Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis May 26 - 22kms

"Take your shoes off and meet me at the hot springs "!

I am three for three in this independent village to village tour but have a ways to go to perfect the efficiency of my travelling skills. I hobbled gingerly on these tendinitis heels for half an hour back to the bus station and communicated well enough to get an earlier bus to Caldas de Reis. The bus took a twenty minute route around the outskirts of Pontevedra before coming to its first passenger pick up and stop - about two blocks from the hotel where we had just rushed through breakfast! As I was walking to the bus stop a couple of bewildered pilgrims saw the direction I was walking and turned to follow me along the Camino. "Always follow the arrows, not the pilgrims". I helped them out by giving them my Pontevedra city map with the Camino route already highlighted on it and two less bewildered pilgrims were on their way.

The bus let me off near a bridge in Caldas de Reis and as I was crossing back over this lovely little bridge 'lo and lucky me behold' there was our hotel, Balneario Acuña - a SPA!!!! This is an area of hot springs, Caldas; their use documented back to the beginning of the XI century. I am so booking in for a foot and leg massage, just waiting for Dayton to come in to see if I am booking it for two. Hmm thermal waters - Camino- tendinitis - this has to be good.

I had the good fortune to meet up again with our Swedish free spirit, Solveig, Dayton's walking partner from yesterday. Solveig had already walked over ten kilometres this morning and was looking for the noted hot springs to soak her feet. Since my morning agenda was somewhat flexible, as in I had nothing to do, I joined Solveig for a foot bath and a chat. Oh my goodness, both were soothing and enlivening, maybe this injury path has its own rewards. A local lady came to the hot springs to do her laundry. As she was dipping and scrubbing her clothes, Solveig and I were wondering what was worse - our soaking our feet in her laundry water or her washing her clothes in our footbath.

I found a cafe by the bridge which was a perfect spot to sit and be the official welcoming committee for all the pilgrims as they came into town. Drinks, snacks and great friendly conversations with pilgrims from Holland, Germany, Boston in the USA, Malta and Canada. As everyone else left to continue in their travels or to find their albergue, Dayton and I adjourned to our hotel to await our spa appointments.

This was a Camino afternoon of the nicest kind, sitting and visiting at the hot springs or cafes with group after group.

 

 

Bridge in Caldas de Reis.

Pig's ears....Nope!

 

 

 

Bridge leaving Pontevedra.

 

Laundry in the footbath.????

 

1 comment:


  1. Hi Karen and Dayton,

    Sounds like a very nice way to spend a day. Hope the hot springs helped. How could they not. Santiago tomorrow? Best of luck to both of you.

    John and Robin

    ReplyDelete