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Tui to Porrino. Spain.
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April 12th, 2017
Sitting in a plaza trying to escape the sun at just past 2 in the afternoon, I am surrounded by Spanish people talking, laughing and well, just being Spanish. There is a lad of about 7 (it’s now school holidays) sitting directly behind me playing a game on his iPad at top volume who, when he got to the end of a stage, stood up, put up both hands and yelled whatever the words are for ‘I ROCK’ in Espanyol. Lets not be shy here people.
- The plaza and high street in Tui
Last night I went to dinner with Yoda & Maria who I bumped into in the Plaza in Tui, while drinking Cervaza and people watching. We went to a very authentic Spanish restaurant where we were the star attraction and ate bait. Seriously they called it tapas but it was bait. River mussels which were so small you got a morsel, squid that I would usually put on a hook, hake roe sausages (think strong, grainy fish sausages covered in peppers and onions and you might get close).
Thank goodness for some pork, a tuna salada and two bottles of excellent Galician red wine accompanied by the only english the waitress understood, which was Marias phrase of……No Vino. No Peregrino!
Arising rather sluggishly, I got going by 930 after eggs and bacon. Leaving the old part of the city, I was straight away into beautiful countryside on well tended fine gravel paths following the rio.
Coming across another Roman bridge I took a wrong turn and had to double back 500m or so but was rewarded by simply stunning country with mature woods on either side.
- Another gorgeous roman bridge
That led into a walk up a highway which was also stunning despite being a road. I just ambled as I had plenty of time before having to meet the taxi at 3 in Portillo. Turning off into more beautiful country and into a national park, I twice came across the same Gardia who had also driven up the highway twice. Not sure what was happening but there was a sign and turnoff to a deportation centre en route.
Stopping for a cafe com leite after walking through a village, I was quickly into the antithesis of what I had been enjoying, namely heavy industry, which mainly serviced the pink granite quarry up in the hills.
Locking in the More FM 90s countdown I air guitared my way through heavy trucks and industrial noises smashing out 8kms in an hour 20 to get to Porrino and avoid the heat.
Being taxied back to Tui at a great rate of knots I am now trying to work a laundromat which would be a challenge in English, let alone in Spanish! The rest of the afternoon will be spent hitting the medieval cathedral and nosing around what is a lovely city.
Next up will be finding somewhere for dinner before getting ready for another small 20 km day tomorrow as I cover the last 125 kms to Santiago.
STEPS: pequena (small) 25,596 or 20.7 kms
MLC THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Are the visible signs of aging ,achievement badges you have earnt?
WEIGHT: wow is that my toes
SPANISH: 2/10. Quisiera (could I have or I would like) is my friend
BODY STATE: 7/19 The hips were giving me the good news on the way through the industry belt despite the excellent Voltaren 12 hour gel, but a Cervaza will shut them up
WILLERTONS WORLD 