100 km to Santiago de Compostela : Vigo to Arcade

Being Grateful Amid Challenges

 
Yesterday we took a day off from walking the Camino Portuguese to rest and were still taking it slow this morning.  As a result, we did not leave Vigo until after 9:30 AM, after a breakfast of café con leche and croissants at a local bar.  Stunningly our small morning repast cost us 12 Euros each to enjoy – a reflection of city costs and tourist prices here in Vigo. 

 
While eating breakfast the TV news was highlighting that Canada was in the midst of historic forest fires, Seville Spain was experiencing a snowstorm, and a part of Italy was enduring unseasonable floods.  In addition, Spain currently had more than 500 ha of forest burning out of control, while other regions had received snow and hail that had crushed local crops. 

 
All in all here in Galicia we seem to be in the one small hole of good weather in either Europe or Canada. We were both grateful and humbled by the scale of these natural and shifting conditions in the weather around the world.  As another pilgrim at the café enjoying their breakfast simply and aptly commented “The new normal isn’t normal at all”.
 

Departing Vigo

 
Checked out we stepped out of our accommodations into the bustling city streets of Vigo with the goal of reconnecting with the Camino and walking to the town of Arcade by day’s end.  Not finding any yellow arrows we navigated the downtown streets following GPX tracks on our phone.  Having been lost once in this city where Camino arrows and markers were noted as either non-existent or confusing we were taking no chances.  Thankfully however the walk out of town was nicer than the trek into Vigo as today’s route was largely a single road through the downtown core before crossing over the N550 highway and climbing. 

 
Reminding us that for many Vigo was only 100 km from Santiago de Compostela we spotted several tour buses dropping off pilgrims on the edge of downtown.  We were soon surrounded by individuals in clean clothes and new backpacks all scrambling to take group selfies.  As we passed by one pilgrim fresh off the bus they suddenly whipped around to point out something to their companion with their hiking pole and in the process swept my hat off my head.  Not even noticing that they had almost hit someone they simply walked away.
 
Sigh.
 
It was at this moment that we began to truly notice how many more people with backpacks and shells were now walking around Vigo.  Rather than the handful of people that we had walked alongside since Lisbon or the few dozen that we had begun to recognize since Porto, we were now clearly about to hike amid a flood of pilgrims.   
 

“…many begin as tourists, and end as pilgrims…”

 

Climbing to a Café with a View

 
With a horde of pilgrims now on the trail we sought to get going.  Walking through Vigo the Camino took us through neighbourhoods, up narrow streets, and under old train arches which have since been transformed into green walkways.  The predominating feature of the route here was that it climbed continuously summiting the hillside to depart Vigo. 

 
With that said, as we climbed higher into the hills, the peace of Galicia enveloped us.  Continuing our ascent we soon found and stopped at a lovely café halfway uphill.  Here we sat and enjoyed a café con leche and a slice of apple pie on the patio. 

 
From our vantage point, we were afforded a stunning panoramic view of the busy harbour below as well as the countless small, square, brown platforms that were deployed throughout the waterway.  According to the staff, these are Bateas, and are rafts used in the Galician mussel farms for cultivating typical Galician bivalve molluscs, such as oysters and mussels.  On each ropes are hung down from the wooden platforms, and the mussels attach themselves and grow.  Later, impressive-looking 'bateeiros' or mussel boats pull up to the platforms and use cranes to lift the heavy ropes loaded with mussels, which are then collected.

 
At the other end of the harbour, we could also see the iconic Ponte de Rande Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge with white cables sweeping in graceful arches.  This well-known landmark in Vigo serves as a crossing over the estuary, connecting Rande to Santradan.

 
Full of our pastries and refreshing break, and with a wave of pilgrims marching in our direction, we continued to climb up and up and soon found ourselves following the Senda del Agua.  Otherwise known in our guidebooks as the Water Trail, this route was marked on the pavement of the road with green paint delineated by a wavy white line – very reminiscent of blue waves meeting the land.  Still climbing the road ducked into an Eucalyptus forest and we left the suburbs of Vigo behind in exchange for a shaded tunnel of trees. 

 
Here our route changed into a wide, flat gravel trail that wove through a deciduous forest.  It was a tranquil space that smelled incredible.  As we stopped to shed our sweaters large numbers of pilgrims in their starched white arrow shirts and new hiking boots walked passed in lockstep.  Now stuck in a horde of pilgrims walking 4 and 5 and 6 across the trail our pace was slowed.  That is until we passed a waterfall at Rego Fondon.  Here a set of benches sat at the bottom of the falls and the vast majority of hikers took a break.  As we trekked past more than one could be heard loudly exclaiming that they were having “a true pilgrim meal!”

