Galicia

An ominous start to our Galician adventure with a plodding hike in the rain pulling suitcases because we couldn’t find a taxi.

Cold, wet, bedraggled and hemmed in by smokers we huddled under the awning for our bus of 71 stops. No one has ever found a bus station romantic or exciting and this one had the same grey dank feel that is as depressing as it is familiar.

As we left the outskirts of Oviedo and later through Aviles I did not have many regrets at not starting our camino there as we picked up sodden pilgrim after pilgrim. The fabled views were very close in the fog and rain with ghostly bridges and gorges emerging as we sloshed past.

We arrived in Ribadeo with the sky leaden and threatening and in a theme of the day walked out into drizzle with no taxis to be seen. Electing to get on with it we dragged our bags to our thankfully beautiful hotel.

By now, having eaten a distant banana and a handful of cherries for breakfast I was ravenous and wanted to be inside somewhere warm with good food. Luckily Ribadeo is known for excellent seafood and the many restaurants (all, somewhat disconcertingly with >4* on Google) were all opening for lunch.

Satiated and with the rain finally holding off we decided to do some exploring through Ribadeo and wandered towards the lighthouse. I had originally planned to go see the Cathedrals but it was 10km away and I didn’t see a single taxi. The town square was also deserted and the main church closed.

The walk to the lighthouse and out to the coast was actually lovely and well maintained. It seemed somewhat incongruous with the strangely quiet town (maybe it comes alive after 5pm). The lighthouse itself was on an island with a small bridge. Just before we arrived a couple drove over it which seemed insane until I realised you could hire the lighthouse cottage as an Airbnb. A unique experience I’d imagine.

I realised halfway back to our hotel that my non hiking socks were rubbing my feet in an ominous way and I again wondered why I do stupid things like wearing the wrong socks when I know I already have 2 blisters *before* our Camino from doing the same thing.

As it started to rain again we bought some supplies for tomorrow and I read a terrible book while watching the sun go down after 9pm. Tomorrow it begins!

20882 steps

14.85 km

Total 43.9 km