My albergue had a nice breakfast this morning and I left later than normal at 8.30. I had been expecting to see a lot more people walking yesterday, as all the paths had combined on the last stretch to Santiago . It’s also an increasingly popular route for those who want to get their certificate at Santiago by completing the minimal 100km.

Today I realised that this was when most left. It was peak hour.

Many have their baggage transported from place to place.
Leaving Pontevedra

I had a chat about bagpipe playing to this busker. I played the pipes in my school band.

The walls of this house were covered with shells – the symbol of St James/Santiago

For me it was a very strange experience, as I’ve only previously walked on quieter routes. On the Via Romea Germanica, I walked for 6 weeks and only saw 2 other pilgrims, who were going the other way!

A queue to get a stamp at a wayside chapel.

It does rain a lot in Galicia, making it very green. There are lots of little watercourses.

Sowing seed by hand.

I did strike up a conversation with some English pilgrims, but most don’t seem to want to talk to others.

At around midday, I stopped for a picnic lunch. By this time many others had settled in for lunch at bars and restaurants.

Spot the cat.
Skilful carving of tree stumps.

After my lunch, I was walking by myself! I could only guess that most people were behind me now as they had long lunch breaks. I arrived to an empty albergue at 1pm and a flood of others arrived from around 2.30.

Handing out advertising for a restaurant.

The town of Caldas de Reis was known by the Romans as Aquae calidae or Hot Waters.

The main church is one of the few in Spain dedicated to Thomas Becket.

The water comes out at 42 degrees and was a bit less hot again at this basin.

Tomorrow is my second last day!

My Relive video from today.

https://www.relive.com/view/vXOdXMyRAkO