipped into a farmacia to see if they had any clever hair clips or bands. They did not, but the farmacist then ran out, came back and gestured for us to follow her … over to a different shop which had thick elastic bands for the head, and a nail file, all at 20% off (not sure why). A bit further along we went into a China Bazaar and picked up a thin head band and a scrapy-back-thing which I was really looking for. 

Thus furnished with stuff to keep the hair off my face, we carried on along the pedestrian street between tall and verandaed houses, before we turned towards the water and a lovely wide promenade filled with sunny Saturday walkers, dog walkers, joggers and families. 

A lot of the route was channeled away from the main road and into shaded little paths, near beaches and the water. There were rest stops with benches where we could stop and have a drink or a snack – we didn’t – and beaches and river views between the trees and flowering bushes that smelt wonderful mingled with the salty breeze. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk, even when the trail briefly joined the main roads to cross them, or we came to a mass of fast food outlets and big warehouses which we skirted before we were led out towards the water again. 

When we left the Parador for the second time, my Fitbit was at 2.5 km. It would be 10.5 before we arrived at the Mariscador, a bar/café/restaurant full of locals and the odd pilgrim. We took a table in the shade, had our first Aquarius of the walk and rested a short while before carrying on. 

The path then winded on towards the San Martin de Xubia Monastery, and from there you could get across the river on the lower bridge/pathway if you want to save time and skip Naron and Neda. We carried on along the signposted path, into a residential area and along a lush green forest path, then suddenly we could see tall buildings in front of us. Two mojones with arrows pointing left and right gave us a choice and we took the shorter route across the bridge and onto another promenade leading into Naron and a large grassy recreational area there. Across yet another little bridge and we arrived in Neda, with the municipal albergue right by the water.

Then to find a place to sit down and enjoy a drink or a small snack before returning to the Parador for another night – well. I googled as best I could, but the four first places we thought would be open, were all closed. In the end we cut up a narrow lane and ended up in the O Carreiro bar, which was blessedly open. We both had an anker bier – basically your preferred drink to mark your arrival – and asked the kind gentleman running the bar to call a taxi for us. Which he did, and then, on the way towards it, I managed to trip on a small step and went flying! Nanci and the bar guests sitting outside in the sunshine all ran to my aid, but the worst damage was to any pride I must have harboured. I have grazed my elbow and my knee a bit, but am still fully functioning. Glad I packed the extra large Cosmopor bandages and Germolene!

Also glad I packed this full size keyboard, making it a lot easier to type comfortably and at speed. I will try to keep the daily posts coming but make no promises.

In the evening we met a group of pilgrims from NW England staying at the Parador who were starting the next day, I hope they had a great walk too!