092316 Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis

This post is based primarily on Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's notes from our Camino in 2016. When information from other sources is added—for further explanation to readers or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off in a text box (as this one).

Most of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT” placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such as the public domain Wikimedia Commons) indicate that source in the caption.

MT woke at 5:30 am, Don at 6:00 am. At 7 am, we ate breakfast buffet (included) at Hotel Avenida restaurant. We saved apples and cupcake-like pastry for later.

‎Friday, ‎September ‎23, ‎2016, ‏‎6:50 AM – Pontevedra: Hotel Avenida – menu in elevator with 3 choices for Menú del Día (Menu of the Day) with same prices but different dishes than we had the day before.

We departed at 7:40 am in the dark with heavy fog. Don had planned to take a photo of the hotel exterior in the morning sun, but it was too dark. (The fog lasted until around 10:30, when the sun broke through).

As we walked through the Pontevedra city center, the streets and sidewalks were being washed and cleaned by machines. Along the Camino route, besides the normal arrows and scallop shell signs, there were tiny blue lights down the center of the pavement.

‏‎7:54 AM – Pontevedra: pilgrim on route through city center on wet pavement with street lights in fog.

On the way out of the city of Pontevedra, we passed over the Ponte do Burgo bridge into the neighborhood of O Burgo.

‏‎7:58 AM – Pontevedra: Ponte do Burgo, viewed from south end, with street lights in fog.

Pontevedra is a city that has a number of neighborhoods. Historically, the best known is O Burgo, famous for its bridge over the Río Lérez.

In 1169, King Fernando (Ferdinand) II of León granted a royal charter to the parish of “Burgo de Pontevedra” (fortified town of Pontevedra), indicating that already in the 12th century the city had a defensive wall. At first, the term Burgo referred to the primitive town of Pontevedra and not to the town across the bridge, which did not yet exist. Once the new (medieval) bridge was built, what we now know as O Burgo appeared at the other end of the bridge. Already in a document of 1170, the new Burgo is spoken of, as opposed to the “Burgo Vello” (Old Burgo). In a document of 1290, there is mention of a “burgo parvo que stat prope ponte vocitur de Ponteveteri” (little town that stands near the bridge called of Pontevedra). Another document, when referring to the pilgrimage church Santiaguiño do Burgo, called it “eccleasie Sancti Jacobi de burgo parvo” (church of St. James of the little town). Thus, the “burgo parvo” (little town) on the north end of the bridge was distinguished from the large town of Pontevedra on the south end, which ceased to be called Burgo de Pontevedra.

Officially the parish of Santiago Peregrino do Burgo was created in 1996 by breaking it away from Santa Maria la Mayor and from Divino Salvador de Lérez. It began with the expropriation of the small Capela de Santiaguiño (Chapel of Little Santiago), built in honor of the Apostle as part of the Camiño Portugués. According to tradition, the Apostle Santiago visited here during his evangelization journey.

The bridge, now called Ponte do Burgo, is the oldest of all bridges in the capital of Pontevedra. It is one of the symbols of the city and appears in the coat of arms of the Municipality of Pontevedra.

Recent studies link the foundation of Pontevedra with the settlement of Turoqua, a mansion on the Via Romana XIX, founded on the south bank of the Río Lérez in the vicinity of which the Romans would build a bridge. (Excavations in 1988 found a Roman milestone at the south end of the bridge, dedicated in the year 134 AD to Emperor Hadrian.) The exact location of the first Roman bridge cannot be determined, but it is estimated that it would have been upstream from the current bridge and at a lower level, since the river bed was much narrower in Roman times.

A document of 1141 attests to the existence of a place called Pontus Veteri (Old Bridge), alluding to the old Roman bridge, which was in disuse because of its ruin. After Fernando (Ferdinand) II of León granted a charter to the Burgo de Pontevedra in 1169, the city was revitalized thanks to the restoration of roads and bridges. Because of the state of the Roman bridge that had given name and origin to the city, it was replaced by a medieval one near the same site (which can now be seen, with certain modifications). All visible traces of the Roman bridge then disappeared. The first references to the medieval bridge date from 1165, when the kings Fernando II of León and Galicia and Afonso of Portugal signed a “paz super flumen Lerice in vetula ponte” (peace treaty over the river Lérez on the old bridge), referring to the old Roman bridge [in] waters below it.

