Day 9 - From Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis

Good evening, dear ones from Caldas de Reis!

First of all, we went to the bakery at 07:00 to have breakfast - so out the front door and 100m to the bakery door again 🙈 The breakfast was phenomenal, because in addition to our ordered rolls, we also received cake and churros for free 😋 Strengthened, we started our 23km stage at 07:30.

But what can I say about today's stage... Sometimes it went on asphalt, sometimes on gravel roads, slightly uphill or downhill, and mostly straight ahead. It was a tough day for me, as I couldn't find my rhythm and I was terribly tired... but there's no other option than to follow the arrows. In the morning it was only cloudy, then it started to rain lightly and then it rained harder and harder, so we were happy to take a break. In the small bar, Anne and Luca met Roberta (both of whom they know from the first days) and so the five of us continued together 😃

The rain gets stronger and I get more and more impatient 😬 Somewhere there must be the bar from last year and therefore a dry spot and a toilet 😩 The bar appears in front of me, I quickly go in and reserve a table for us - my German side can't hide completely 😜😂 One by one, everyone arrives and we enjoy a good Vino Tinto from wine bowls - a great experience for all of us. Roberta and Nan (a pilgrim we briefly met yesterday who also has problems with blisters on her feet) stay behind and want to take advantage of the rain, which is getting stronger. We, on the other hand, want to continue, as the weather forecast predicts no improvement and it's only "just" 6km to go 🙈🤨 So we happily go out into the rain and along the way - first along the main road, where the dry truck drivers honk at us as if they were "waving us back" 👍🏻😁 you have to take it with humor when the wind, along with the rain, pushes you forward 🙄💨☔️😉

Now we more or less jog the last 6km to our accommodation, which we arrive at in record time at 13:45 and can check in. After the formalities, we receive a seal stamp in our Pilgrim's Passport - a real beauty and rarity 😍 the apartment is also super nice and we are glad that we arrived so early and can spend the day more relaxed. A bath with a massage shower and a heated clothes rack make us almost ecstatic with joy 😅

After a little stroll, shower, and laundry, we go to dinner. But no - it seems that the bus with the chef is delayed and the tapas bar only opens at 20:09 instead of 19:00 🥴 So we bridge the time with some wine and receive (once again) lots of little things to "snack" on - this time olives and tortilla.

The dinner in the tapas bar, which is obviously a very old mill, is very rustic and good 😊😋 Inside, you may not consider going in based on the appearance 😳 Steffi and Christoph (a couple from Germany) are sitting at the table with us and it quickly becomes a very pleasant and funny evening. In "normal" life, this probably wouldn't happen so easily, but here everything is a little different and people are a little closer to each other because everyone has a goal in mind. That is the special thing about the Camino and one of the reasons why I am here again today...

Tomorrow we will go on our last stage 😩🥺 It's hard to believe that our journey is coming to an end so soon... we want to leave at 07:00, so good night for now! 😘

Your Sandra & Dani (aka Eugen / aka Diana - I'll tell you more about that at home 😉)

PS: After 8 days together, you can forget the names sometimes 😜😂😂😂