Of Pigs and Bacon: Portomarin to Palas de Rei - September 9, 2024
Along the roadside high above the Minho river, during the early morning hours of September 9, 2024, vendors set up stalls displaying cured meats, cheeses and other delectable wares. Carla looked longingly at them and announced with profound regret, “We have to wait until we reach Santiago.” “Yeah, we don’t want to carry all this on our backs,” I said, knowing how much it hurt Carla to restrain herself from buying up everything in sight. By way of introduction, it was the fourth day of walking with my friends, Carla, John and Giulia from O Cebreiro to Santiago de Compostela, and today we walked from Portomarin to Palas de Rei. Although the day was uneventful, it was still special. Every day meant something to me during this seven-day Camino to Santiago de Compostela—our second one together. We had walked along the coastal route in 2022 and enjoyed the journey so much we did it again in 2024, this time along the St. James Way. The memories may fade, but the camaraderie with friends and t...