Pontevedra: Ponte do Burgo in 18th century, view from north showing a Platforma de acceso á ponte (platform for access to bridge) and twin towers of Casteliño do Burgo (Little Castle of Burgo) on the near (north) end, and Porta da Ponte (Gate of the Bridge) on the far (south) end (https://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponte_do_Burgo#/media/File:Pontevedra_49-01r.JPG).

The Ponte do Burgo (Galego) or Puente del Burgo (Castilian Spanish), as it exists today, is of medieval origin. At the time of its construction, it had a total of 15 half-pointed arches, with large cutwaters between the arches, in addition to two important estribos (abutments, buttresses, supports) at the headwaters, and the roadway was less than 3 meters wide. Still in the 17th and 18th centuries, drawings of the bridge show a “Platforma de acceso á ponte” (platform for access to bridge) on the north end; the twin towers of the “Casteliño do Burgo” (Little Castle of Burgo), which welcomed visitors on the north bank in the neighborhood of O Burgo; and the “Porta da Ponte” (Gate of the Bridge), one of the gates of the walled city of Pontevedra, on the south end of the bridge.

The English invasion of 1719 caused the destruction of the Casteliño. The medieval bridge also had a tower that was destroyed by the English in 1719; it was rebuilt, but disappeared permanently in 1805.

Over the years, it underwent improvements, extensions, and various reforms, so that today it has a width of about 9 meters and only 11 of its arches can still be seen. The rest of the arches, as well as the original estribos, are buried under successive fillings made on its margins. Around 1890, the old stone parapets were replaced by a new metal railing. However, the most important reform was carried out in 1953-1954, with the aim of reinforcing the structure and extending the width of the roadway with the execution of new arches supported by the cutwaters. The widening allowed two lanes of traffic and sidewalks for pedestrians.

Pontevedra: Ponte do Burgo, view from south end in 2009, on a sunny morning (commons.wikimedia.org from www.panoramio.com/photo/23001652 Author: tiago186703274).

At 8:20, just after leaving Pontevedra, Don made an emergency stop in a cornfield.

The Camino route followed the route of the old Via Romana XIX. We began on a paved road that soon passed under a railroad bridge. Most of this day’s route ran parallel to the rail line.

‏‎8:34 AM – After Pontevedra: two signs for Variante Espiritual (Spiritual Variant) of Camino Portugués (to the left); MT on road in background.

‏‎8:34 AM – After Pontevedra: MT near those signs for Variante Espiritual (Spiritual Variant) of Camino Portugués (to the left) and two yellow arrows pointing (right) to “Santiago” painted on railroad bridge abutment on road we took.

‏‎8:34 AM (Cropped) – After Pontevedra: two yellow arrows pointing (right) to “Santiago” painted on railroad bridge abutment on road we took.

‏‎8:36 AM – Alba: sign (in Castilian Spanish) for Iglesia de Alba, still ahead.

We came into the village of Alba.

Alba (meaning sunrise or daybreak) is a village in a rural parish (pop. 825) of the same name in the municipality of Pontevedra. In Alba, a miliary stone (Roman milestone) was discovered, dedicated to the Emperor Caracalla, evidence that the Via Romana XIX passed through here. Alba hosts numerous cruceiros. One of those cruceiros and a monument to the Pilgrim are next to the Iglesia de Santa María de Alba (Church of St. Mary of Alba), which was begun in Romanesque style in the early 12th century and rebuilt in the 18th century, in a combination of Neoclassical and Baroque styles.

‏‎8:43 AM – Alba: stone hórreo (with vertical vents on sides and pinnacle and cross finials on roof) with tower of Iglesia de Santa María de Alba in fog in background.

‏‎8:43 AM – Alba: cruceiro near iglesia de Santa María – side with Crucified Christ at top and figure of Santiago Peregrino on shaft.

‎Alba: figure of Santiago Peregrino on shaft of cruceiro near Iglesia de Santa María (commons.wikimedia.org).

Perhaps because of this figure of Santiago on its shaft, this cruceiro is sometimes misidentified as the Cruceiro de Amonisa, which is actually near the village of Valbón (much farther down the Camino route, in the next municipality).

‏‎8:43 AM – Alba: cruceiro – other side with unidentified figure at top.

