We have mentioned 3 different names for the place we stayed last night.
O Pedrouzo is a small town within the parish of Arca, which is part of the municipality of O Pino. O Pedrouzo serves as a key stop for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago before reaching Santiago de Compostela.
The front of our pención as Linda left the front door at 7:45, 59F,Passing the O Pino municipal building.The restaurant where we had the grilled steak yesterday. The garden store where we got the Padrón seeds is two doors up from the restaurant.This is the health clinic where Linda received treatment for spider bites in 2015.Just a few steps past the clinic, we turned left and were back on the Camino.Typically higher level pilgrim traffic as many who pass us today are planning to reach Santiago this afternoon.Lots of pretty scenery in the eucalyptus, oak and chestnut forests.Walking on the edge of the forest for a bit.Jim took a group photo for this Chinese family we hopscotched. When they caught up to us later, after the photo, the two very young children looked wide-eyed and smiled at Jim, remembering him taking their photo.
We stopped for breakfast at a familiar bar/albergue in Amenal.
Our breakfast stop in AmenalWe watched pilgrims through the table tops as they emerged from the road underpass walking pass the bar.The bartender did a nice job with the cafe-con-leche artwork.After breakfast we climbed a steep hill through a deeply eroded wash/path.We struggled with other pilgrims reaching the top of the hill.Almost there…Back into the forest.These are some of the largest eucalyptus trees we’ve seen in Galícia on the Camino.The path continued a gradual, sometimes steep ascent as we approached the outskirts of Santiago.We finally reached the pinnacle which got nice and flat for a while. We periodically heard jet engines as we began walking around the Santiago airport.We made a left as we came to the freeway going into Santiago at the ornately sculpted Santiago marker, continuing to walk around the airport, still unseen, only occasionally “heard”.The Camino now taking us downhill, after all the trouble we went through to get up to the top.First visual confirmation that we were near an airport.We continued walking around the airport before reaching San Payo.
On the way into San Payo we chatted with a nice couple from Australia, Graham and Jennifer. They were walking their first Camino. They had walked for 41 days from SJDdP. They continued on to Lavacolla and we stopped for a rest and OJ.
Chapel of San Payoinside the chapel of San PayoWe stayed here, in Payo, on a previous Camino.Leaving Payo on pavement we climbed up a long, steep grade and followed the Camino back onto a dirt path through the forest.We walked toward Lavacolla through the woods looking for a way to get to a rest stop before the final 2 miles to Vilamaior.We discovered a passage way through a hedge behind a large, upscale hotel on the highway into Lavacolla.After surreptitiously making it to the parking lot. we followed a restaurant sign and made our way into the lobby as if we belonged. Jim asked reception for the bar and got a suspicious looking nod to our right and we quickly entered and took a seat, backpacks, poles, and all and ordered a Cola Cao.No guilty looks from us, we’re just here for a drink and maybe a visit to the restroom.After finishing our ColaCao, we walked along the road to the Camino exit from Lavacolla.As we rejoined the Camino out of Lavacolla, we felt like we were being watched!The legendary creek where pilgrims bathed: Laffi recorded in the 17th century: “There is a river in a wooded place two miles from Santiago called Lavacolla, in which French pilgrims, out of respect for the Apostle, wash not only their private parts but, stripping off their clothes, clean all the dirt from their bodies.”As you might expect, the Camino was a narrow paved road which became either a steep or not-so-steep climb for the next mile or so, to Vilamaior, our destination for today.The entrance to Casa de Amancio, Vilamaior.A view of the garden and our room door on the far left.Our room.Our meal was served at a table just outside our room door, overlooking the garden. First course was chicken tempura.Second course was pan fried sea bass. Jim forgot to take the photo until we were already digging in.Dessert was a scrumptious cheesecake.Another wonderful Mencía wine we had for our main meal.The view from our table (and room door).
We had a very manageable walk, perfect weather and a relaxing afternoon. It was our first time staying in Vilamaior. We’ve wanted to stay in Casa de Amancio after having breakfast here in 2015, but it has always been booked until Camino 2026.
Jimandi 