- Time of past OR future Camino
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Tuesday 19 November 2024, Braga - Caldelas.
This is a continuation of my account of life as a hospitalero in Salamanca and my Camino Torres
Today was a relatively short walk, so I got a later start, having breakfast at the youth hostel at 8. It was cloudy and misty, a bit like the first days of the Camino Torres.
Again, for the most part, the walk this first day was not especially memorable or special. I expect that will change soon, as I leave the environs of Braga behind. Unfortunately, some of the more interesting buildings I passed were closed. The Visigothic chapel of St. Fructuosus, just outside of Braga had been closed yesterday and wasn't due to open today until 2, and I wasn't ready to start the day's walk that late. The monastery in Rendufe is only open to the public on weekends. So I ended up basically walking straight to Caldelas.
Initially, the signage on the route didn't refer to the Geiras at all. It was signed as the Caminho Minhoto Ribeiro and the São Bento. Only later in the walk did I start to see it marked as the Geira or Geira e dos Arrieiros. But towards the end of today's walk, it was the Geira signage the was predominant.
I arrived in Caldelas at about 12:30 and signed in to the albergue. The albergue is located behind the post office, which itself is located in the old schoolhouse. You sign in to the albergue in the post office, pay your €5 and collect the stamp in your credencial, and then are taken to the albergue and given the tour. There's a nice little kitchen, but there are places to eat in the village, including a restaurant and the cheaper cafe, which has come recommended. As soon as I dropped off my stuff, I went to the cafe for a nice lunch. Then I went to see what there is in Caldelas. According to my Cultural Guide to the Geira, the principal attractions are the thermal bath complex and park and the Church of Santiago, so I went to see both of those (from the outside). I also found a nice little Church of Our Lady of Health, which was open so I could see the inside, too.
All that being done, I went back to the albergue for a restful afternoon. I will head back to Cafe Avenida for supper and have been told it can expect a visitor (I'm guessing José Manuel) at about 7. (Edited to add that the kitchen and dining room at the Cafe seemed closed at 6, so I guess it is more of a lunch place, or maybe I went too early but I wanted to be back by 7, so I just went to the supermarket and got some things to eat.)
It turned out that José Manuel was kept late at work, so he dropped by at about 8:30 and we had a good chat about what to expect. According to JM, the real Geira starts tomorrow.
Photos: leaving Braga, some typical scenes from the early part of the walk, the monastery at Rendufe, the final climb towards Caldelas, the church of Santiago in Caldelas, the smaller (but open) chapel of Our Lady of Health
This is a continuation of my account of life as a hospitalero in Salamanca and my Camino Torres
Today was a relatively short walk, so I got a later start, having breakfast at the youth hostel at 8. It was cloudy and misty, a bit like the first days of the Camino Torres.
Again, for the most part, the walk this first day was not especially memorable or special. I expect that will change soon, as I leave the environs of Braga behind. Unfortunately, some of the more interesting buildings I passed were closed. The Visigothic chapel of St. Fructuosus, just outside of Braga had been closed yesterday and wasn't due to open today until 2, and I wasn't ready to start the day's walk that late. The monastery in Rendufe is only open to the public on weekends. So I ended up basically walking straight to Caldelas.
Initially, the signage on the route didn't refer to the Geiras at all. It was signed as the Caminho Minhoto Ribeiro and the São Bento. Only later in the walk did I start to see it marked as the Geira or Geira e dos Arrieiros. But towards the end of today's walk, it was the Geira signage the was predominant.
I arrived in Caldelas at about 12:30 and signed in to the albergue. The albergue is located behind the post office, which itself is located in the old schoolhouse. You sign in to the albergue in the post office, pay your €5 and collect the stamp in your credencial, and then are taken to the albergue and given the tour. There's a nice little kitchen, but there are places to eat in the village, including a restaurant and the cheaper cafe, which has come recommended. As soon as I dropped off my stuff, I went to the cafe for a nice lunch. Then I went to see what there is in Caldelas. According to my Cultural Guide to the Geira, the principal attractions are the thermal bath complex and park and the Church of Santiago, so I went to see both of those (from the outside). I also found a nice little Church of Our Lady of Health, which was open so I could see the inside, too.
All that being done, I went back to the albergue for a restful afternoon. I will head back to Cafe Avenida for supper and have been told it can expect a visitor (I'm guessing José Manuel) at about 7. (Edited to add that the kitchen and dining room at the Cafe seemed closed at 6, so I guess it is more of a lunch place, or maybe I went too early but I wanted to be back by 7, so I just went to the supermarket and got some things to eat.)
It turned out that José Manuel was kept late at work, so he dropped by at about 8:30 and we had a good chat about what to expect. According to JM, the real Geira starts tomorrow.
Photos: leaving Braga, some typical scenes from the early part of the walk, the monastery at Rendufe, the final climb towards Caldelas, the church of Santiago in Caldelas, the smaller (but open) chapel of Our Lady of Health