Many of the villages we passed were identified by a sign on the road, which did not actually pass through the population center.

The next village we came to was San Caetano, still in the parish of Alba.

‏‎8:51 AM – San Caetano: sign for entering village of San Caetano in the parish of Alba (telephoto 156 mm).

San Caetano (pop. 81) is a village in the parish of Alba in the municipality of Pontevedra.

‏‎8:58 AM – After San Caetano: stone marker for Via Romana XIX and Camino marker stone for P.K. 58.738.

Next, we came to the village of Leborei in the parish of Cerponzóns.

‏‎8:58 AM – Leborei: sign for entering village of Leborei in the parish of Cerponzóns.

Cerponzóns (in Galego, officially Cerponzones in Castilian Spanish) is a parish (pop. 773) in the municipality of Pontevedra. One of the villages in the parish is Leborei (in Galego, or Liborey in Castilian Spanish).

Next, we came to the village of O Castrado, still in the parish of Cerponzóns.

9:05 AM – O Castrado: sign for entering village of O Castrado in the parish of Cerponzóns, with two pilgrims on road (a couple we followed for a long time), still in fog.

The village of O Castrado (meaning the castrated one) is still in the parish of Cerponzóns in the municipality of Pontevedra. Its name is due to the act of clearing, “castrating,” or breaking a piece of ground and then burning it in order to grow crops. (The Spanish verb castrar can mean castrate, but also to prune [a plant].)

9:08 AM – Near O Castrado: wooden hórreo on stone legs, with no finals on roof, next to vineyard (still in fog).

9:09 AM – Near O Castrado: other end of same wooden hórreo on stone legs, with no finals on roof, next to vineyard (still in fog).

9:24 AM – After O Castrado: MT following couple on wooded path (still in fog).

9:35 AM – After O Castrado: MT with other pilgrims (including Mr. and Mrs. Williams, whom we had met in Tui) at small stone bridge in woods.

Next, we approached the village of San Amaro. Before reaching the actual village, we stopped at the café/bar A Pousada do Peregrino (Inn of the Pilgrim).

9:54 AM – Near San Amaro: entrance to courtyard of Café Bar A Pousada do Peregrino; large chalkboard near barrel with “Café Bar” lists establishment’s name “A Pousada do Peregrino” at top and then a list of foods offered: Cafés (coffees), Zumo Natural (natural juice), Croissant, Tostadas (toast), Bocadillos (sandwiches), Refrescos (refreshments), Cervesas (beers), Tapas, and Ensalada (salad); smaller chalkboard advertises Sello (stamp), WiFi, and Docha (shower); beyond the entrance is an hórreo.

9:53 AM – Near San Amaro: stone hórreo with vertical vents and basketball goal on side, door on side, and no finials of roof - in courtyard of Café Bar A Pousada do Peregrino.

Ge got sellos at the bar.

Near San Amaro: sello from “A Pousada de Peregrino [The Inn of the Pilgrim), Lugar [Village) of] San Mauro [an alternate spelling of the saint’s name], 39 Portela, 36692 Barro Pontevedra, Telefono: 986…7.”

This sello was our first indication that we had departed the municipality of Pontevedra and entered the municipality of Barro (but still in the province of Pontevedra).

9:54 AM – Near San Amaro: sign, near Café Bar A Pousada do Peregrino, advertising Café Bar Mesón Don Pulpo 100 m ahead, listing offerings in Spanish, English, and French, as well as the oldest (stamp for ) credential on this stage of the Camino.

We would stop there for this sello.

San Amaro: sello for “San Amaro de Portela” with picture of the saint, from Café Bar Mesón Don Pulpo.

San Amaro is a village (pop. 199) in the parish of Portela in the municipality of Barro, in the comarca (province) of Pontevedra.

Barro (meaning mud, pop. 3,746) is a concello (municipality) in the comarca (province) of Pontevedra. The first human remains date from the castro (hill fortress) culture. With the Romanization, the area began to gain importance, being crossed from north to south by the Via Romana XIX. That route is parallel or similar to the route of the Camino Portugués and the N-550 highway.

10:02 AM – Near San Amaro: Camino marker post for P.K. 54.760 and another stone marker for Via Romana XIX.

