Day 16-Portomarin to Palas de Rei

This morning started very early and I must have had plenty of sleep as my imagination was in overdrive! Last night I was in bed about 8:30pm and when I woke up, ready to go, at 4:00 (!), went back to sleep for a couple hours. At 6:45, I was almost the last one of my albergue out the door! Being at the far end of the town, I had to cross the busy square and church are to meet up with the path and was happy to see several places open for coffee/breakfast already. Grabbed a quick espresso and out the door. The day was really foggy and passing the church made me think of Game of Thrones for some reason. (See pic below).

Barely out of town there were two options for the path. I read that the alternative was a nice woodland path and so I chose it. Not sure what my thinking was since it would be daylight for another hour! My headlamp shown brightly but in the fog, had the same effect as using your car’s highbeams in a blizzard! I am sure two hours later it was lovely but for me, I hatched three or four new trailers for this Halloween’s thriller movies!

The rest of the day was mostly on paths through wooded areas, across fields and down country lanes. Before the fog had completely cleared, we passes a detour to the ruins of the ancient settlement of Corsa. Archaeologists estimate the village was inhabited between 1 BCE – 1 AD! For this history buff, a worthwhile diversion made even better by the idea that noone else took the detour while I was there!!

Shortly after seeing the roman ruins, the sun began to come out and burn off the fog. The villages we passed through are certainly having more to offer and are more frequent, I am sure due to the larger crowds along this stretch. Regardless, its nice to see that my previous concerns about being hungry or thirsty “at the right time” seems to have abated!

The mileage markers are having smaller numbers and that makes me smile although in Galicia, they are more frequent so the value doesn’t diminish as quickly! Thankfully, the “pilgrim artwork” keeps one entertained.

An hour or so before I was to reach today’s destination, there was another detour. This one was to another 14th century church. Vilar de Donas. The Church of El Salvador is primarily 14th century but its origins go back to the formation of a nunnery here in the 10th (hence the appellation Donas). The church was built as the seat of the Knights of Santiago.