Pulpo a la Gallega

Your humble pilgrims are struggling towards the destination out here. After 30 straight days of walking, we assembled our packs in the pre-dawn for another 30+ km day, our second in a row. We’re determined to get to Santiago, but the bodies are starting to break down. It’s no longer the feet, which still ache after a long day, but we have the blisters figured out. In Ben’s case it is his back, and in mine the shoulders.

We need all the help we can get.

It was chilly and foggy when we walked back into our friend’s café for toast, coffee, and bananas this morning. We had to cover 30.9 km (19.2 miles) to get to Melide today. Over 1st breakfast we could tell this was going to be rough, basically a km-bagger, we just needed to get the work done.

There was no rain in the forecast today, but the fog was so thick that it dampened our clothes on the uphill climb from Castromaier to Ventas de Naron. We had a bit of climbing to do and then the rest of the long day’s walk would be mostly flat or downhill. As we’ve gotten out of the mountains and foothills of Galicia, and into the 100K perimeter of Santiago, the route has widened and stayed fairly close to the roads. I think this must be to accommodate the broader Camino crowd. The roads now have taxi’s zooming up and down them between towns. They’re only cheating themselves…

After a few past comments about the town populations out here, we had to make Portos (population 2) our 2nd breakfast target. The trails aren't just wider now, the café’s are also larger and nicer. Each has a huge terrace outside, presumably for the summer crowd that is still coming. Portos might only have two residents but they have two really nice pilgrim cafes. We haven’t decided if the two owners hate each other, or profit share.

From there we were down to Palas de Rei as the sun came out, a welcome change from the weather this past week. Passing through San Xulian we learned another familiar but also preposterous tale. The town is named for St. Julian (Galicia makes good use of X’s, instead of J’s). His tale is a sad one of mistakenly fulfilling a destiny of killing his parents, who were on the Way of St. James. Like many other tales around here, it sounds much like a story we’ve heard before, in this case Oedipus (as Ben pointed out).

From there we were into the eucalyptus groves that we’ve read about. Eucalyptus are not native to this region. The invasive species was planted here for papermaking, and we will be in them the rest of The Way. The trees are beautiful and extremely fragrant to walk through. It reminds me of the hills of Marin County, north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

After a bocadillo stop Mato-Casanova we were on to the familiar late day 9.2 km slog to the finish in Melide. Along this stretch we passed through the Galician state of Lugo and into A Coruña. We’re really getting close now!

After a needed rest and shower in Melide, we set out to sample the local delicacy. A Coruña is known for its seafood. The Atlantic Northwest is so much like our Pacific Northwest. Where we have our salmon, A Coruña has its octopus (pulpo). Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician Octopus) is world reknowned. It seems to me they treat it like we do salmon, adhering to the golden rules: (1) don’t overcook it, (2) keep it simple, let the fish be. The preparation is a simple boiling (don’t overcook it), with a splash of olive oil, a dash of sea salt, and paprika.

We went to one of Galicia’s best known spots for Galician octopus, Pulpo Ezequiel in Melide. A double racion of the pulpo and a bottle of local vino tinto is just what we needed. Still hungry we ordered something randomly off the menu that we couldn’t translate, and they brought us a gigantic plate of BBQ pork ribs.

The day ended better than it started. We’re going to make it. Buen Camino.

Entering Furelos, just outside Melide

Ventas de Naron, site of an 820 battle between Christian and Muslim armies

Portos (population 2) for 2nd breakfast

Iglesia de San Tirso, Palas de Rei

Walking to San Xulian

Entering eucalyptus groves, very fragrant

San Xulian

Nearing Melide

Octopus being boiled at Pulperia Ezequiel

Pulpo a la Gallega, Melide