Portomarín to Arzúa | Camino Aragones

Day 55 Fri 16 May
Portomarín was covered in early morning fog when we left at 07:00 for our longest day, 25 kilometers to Palas de Rei. It was a tiring steady climb of 350 meters for the first half, mostly beside the road; not too inspiring. Today we could not break out of the pilgrim pack and the feeling of being two ants in the row depressed us, but our morning cortado (coffee cut with a little milk) and piece of Santiago tart picked us up.

Leaving Portomarín in the morning fog

A lovely old hórreo (corn storage bin)

Cruceiro (1674) at Lemeiros

Details of the cruceiro - mother and child

Old pilgrims cementery

Pre-roman (1100) chapel

Ants on The Way...

... but shady in parts

Lestedo church, cemetery & boundary cross

Cabazo - a giant basket used to preserve corn

Way mark in footpath at Palas de Rei

Day 56 Sat 17 May
We decided to try a 08:30 departure today, and it worked – a lot less pilgrims in sight on the 15 kilometer walk to Melide. Today was another great day, almost all off road and mostly on country lanes shaded by large trees; a few villages to break it up too.
Today marks 2 months of walking – 888 kilometers, with 53 to go to Santiago.
Melide is famous for its pulpo (boiled octopus, drizzled with olive oil, salt and paprika) served on a wood plate and eaten at long communal wooden benches. Of course we had to give it a go.

Stepping stones to avoid a swamp

Old clothes washing place

Two old hórreos (corn stores)

San Julian, 12th century Romanesque

Pam waits

Santa María de Leboreiro (13th century) with primitive corn silo

Original fresco inside Santa María

Medieval bridge after Leboreiro

Another way of doing the Camino

Medieval bridge before Melide

Coffin inside Chapel San Roche at Melide

Oldest cruceiro on the Camino (14th century)

City hall, Melide

Cook cutting up the boiled pulpo (octopus)

Jeff versus octopus

San Pedro, 14th century, Melide

Painting of Santiago (1677) inside the church of San Pedro in Melide

Day 56 Sun 18 May
Sunday is chocolate con churros (hot chocolate with fried dough) day and luckily there was a churrería open for breakfast. Today we walked through forest damp and dark, with a strong scent of eucalyptus. 14 kilometers to Arzúa, mostly off road, undulating and very pleasant.