Our day began in Redondela and ended in Puentesampaio. A nice very comfortable 9- 10kms. We have planned a couple of shorter days before tackling longer stretches leading up to Santiago. As we left this morning we had a lovely view out over Redondela. The streets, or should I say, narrow lanes, are only just wide enough for one car. There is a lot of "negotiating " when two cars meet! On the outskirts of the city we spotted what looks like a harvest sculpture made out of grasses, fruits and vegetables.
Much of our walk was uphill and through forests where there were two "pop up" stalls selling Camino items. Between Tui and Santiago it is suggested you get your credential stamped twice a day. The pop up stalls are happy to oblige.
A quick stop for a snack on the outskirts of Arcade where we meet up with the two ladies from Auckland, then it was over another medieval bridge and into Puentesampaio and our hostel. The original bridge over the Verdugo River was built by the Roman's, today's bridge is Medieval. Narrow, one lane, where locals, and pilgrims fight for space with cars. The village we are in takes its name from the bridge, Puente de Sampaio.
Apparently the villages featured in the Napoleonic wars. After checking into our hostel we went exploring down to the river, crossed back over the bridge to get a closer look at an elephant!
The river is teaming with fish, that look to be trout. The area is where the Verdugo meets the Atlantic. It is also famous for its oysters. Today we also met Eva, a young lady from the North Shore, Auckland who started her Camino in Porto. She described the scenery as like a fairy tale. She is right. One of the advantages of staying in smaller villages is you get a sense of village life, especially in cafes which are the social centres of the community. The last photos are from around the village church.
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