After a great dinner in Palas del Rei and a nice comfortable stay overnight, we left the town on Day 4 to head to Boente, a tiny town and our next overnight. On this day, I would walk 21 km (about 13 miles) in around 5 hours to get to my destination. But we would first make a stop in Mélide to try its famous “pulpo” (octopus). Now, I am not a fan of octopus and similar ugly sea creatures but I had heard about how good the pulpo was in this part of Spain so we took off from Palas del Rei knowing lunch would be in the town of Mélide – I had to try it, I mean, I didn’t come this far to not try the local specialty!
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, we had to have a mid-morning snack (even though the breakfast at the hotel in Palas del Rei was pretty darn good!).
The pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) along the Camino is huge!
After eating that monster (OK, I shared…), I had too much energy as my trek roommate, Emory, could attest…
As usual, the path is well marked and consists of a wide range of trail types, some more natural than others.
It is always amazing how there is a symbiosis between the age-old trails and the farms or villages the trails go through. Sometimes you feel bad you are walking right by people’s homes but, it is likely that the trail was there first…
The scenery can be quite charming!
One of my favorite parts of the walk is running into the old churches in the small towns along the way. I am not sure how active these churches are (I am sure they don’t all have their own priest) but they serve as witnesses to the needs of the pilgrims back when the Camino was truly a journey of faith, not just a modern-day trek.
One of several churches we passed this day
Another church on our way
One of the good things about the Camino is the availability of clean, safe water to drink so you don’t have to be buying bottled water or treating water. I filled my bottles at the places I stayed but you can also do refills along the way in any of the public fountains available to the trekkers.
Water fountain along the trail
Now before I get to the “pulpo”, I have to say I enjoyed the chorizo small plate more than the pulpo. The place we ate at was across a small church along the main street in Mélide. It had long picnic-like tables and a nice mix of locals and pilgrims!
Chorizo al vino in Mélide
The guy at the “kitchen” (right by the front door) preparing the pulpo!
Oh, and I have not told you about one of my favorite discoveries along the Camino: the delicious tarta de Santiago (a dense almond cake, sort of)!! Yum. #period
Tarta de Santiago
Leaving Mélide after a nice lunch of chorizo, pulpo, bread – and some wine…
The walk that day was long and, as we approached Boente, we could not wait to arrive at our “albergue”. You could say this was the day we stayed at the “least” of our accommodations (not being a hotel or house) but it was perfect. We had reserved two private rooms to share across the 8 of us and it was perfect as we did not have to fight with individual trekkers to get a bunk bed, etc. The albergue was more than adequate and clean, and the dinner they served was delicious. At this point in my life, I don’t want to do a trek where I have to wonder if I will find a spot to sleep on a given town, or whether the one I will find will be not right by the toilet so booking ahead is the way I trek.
The awesome Albergue Boente!
The Igrexa Santiago de Boente (right across the albergue)
After a stroll around town and dinner, it was time to end Day 4 and rest for Day 5!
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Read more about my Camino:
– Day 1
– Day 2
– Day 3
I loved following your Camino adventure. I’d say that the food alone might be worth me doing it. Yum!
Leah recently posted..Hotel Spas: The Ultimate Way to Unwind
Thanks, Leah. Let me tell you, and I barely scratched the surface on the food!
I’d choose that pain au chocolat over pulpo any day! (Also not a fan of octopus.) But – those churches! I love your photos and I think I’d also love the scenery along the Camino.
Francesca (@WorkMomTravels) recently posted..History and sophistication at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel – Grand Rapids, Michigan
I hear ya, Francesca, but when in Rome… or Spain… do as the Romans do on the plain!
There’s nothing ascetic about the food on your Camino trail! But of course you need to refuel for all that hiking :-). It’s interesting that there are several different Camino routes to Santiago de Compostela – friends recently did the last section from Portugal and loved that.
Sand In My Suitcase recently posted..San Miguel de Allende: Fairytale colonial city (Part 1)
I would love to do the Camino Portugues myself. I’d be curious to see how it differs (it at all) from the Camino Frances. And, yes, the food was not a sacrifice at all… 🙂
I am going to need to read this entire series… so curious about the Camino de Santiago….and I have faith in the food of Spain, no doubt.
stay adventurous, Craig
craig zabransky (@StayAdventurous) recently posted..Get the Sunset Mindset – The 2015 Sunset Sunday Calendar
Craig, I think the Camino would be an experience you would greatly enjoy, knowing you. You get time to think and reflect but also you get to meet many folks and enjoy camaraderie with fellow pilgrims. Buen Camino!
Although I am yet to trek the Camino, I’m pretty sure I have tried tarta de Santiago – it’s almond, no? Also that pain au chocolat is enormous!!
Fiona recently posted..Giveaway: Oakley Hall Hotel Luxury Rural Retreat Break for Two
Yes, Fiona, it is made from almonds – mmm!!!
Nice thing about hiking in Europe is you have beautiful small towns with interesting churches dating back centuries and great food. You don’t find that on the Appalachian Trail.
Traveling Ted recently posted..5 reasons to ski the Great Bear Chase
LOL, true, Ted!