NOTE: In Spain, they are much better about having the rays of the scallop shell on marker posts pointing the direction to go. (There have been no exceptions yet.)

10:04 AM – San Amaro: sign for entering village of San Amaro in parish of Portela in municipality of Barro, still in fog (mild telephoto 63 mm).

10:04 AM – San Amaro: cruceiro – side with Crucified Christ at top and figure of Santiago Peregrino on shaft (inscription on base: “Granitos Fontan Año 2001,” still in fog (mild telephoto 44 mm).

10:04 AM – San Amaro: cruceiro – other side with Virgin and Child at top, still in fog (mild telephoto 44 mm).

10:04 AM – San Amaro: outdoor laundry pool, still in fog (mild telephoto 44 mm).

10:05 AM – San Amaro: sign about Via Romana XIX and how a Roman road was constructed (mild telephoto 44 mm); text in Galego (partly obscured).

10:05 AM – San Amaro: sign with map of Via Romana XIX with red arrow and circle at current location (mild telephoto 44 mm).

10:16 AM – After San Amaro: MT approaching another cruceiro – side with pieta at top (mild telephoto 44 mm).

10:16 AM – After San Amaro: pieta at top of that cruceiro, in heavy fog (telephoto 156 mm).

10:16 AM – After San Amaro: cruceiro- other side, probably with Crucified Christ at top, backlit in heavy fog (telephoto 105 mm).

Next, we came to the village of A Cancela.

10:21 AM – A Cancela: sign for entering village of A Cancela in parish of Portela in municipality of Barro. in heavy fog.

A Cancela is a village (pop. 59) in the parish of Portela in the municipality of Barro, in the comarca (province) of Pontevedra.

Around 10:30 am, the sun finally came out.

At this point, we were probably at the village of Valbón.

10:38 AM – Valbón: long, wooden hórreo on 8 stone pillars with no finials on corrugated tin roof (mild telephoto 49 mm).

Valbón is a village in the parish of Agudelo (pop. 453) in the municipality of Barro.

10:40 AM – Valbón: long, stone hórreo with vertical vents on sides and pinnacle and cross finials on roof (mild telephoto 38 mm).

10:42 AM – Valbón: cruceiro – side with Crucified Christ at top; two figures on sides of shaft (the one on the right seems to be Santiago Peregrino with his staff and gourd; the one on the left appears to be a woman); building with statue of Santiago Peregrino in background.

This is probably the Cruceiro de Amonisa. Brierley’s guidebook says that just past the village of Barro, the Camino route “continues past the ancient Cruceiro de Amonisa set at a jaunty angle with St. James replete with staff looking towards Compostela. Veer < left by granite blocks ….” Brierley shows a photo of the figure of Santiago Peregrino on one side of the shaft and another figure around on the other side. Various other sources agree that Santiago's staff is pointed north, toward Santiago de Compostela.

10:42 AM – Valbón: cruceiro – side with pieta at top; two unidentified figures on sides of shaft (the one on the left seems to be Santiago Peregrino).

‎Valbón: cruceiro – side with Crucified Christ at top and unidentified (probably female) figure on this side of shaft; yellow arrow points to left past granite blocks, in the same direction the figure of Santiago on the other side of the shaft would be pointing (commons.wikimedia.org, which identifies the location as “Barro, Agudelo, Valbón”).

10:42 AM – Valbón: statue of Santiago Peregrino near that cruceiro (telephoto 156 mm).

10:42 AM – Valbón: Camino marker post for P.K. 52.024, with pilgrim resting on short wall.

MT ‎10:50 AM – After Valbón: our shadows on paved path.

10:52 AM – After Valbón: approaching another cruceiro by cornfield on paved road.

This cruceiro is often misidentified as the Cruceiro de Amonisa, which is actually in the village of Valbón. Unlike descriptions of the Cruceiro de Amonisa in Brierley’s guidebook and various Internet sources, this one has no figures (including that of Santiago Peregrino) on the sides of its shaft, although it does lean at “a jaunty angle.”

10:53 AM – After Valbón: that leaning cruceiro by cornfield – side with Crucified Christ at top, backlit (mild telephoto 63 mm).

10:53 AM – After Valbón: other side of that cruceiro, with figure of Virgin Mary at top, facing sun; MT in background on the trail.

