Life's a Stitch

September 20th: 16k – Coastal route

Last night's Gallician sunset was impressive. For the first time I saw the green flash as the sun melted into the ocean, seconds after this picture was taken. We had a tapas dinner of chiperones (baby squid) for the third time in 24 hours (two fried and one grilled), steamed mussels and salad. 

Started the morning passing the sheep in a cornfield munching on berry leaves. 

Then onto the coast. 

What the day lacked in kilometers was made up in incline. A steep 130 meters up then down on Roman roads, quickly followed by another 100. 

The hills/mountains looked like huge rock piles. I can't imagine the blasting that had to be done to build this road:

Between the two hills we were greeted by a local woman who had just picked a bag of figs. She insisted we take four each. They were delicious as is all the fruit in Spain. The plums, peaches and nectarines are much larger and juicier and far less expensive than at home.

 We've settled into the town of Baiona for a rest day. This is the port where people first heard from Columbus about his discovery of the new world. They celebrate that anniversary every year.

 Counted our remaining days and realized this will be the only rest day if we want to make our original goal of going beyond Santiago. Our daily distances are averaging less than last year, but that is due in part to the distance between towns and the fact that we chose to stay on the total coastal route, which adds two days. As rest days go, they often involve more time on our feet than if we had been hiking. 

We're in a tired old hotel that must have been grand in her day, on a busy road with a magnificent view of the water and the fort that contains the city's Parador. 

The system of Paradors are super luxurious hotels, built by the Spanish government, starting at 150e nightly. I think I wrote about them last year. Located in historical buildings, some have iffy pasts. I believe the one in Leon served as a place of torture during the Spanish civil war. I supposed many buildings of historic significance come with a past. Given the euro to Cdn exchange rate, I'll pass on the ironed monogrammed sheets and towels when my worn hotel room has a shower like this: