Kiwi Roaming

I mentioned Vigo is very like Wellington, it’s a port town and built on hills around the harbour. Those hills are also reminiscent of Wellington as well and very very steep.

Today we walked from Vigo to just past Redondela. When we went to the mall last night we also observed the Ascensor Halo a free elevator that would take us up to the mall then onto a massive urban walkway running along a disused railway line above the city. I’d been reading about how to join the Camino from this angle on a few forums. Along the way we saw loads of people exercising, walking dogs, using the outdoor equipment supplied by the city. One old man stopped us to explain we were not on the official Camino route and how to join it – which is where we were heading.

Once on the Camino the other similarity to Wellington kicked in, we walked up the steepest streets I’ve ever seen, like walking up Tinakori Hill! there were loads of pilgrims who had started down at the port whereas we started half way up the hill. It was a spectacular way to leave the city. Imogen still wasn’t well and soon after we got to the outer suburbs she wasn’t feeling great so crazy us headed back down to find a cafe before walking up again – old men stopped us to explain in Spanish that we weren’t on the Camino and how to rejoin it which was lovely.

Back up in the green belt used by walkers and cyclists we walked a lovely path that was well shaded with trees for a while before heading back onto the streets above another town with no shelter from the sun – it was another 23C-24C day. At one stage we’d passed a sign for homemade lemonade and it was here we found the place, up a steep steep driveway into a house with a lovely terrace full of other walkers. Yummy lemonade consumed and we carried on.

As we all know what goes up eventually must come down, and the steep up from before meant we had an equally steep walk downhill on our way to Redondela – and my knees hated it. The new poles were really helpful but after the week of hills I was struggling. We got into town and headed into the first cafe for a drink and snack, it was still another 4km uphill to our accommodation and we quickly decided it would be best if I took a taxi and the bags leaving Steve and Imogen free to walk up unencumbered. We were also getting close to the 6pm checkin closing time so I asked the bar staff to call me a taxi and away I went.

Casa D’Mina – our accommodation tonight was beautiful, the owner greeted me with “why did you take a taxi, I could have come and picked you up” then spent half an hour showing me around the guest house. Our triple room had a queen and king single bed with loads of space and a beautiful ensuite. The house had a huge kitchen with food and drinks all labeled with prices, a large indoor / outdoor deck space and cute hammocks, tables and chairs dotted in the garden. There was also a living room with TV and couches where one of the guests broke a glass coffee table later that evening.

Steve and Imogen made great time and joined me on the deck where I had already consumed a lemon drink, chocolate brownie and was having a glass of wine writing a blog post. While Casa D’Mina is in the middle of nowhere there is a taverna right next door so we headed there after everyone had showered, most of the folks there were staying in the guest house but there were a few locals in for a drink too. Tortilla and ribs for Steve and I, plus a vegan toasted sandwich and patatas for Imogen all washed down with a beer and wine and we were pretty happy people.

We managed to spend €20 on other snacks and breakfast the next morning and generally speaking slept pretty well – other than a mosquito who had joined us in our room overnight and had to be killed at 2am.

Vic steps 26,027 or 17.23km (flights climbed 12)

Steve and Imogen steps 34,731 or 21.7km