11:01 AM – After Valbón: Camino marker post for P.K. 50.201 (mild telephoto 81 mm).

11:22 AM – After Valbón: Camino marker post for P.K. 49.121 (Don’s walking poles in foreground).

It was about this time that Don noticed that one of the rubber tips on his walking poles was missing (see photo above). These were left over from the Camino Francés in 2014, but fortunately he had brought the worn ones from the Camino Francés in 2013 as backup.

11:37 AM – After Valbón: Camino marker post for P.K. 48.148 (mild telephoto 49 mm).

11:37 AM – After Valbón: highway sign on highway N-550, at same intersection, showing 40 km to Santiago de Compostela (telephoto 156 mm).

11:44 AM – After Valbón: vineyard with people picking grapes.

11:51 AM – Briallos: sign for Briallos on highway N-550, just before we turned off left on gravel path; vineyard on right (telephoto 187 mm).

Briallos is a village in a parish of the same name (pop. 422) in the municipality of Portas. 

Portas is a municipality (pop. 3,016) in the province of Pontevedra. The Camino route passes through Portas on the way up from the municipality of Pontevedra toward the municipality of Caldas de Reis.

11:55 AM – Briallos: MT on path by vineyards.

12:05 PM – After Briallos: grapes ready for picking (MT picked some sweet ones).

MT ‎12:05 PM – After Briallos: MT with grapes she picked.

12:07 PM – After Briallos: more vineyards near fork in path (we would follow paved path to left); red flowers at left.

12:07 PM – After Briallos: red flowers in vineyard.

12:12 PM – After Briallos: MT looking at sign by Capela de Santa Lucía (mild telephoto 49 mm).

The Capela de Santa Lucía, located in the parish of Arcos da Condesa, is about 6.4 km before the city of Caldas de Reis.

Arcos da Condesa (Arches of the Countess) or Santa Mariña de Arcos da Condesa is a parish (pop. 439) located in the south of the municipality of Caldas de Reis. Its name may come from the Condesa Munia, daughter of Froila Vermúdez (a Galician nobleman who fourht against the Arabs in the 11th century), who lived in the village of Marán, which is now located in this parish.

‎After Briallos: Capela de Santa Lucía (gl.wikipedia.org).

12:12 PM – After Briallos: sign for Capela de Santa Lucía – in Concello de Caldas de Reis, posted by the Camino de Santiago Foundation and the Government of the Province of Pontevedra (mild telephoto 49 mm).

This was our first indication that we had passed from the municipality of Portas into the municipality of Caldas de Reis.

Caldas de Reis (in Galego and officially) or Caldas de Reyes (in Castilian Spanish) is a municipality (pop. 9,430) in the northwest of the province of Pontevedra. It is located between the Umia and Bermaña rivers.

Coat of Arms of Municipality of Caldas de Reis (en.wikipedia.org or By Susana Freixeiro - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17906217).

The municipality is composed of 9 parishes, two of which are Caldas de Reis (Sam Tomé and Santa María) and Caldas de Reis (Santa María). 
Santa María de Caldas de Reis is a parish (pop. 436) located in the south of the municipality of Caldas de Reis. (The gl.wikipedia.org page for this parish lists 8 villages, including Tivo, in this parish and includes a photo of “Portada da Igrexa de Santa María de Caldas de Reis and another of the Agnus Dei on the tympanum of that church, as well as the story of the Baldaquino de Santa María de Caldas de Reis, explaining that, on the wall of the interior of that church, there are two panels of a baldachin that is supposed to be the first graphic depiction, in the late 15th century, of the discovery of America, also known as Baldaquino de Colón (Baldachin of Columbus). 
Caldas de Reis (San Tomé and Santa Maria), or San Tomé e Santa María de Caldas de Reis is a parish (pop. 4,501) located in the south of the municipality of Caldas de Reis. (The gl.wikipedia.org page for this latter parish lists only the city of Caldas de Reis under “Lugares da parroquia de San Tomé e Santa María de Caldas de Reis and includes [erroneously?] a photo of the Igrexa de Santa María.)

12:23 PM – After Briallos: pilgrim mural at snack spot on path with vending machines.

12:30 PM – After Briallos: stone hórreo above garage with picnic table – end with horizontal vents and cross finial on roof (mild telephoto 81 mm).

12:30 PM – After Briallos: same stone hórreo above garage with picnic table – end with horizontal vents, side with vertical vents, and pinnacle and cross finials on roof.

12:30 PM – After Briallos: same stone hórreo above garage with picnic table – other end with open door, side with vertical vents, and pinnacle and cross finials on roof.

Soon we came to the village of Tivo.

12:42 PM – Tivo: cruceiro by vineyard – side with Crucified Christ at top and small figure on (right) side of shaft.

The peaceful village of Tivo (Tíbo) is in the parish of Santa María de Caldas de Reis in the municipality of Caldas de Reis, about 1 km from city of Caldas de Reis. It includes a stone cruceiro from 1654, fountain (Fonte dos Catro Canos [Galego for Fountain of the Four Pipes]), and public washing place.

12:42 PM – Tivo: cruceiro by vineyard – side with pieta at top and small figure on (left) side of shaft.

12:42 PM – Tivo: cruceiro by vineyard –small figure (probably John the Baptist) on side of shaft (mild telephoto 56 mm).

12:43 PM – Tivo: Albergue Catro Canos (pilgrim hostel in brown building), with yellow sign by its gate: “Se Sellan Credenciales aqui” (Credentials are stamped here), just below it another yellow sign for Albergue Catro Canos, saying Benvides (Welcome) and listing foods and WiFi offered; at right is chalkboard with arrows pointing to the albergue and offering Pilgrim Breakfast: Large Coffee and Toast or Croissant for 2.50€.

We stopped and got sellos at Albergue Catro Canos (Galego for Hostel of the Four Pipes) in Tivo.

Tivo: Sello from “Albergue Catro Canos, Tivo, 58 – [municipality of] Caldas de Reis, Telf.: 696 582 014 – 600 345 181, alberguecatrocanos@gmail.com” showing the local fountain above the scallop shell.

12:43 PM – Tivo: stone hórreo (over garage) with vertical vents on end and no finial of roof.

12:43 PM – Tivo: sunny side of same stone hórreo (over garage) with vertical vents on end and side and no finials of roof (mild telephoto 72 mm).

12:43 PM – Tivo: bikers at drinking fountain (Fonte dos Catro Canos [Galego for Fountain of the Four Pipes]); the name apparently comes from the pipes from which water flows from each of the four sides (mild telephoto 72 mm).

Then we entered the outskirts of the city of Caldas de Reis.

Caldas de Reis (in Galego and officially) or Caldas de Reyes (in Castilian Spanish) is a city (pop. 7,000) in a municipality of the same name (pop. 9,430) in the northwest of the province of Pontevedra. Until the mid-19th century, it was called just Caldas, and from 1877-1981 it was officially called Caldas de Reyes. It is located on the banks of the Río Umia.

Sometimes still called just Caldas (meaning hot springs), its history is inextricably linked to its thermal waters. There has been human presence here since prehistoric times. The first settlers of which we have certain knowledge were the Cilenos, a pre-Roman castro (hill fortress) people who occupied the territory between the Ulla and Lérez rivers. In Roman times it became a major spa, called Aquae Calidae (Warm Water) or Aquae Celenae (town of the Cilenas Waters), on the Via Romana XIX. In Christian times, in the late 4th century, it became the bishopric of Celenis (in the 6th century, the bishop’s seat was transferred to Iria Flavia, and today Caldas de Reyes is listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see). During the Reconquista (Reconquest), it was transformed into Rex Calda (King Hot Spring). In 1105, Alfonso de Borgoña (also known as Alfonso Raimundez in the House of Burgundy) was born in this town; he was grandson of King Alfonso VI of León and Castile and son of Count Raymond of Burgundy (known in Spanish as Raimundo de Borgoña) and Queen Urraca I of León and Castile, and would be crowned King (and Emperor) of León as Alfonso VII in 1126. Due to the birth of Alfonso VII and the predilection that the Castilian royal house always showed for Caldas and its thermal waters, with monarchs spending several long seasons here, the nickname “de Reyes” (Reis in Galego) was added to the original place name of Caldas. This is why it is called Caldas de Reis (Hot Springs of the Kings).

Caldas was always an obligatory point of transit for Portuguese pilgrims and foreigners who entered Galicia through Tui or through the ports of Vigo and Pontevedra, and then making their way to Santiago along the route marked by the two Roman roads XIX and XX, which crossed the province of Pontevedra.

