Thoughts from my Camino Frances Journey- Day 30 (Day 5 of Part 2)
Date: June 10, 2025 Tuesday
Where did I begin today?
Os Valos (Hosteria Calixtino)
Where will I stay this evening?
Melide (Hotel Carlos 96)
How far have I come?
18.56km (17.59 hotel slightly before town center)
A misty morning
My favorite kind of walking
When I woke up 7am and saw the heavy mist outside, I was glad I took my laundry in last night. I packed all my dry laundry and clipped the still slightly damp socks on the outside of backpack so they could dry while walking. Went down to breakfast at 7:30am and had fried eggs on toast. I talked with some of the others at breakfast but left solo in the mist at 8am. It was very peaceful. My goal was to get to the next hotel before the hottest part of the day.
Entering Palas de Rei
The city arms
In Palas del Rei I saw Diane entering a church I was exiting and let her know Doug had passed me earlier (he’s a very fast walker). Crowds appeared after Palas del Rei since that’s where many people finished walking yesterday. This was annoying because I would pass a group of pilgrims on a flat part, only to slow down uphill and get passed by the same group. I could never quite escape the crowd. I did see some very cute dogs walking with little Camino shells though.
The cutest pilgrim I’ve ever seen!
Cute church with Cabazo (grain storage) outside
I met up with Allyson & Stephen Wright, and David & Laura Preston at San Xulian church and chatted for a short time. A Japanese lady wanted to take a photo of the socks adorning my backpack, then she almost went the wrong way so I pointed to the Camino and she gave me a paper crane! Allyson took our photo together and I have tucked the paper crane safely away where it won’t get crushed. This is one of many sweet encounters with strangers that you can only experience walking the Camino.
Me and my socks
My new favorite possession: this paper crane!
I walked ahead of the Wrights and Prestons then stopped at Casavova for orange juice since it was roughly the halfway point. They then passed me and so did Diane. After my quick break, I passed Doug and Diane at Campanilla and the other group in O Coto. It was beginning to get hot now but there were no water fountains until I reached an industrial area where I soaked my sleeves, hat, and buff twice. Then I crossed over a cool medieval bridge and cute church at Furelos as my final stop before reaching Hotel Carlos 96 in the suburbs of Melide.
Ponte Velha
Furelos Ponte Velha
crossing rio Furelos
Igrexa San Juan
This hotel was the first time I missed staying in an Albergue. It was a sterile, modern building a little way off of the Camino on a main road and just felt like any hotel you would stay at on business trip. The lack of pilgrims that usually provide a unique sense of camaraderie and Camino energy was absent here. I checked in well before the rest of my group at 1:10pm and showered immediately. Then I ate a charcuterie board in the restaurant. I saw Jill at 2:10 then the Prestons and Wrights at 2:45pm (they arrived at 1:45pm while I was in my room).
After eating, I chilled in room, but felt bored since there wasn’t anything to do unlike at an Albergue. I went back downstairs and talked with Jill, Diane, Doug, and Dave Dishman. Got ice cream with Dave and David Dishman around 5:30pm which involved walking along a main road closer to the center of town. We had our group discussion at 7pm, and dinner at 8pm: amazing pasta, salmon, and tres leche.
photo credit: David Preston
After dinner, I played photo roulette with Blakely, Becca, Jen, and Jess until 10:45pm. It was very entertaining and we laughed a lot trying to guess whose photos were whose. This brought my mood up after my melancholy afternoon. Even though it feels different from my first Camino, I still enjoy hanging out with the group after a long day of walking. We saw the strawberry moon rise before turning in for bed.
Photo roulette game
A slightly pink “strawberry moon”