 
Now back ahead of the crowds and with the silence of nature restored we were free to walk on at our own pace and enjoy the morning.  This beautiful forested footpath continued on for about 9 kilometres, or for about 2 hours. En route, we periodically found breaks in the foliage from which we could see the distant red roofs of Vigo and back out over the harbour.
 

Redondela and the Merging of Caminos

 
The Camino soon led us under a set of train tracks and through a small pedestrian tunnel before following the sidewalk along a busy road lined with apartment buildings and shops into Redondela.  Here the narrow lanes were bordered by quaint homes whose stone-walled gardens were filled with orchard trees and tropical flowers. 

 
Continuing on it soon became evident that the town of Redondela sat at the crux of a number of Caminos including the Portuguese Litoral, Coastal, and Central as well as the Spanish Torres route. With this merging of so many Caminos, the river of pilgrims we had seen in Vigo quickly became an ocean of pilgrims. Furthering this situation was the fact that Tui-Valencia, only one stage to the south on the Camino Central, serves as the 100 km marker for the Portuguese Central.

 
All around us the typical hallmarks of this situation of those new to the Camino were in evidence.  The tourist shirts, clothing that is far too clean, white running shoes and the long lines of hikers marching across the width of entire streets ignoring traffic signals and drivers alike.  Those new to the trail walked twirling their hiking sticks while walking down residential sidewalks.  Others strolled down the middle of the streets.  Bar patios were packed full, backpacks lined the outside walls of restaurants, and the albergues were lined up around the block.  The most notable being the municipal albergue, the Albergue Casa Da Torre de Redondela, which was very lined up even though it was only 10:30 AM!

 
Looking around we did not recognize a single face among the gathered masses in Redondela.
 
As we walked past one albergue two men ran up and gently grabbed at our backpacks worried that we were walking beyond Redondela.  We were quickly informed that there were still bunks, that there were rooms, and that it was “too hard to walk out this late in the day”.  Even other pilgrims lined up outside this particular albergue joined in telling us that this was the end of the stage and that “we had to stop for the day because the guidebook says so!”  When we sought to explain that our destination was still 5-10 km onward – not far, especially given that it was now still only 10:45 AM – the response was emphatic that “we were walking further than we actually needed to”.   Continuing on more than one individual seemed utterly stunned and bothered that we were not, following their guidebook’s recommendations or their chosen stages.

 
Remembering Redondela from only a few years ago it was already clear that the rising popularity of the Camino in Portugal had transformed this region.  Evidence of redevelopment, new accommodations and new amenities was everywhere.  The area is in the midst of shifting from being a beautiful Spanish city toward becoming a centre of tourism.  It has undoubtedly enjoyed the benefits of the tourist economy which has provided the region more affluence, however, it seems to have come at the cost of changing the way of life for those who were born and raised here as well.  

 
One wonders if the financial security has been worth the region’s transformation by the pilgrim industry?   On many levels, pilgrimage seems to have begun to shift away from being an exploration of new cultures, new peoples and new experiences that foster self-reflection and personal growth.  Instead, it is increasingly focused and driven to facilitate foreigners visiting the same ‘Top 10 Places’ as everyone else, collecting souvenirs, and being a “real pilgrim”. 
 
The situation is complex and communities invariably transform over time.  In the end, we all make our own way.
 

Redondela to Arcade

 
After wandering around Redondela, visiting its ancient churches and historic viaducts, we left behind the noise of the city and continued north along quiet paths lined by eucalyptus.   Beyond the city limits, we had yet another steep climb on a road surrounded by mostly fields and vineyards. 

 
Still walking well ahead of the time that we would be allowed to check in we took another break in a small park with huge stone picnic tables.  The scale of which could have been made for giants.  Here we rested in the lovely shade of huge old trees while chatting with a couple from Australia who had just begun their Camino a day days beforehand.  Around us lots of ‘Buen Caminos’ were being exchanged between pilgrims who were also enjoying a reprieve from the noon hour temperatures.  The happiness among people here made it feel – for the first time in a long time – like we were actually on the Camino again.

 
Having spent an hour resting in the shade we continued on still climbing along a wide gravel path.  The route wove between eucalyptus forests, along hydro corridors and down logging roads.  The entirety of which was peaceful and quiet, forming a wonderful contrast and antidote to the busyness of the large and busy cities beforehand. 
 

Approaching Arcade

 
Passing a monument to pilgrims, the Homenaxe ao Peregrino, covered in shells, photos and messages the trail gave way to a paved lane and we began to descend toward the town of Arcade.  Here the road was bordered by emerald green mosses, lush ferns, ivy, and huge piles of broom. We soon merged with the N550, a busy curving highway along which we only had a narrow shoulder to walk along. 