12:52 PM – Caldas de Reis: trailer with picked grapes (at least 3 different kinds of different colors) by vineyard.

1:01 PM – Caldas de Reis: Iglesia de Santa María – bell tower and apse; west façade at right.

The Igrexa de Santa María de Caldas (Church of St. Mary of Caldas) is an important example of medieval art of the 12th century. The construction of the church was motivated by the promotion of Santiago and the pilgrimage routes by the crown of Castile and León. There are traces of influence by the Porta de la Gloria of the Cathedral in Santiago. Although it has undergone several modifications throughout its history, the oldest parts preserved in Romanesque style from the 12th century include the apse and the west façade. The apse is conserved, with lateral buttresses. The western door is under a modern portico that supports a Baroque bell tower. The door has two half-pointed archivolts and a tympanum, flanked by pairs of columns. On the tympanum atop the western door is a sculpture of Agnus Dei (Lamb of God). Inside are the remains of a Gothic altarpiece.

Caldas de Reis: Igrexa de Santa María – bell tower, west façade (with door under portico), and apse at right (gl.wikipedia.org).

Caldas de Reis: Igrexa de Santa María – western door (gl.wikipedia.org).

Caldas de Reis: Igrexa de Santa María – tympanum of western door (gl.wikipedia.org).

1:02 PM – Caldas de Reis: Igrexa de Santa María – bell tower and other side, with mausoleum (right).

As we entered the town center, we came to the Igrexa de Santo Tomé, which we would visit later.

1:10 PM – Caldas de Reis: Iglesia de Santo Tomé – bell tower and façade.

The Igrexa de Santo Tomé (Church of St. Thomas) was built in 1890 by popular subscription. It was erected with the stones of the old Torre de Dola Urraca (Tower of [Queen] Doña Urraca), the residence of the archbishops of Compostela since 1228, conserving two windows much older than the rest of the complex. Also preserved from the tower are the parapets embedded in the walls of the apse. The church is dedicated to St. Thomas of Canterbury (St. Thomas Becket, 1118-1170), who made a visit to the village in 1167, on his way to Santiago de Compostela as a pilgrim.

We arrived at Hotel O Cruceiro (Hotel of the Crucifix) around 1:30 pm, after either getting bad directions or misunderstanding them, several times before someone got us on the right track. MT’s iPhone couldn’t take any more photos because the memory was full. We wanted to buy a flash drive and find a computer at the hotel or the library in order to transfer her photos to it. The hotel desk clerk drew on a map how to get to the library (back near where we had entered town) but said it would be closed until 5 pm. However, he said there was a “Chinese store” down the street that was open until 2 pm, where she thought we could get a flash drive. She suggested that we go right away, even before going to our room. She also said we could eat (lunch rather than dinner on our voucher) at any time before 3:30.

We found the Yixin China store and bought what they called a “pen drive” (16 GB) at 1:40 for €9.95.

Then we went back to Hotel O Cruceiro, where we got sellos and went to their comedor (dining room) for lunch.

Caldas de Reis: Sello from “Hotel ‘O Cruceiro’ - Caldas de Reis, www.hotelcruceiro.com“ with cartoon pilgrim on scallop shell.

The hotel dining room had no written menu, but the waiter gave us a choice for first course of “fried fish” (not further identified) or potato salad. We asked for a mixed salad and got very large and good ones: we later saw that a man at the next table got for his first course what looked like potatoes, peas, and carrots, and it looked good. Our choices for the second course were either “chop pork” or spaghetti bolognese; we chose the latter, as did practically everyone else eating there, including a group of 11 Spanish men, among whom was our Camino friend Ciprian. (We had met Ciprian again on the trail at a place where he said there was a detour [8 minutes each way] to a fantastic waterfall—but we didn’t go.) For dessert, MT had an ice cream cone (packaged but good), and Don had “chocolate cake” (layers with whipped cream and chocolate mousse).

2:24 PM – Caldas de Reis: Hotel O Cruceiro restaurant – Don’s mixed salad, including tuna and white asparagus.

2:59 PM – Caldas de Reis: Hotel O Cruceiro restaurant – empty bottle from our red wine (it had no real label, but only a small one that said “Selección”); also bottle of water and basket of bread that came with the meal.

