Stage 30-31 Palas de Rei to A Rua

May 24, 2025 Palas de Rei to Melide. Distance; 9.11 miles. Weather - HOT - into the 70s and sunny. Breakfast was amazingly good and the first poached egg I’ve had since March. Our taxi was on time so we weren’t rushed to get out early. Because Palas de Rei is a standard start point, it was a crowded day including a school group of high school girls from Ireland. They enjoyed their music from a loud speaker. Chris doesn’t know that I listen to my play list in my one earphone, so I was partially sheltered from the noise until we let them move ahead. I always have my backup route (remember post from a few days ago) navigating in my ear. Now I am smart and make sure I put in the towns along the way SO I DONT GET LOST. There were a number of small towns and taverns to stop for a nice break. At our stop we offered some strapping tape to Australians suffering from blisters. They didn’t accept, but we got into a conversation about “stuff” until they moved off (sorry Lisa - no photos). We walked by one place that had a spectacular garden and continued the last 4 miles into Melide. We had a bit of a snafu connecting to the hotel for pickup as none of their numbers seemed to work. Turned out, after using the CaminoWays emergency number, this place doesn’t respond before 2:30 which would have been good to know. It doesn’t explain why none of their phone numbers were in service, but, hey, it’s Spain. It turns out we are staying at the place we walked by that has the beautiful garden- photos in the video. We had lunch - Caprese salad and baked poblano peppers which were lovely and held us over to dinner at 7. Dinner was a mixed salad and some croquettes, Chris had salad and chicken.

May 25, 2025- Melide to Arzua. Distance 9.1. Weather - high 60s and sunny, but rained when we were in the taxi going to the hotel!

A lovely day of walking with some pretty strong undulations of path. Breakfast was surprisingly good- I had toast, but Chris had a full fry up which he said was very good. Taxi to the start point was a bit early, but we wanted to get to the hotel by 3 so Chris could see the F1 start. We took the alternate route to avoid the crowds- very pretty and green. There are a lot of eucalyptus groves in Galicia- when I googled this: the tree's rapid growth, suitability to the region's climate, and economic incentives that promoted its widespread planting. Seems it was introduced in the 19C, likely the gift of a missionary.

May 26, 2025 Arzua to A Rua. Distance 11.13. Weather- sunny and high 60s. Another day of undulating walking through eucalyptus forests and along the highway. A lovely breakfast.

Many more people today and pop-up opportunities to buy Camino tat.

At A Rua we were picked up by taxi to another remote hotel. Each of these hotels are in refurbished farm houses and this was no different. Dinner was Galician soup and pot roast with Santiago cake for dessert. The wine was from the province of Castillo y Leon.