 
Entering into Arcade the Camino again returned to sidewalks and cobblestone roads lined with bars, shops and accommodations.  Traversing town we saw a number of benches with large yellow arrows on them noting “Pilgrim Banco”.  Uncertain of what these were referring to we continued on along the main street through older neighbourhoods down to the Ponte Medieval de Pontesampaio. This medieval bridge was built on Roman foundations and was first referenced in 10^th and 11th-century manuscripts.  It has 10 pointed arches with large starlings, or defensive bulwarks, along it between which is a stone parapet.

This river crossing was constructed near the fortress of San Paio de Lodo, which is the site of several historic battles ranging from the Middle Ages to the period of Arab occupation, to the Spanish War of Independence. As we crossed the historically rich bridge it did not feel very wide at all, and we were passed by several fast-driving cars as well as a Monbus.
 

Arcade Spain

 
The town of Arcade is beautiful, with its flowing river and forested hills that rise up on both banks.  Its streets are dotted with small homes and colourful boats are moored along the waterway.  Climbing through the village we soon found the Hostel Albergue O Meson.  Outside was a familiar-looking Monbus unloading Pilgrims on an arranged tour.  Arriving the host asked those walking in if they would be patient and wait as he checked in those off the tour bus and received their delivered luggage. 

 
Knowing that we had secured reservations for two bunk beds for the night we simply walked over to the restaurant next door and sat on their large covered patio.  Here we rested and enjoyed a cold beer and chatted with several people from Scotland and England about birding the Camino as well as a group from South Africa about photography. 
 
This was a wonderful group of people that we never met again.  Such is the nature of the Camino. These heartfelt conversations and soulful connections are a process best described by another pilgrim we met years ago as one of “fast friendships and quick partings”.  The same is true on almost any long-distance trail one trek.  As a result of these brief wonderful meetings, I have often spent time while walking afterward wondering about the rest of those people’s adventures.  Did they make it to Santiago?  Did they find what they were looking for?  Did they have stories to share?  Did they make life-altering memories? Will I ever meet them again?
 
Who knows, we might and we might not.  People turn up on the Camino when one most need them or there is a lesson to be learned or an experience to be imparted.  Then they seem to vanish only to bump into them again, seemingly at random, in Santiago or in Finisterre or on Facebook years later.  Sometimes all you can do is wonder, hope and wait.
 

Bird watching in Arcade

 
Afterwards, we returned to the Albergue to check in, have showers, and wash our hiking clothes.  Now refreshed and cleaned up we set out to explore Arcade some more and so went for a walk through the quiet streets of town as the sun began to set.

 
Wandering we discovered the Illa Insuina, a small green space on an island in the Verdugo River that is connected to the land by a small, stone, single-span footbridge that joins with a wooden drawbridge stands out.  Also known as Medal Island this spit of land once belonged to Antonio Medal (1902-1985), a 20th-century painter who was born in Arcade. Today on the island is a dovecote, a granary, a balustrade with battlements, and a gazebo. From the island, there are beautiful views of the quiet cove, the Pontesampaio, and the forested slopes of the conical Monte de A Peneda in the distance. 

Contented we headed back to albergue for dinner only to again find a bench shaped like a yellow arrow with the words ‘Pilgrim Banco’ written on it. It felt like both a literal and metaphorical comment on the modern Camino developments that also reflect the changes that we’ve been witnessing.  Ironically – or perhaps not so ironically – the term banco peregrine has a dual meaning in Spanish, suggesting both a Pilgrim Bench and a Pilgrim Bank.  By night’s end we were not the only ones to notice that so much of the region seemed dedicated to the commerce of the pilgrim economy.
 

Dinner and Reflecting on Camino Pilgrimage

 
Back at the restaurant beside our albergue, we enjoyed a wonderful meal of tortilla and salad with red wine.  Seated on the outdoor patio we relished as the evening air cooled the heat of the day away.

 
Tired and with another day on the Camino behind us we eventually headed back to the dormitory where we returned to our bunk beds set in enclosed cubicles.  We were grateful to have once again arrived safely, to have lodgings, and to have enjoyed a good meal. 
 
The rustling and snoring of the Albergue already filled the space around us.  I have always believed that both albergues and dormitory bunks are great levellers.   In a world of competition and comparison, we are all the same in a dormitory.  Here, one’s status and how much you have (or don’t have) in your bank account matters little in such tight quarters. The situation is what it is and everyone goes on from there.  While at times challenging, bunks and dormitories are at the heart of the pilgrimage experience. 

 
As we prepare for tomorrow’s stage, we remind ourselves to focus not on what the Camino has become, or our frustrations we might feel, but instead on the gifts the Caminos offers en route. While the world changes and becomes less certain the Camino is a space with deep historical and communal ties.  One needs to appreciate the present moment, learn to embrace change and set aside frustration, focus on gratitude for what we have rather than what we think we want and to be grateful for the connections that we can make with others along the Way.
 
Accommodations: Hostel Albergue O Meson