3:04 PM – Caldas de Reis: Hotel O Cruceiro restaurant – Don’s “chocolate cake.”

After this late lunch, we showered, washed clothes, and hung them on the window to dry.

At 5:15, we set out for the library (the Turismo office nextdoor was closed), where the librarian showed us to a computer and later spent some time helping us try to copy MT’s iPhone photos to the flash drive, but still unsuccessfully.

5:15 PM – Caldas de Reis: mixed hórreo (with cross and pinnacle finials on roof) across street from Hotel O Cruceiro (telephoto 156 mm).

After that, we went to the nearby Igrexa de San Tomé to check on mass times.

6:48 PM – Caldas de Reis: Igrexa de San Tomé – main (west) façade and bell tower.

We arrived just as many people were coming out, like a mass was just over. A sign said there would be a pilgrim mass at 8 pm, but MT was too tired to wait around for that. We stayed long enough to look around the interior of the church and take a few photos.

The Igrexa de Santo Tomé (Church of St. Thomas), also known as Igrexa de Santo Tomás de Caldas de Reis, was built starting in 1890 by popular subscription and was completed in 1894. The neo-medieval was erected with the stones of the old Torre de Dola Urraca (Tower of [Queen] Doña Urraca), the residence of the archbishops of Compostela since 1228. From a chronological point of view, however, the tower could hardly have been the dwelling of Queen Urraca of León, Castile, and Galicia (1079-1126), since it is in Gothic style after the 17th century. It was also said that Urraca’s son, the future King Alfonso VII of León, was born in the tower.

The church has a single nave and a smaller apse. It conserves two windows much older than the rest of the complex. Also preserved from the tower are the parapets embedded in the walls of the apse. The church is dedicated to St. Thomas of Canterbury (St. Thomas Becket, 1118-1170), who made a visit to the village in 1167, on his way to Santiago de Compostela as a pilgrim.

6:39 PM – Caldas de Reis: Igrexa de San Tomé – view from rear of nave to main altar in apse (with people leaving); (main) pulpit at left (with staircase); main altar in apse (flanked by two [minor] pulpits); side altar on right.

6:42 PM – Caldas de Reis: Igrexa de San Tomé – (minor) pulpit and main altar, both in carved wood (mild telephoto 56 mm).

6:42 PM – Caldas de Reis: Igrexa de San Tomé – side altar on right with statue of San Roque.

San Roque is the patron saint of Caldas de Reis.

One lady seemed to be waiting for us to leave the church, and we asked her if they had a sello. She took our credenciales to the front of the church (sacristy) and brought them back stamped.

Caldas de Reis: Sello from Igrexa de San Tomé for “Santo Tomás – Caldas de Reyes.”

6:46 PM – Caldas de Reis: cruceiro in front of Igrexa de San Tomé – side with Crucified Christ at top; on shaft is an unidentified monk above figures of Adam and Eve.

6:46 PM – Caldas de Reis: cruceiro in front of Igrexa de San Tomé – figures of Adam and Eve (with fig leaves) under a tree, with a head (probably of the serpent) peering out over Eve’s head (mild telephoto 49 mm).

6:47 PM – Caldas de Reis: MT and cruceiro in front of Igrexa de San Tomé – other side with Virgin Mary at top and unidentified figure on shaft.

We had a bit of trouble getting to the Calle Real, on which we had come from the hotel. When we asked a lady (walking with her daughter and dog), she said that pilgrims get lost on Calle Real and that she would show us a shorter way; she took us to where we could see the hotel (probably via Calle Carlos Garcia Bayón, which we later saw on the map from the hotel was indeed shorter).

Back at Hotel O Cruceiro, we asked in the cafetería (coffee shop/bar) if they had sangria, and lady said no but she made us something similar. Something like the tinto de verano we had had in Muxía on a previous Camino, the wine had orange slices in it, and she brought us four empenadas to go with it.

7:08 PM – Caldas de Reis: Hotel O Cruceiro cafetería - MT (right) with our wines and empenadas.

7:19 PM – Caldas de Reis: Hotel O Cruceiro exterior.

Back in our room, MT called our daughter Angela on WhatsApp, and we both talked with her. We ate yogurts (2 each) and almonds, and Don ate an apple from breakfast.