Day 15 Saturday 14th May - Portomarin to Airexe

Today was meant to be a rest day; staying in Portomarin. However, my darling wife has been fretting about the weather like a demented Ian McGaskill on speed! Rain had been forecast for today through to Tuesday. But the forecast keeps changing and is somewhat unspecific. Unlike our BBC forecast, the local Spanish effort only breaks it down into 6 hour chunks! Maybe because we are in the hills in the wettest region of Spain it's impossible to predict more accurately? After 5000 miles of ocean, I guess the weather systems will always seek to dump their load as soon as they hit land, and in particular hills. Poor Galicia.


Mrs McGaskill in Portomarin


So Mrs McGaskill says tomorrow (Sunday) shows 100% likelihood of rain all day. The original plan for Sunday was a 17 mile beano from Portomarin to Palas de Rei. Factor into that 1700 feet of ascent, it doesn't make for an attractive option in peeing rain. And yes Mr Hield, we are aware of the phrase "there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes"; so shut it!

The upshot of all Cate's meteorological musings is that we decided to bin our 2nd night in Portomarin, and push on during Saturday morning. With rain forecast from midday we reckoned we could do the 11 miles, mainly uphill, to Airexe. Mr Fixit was duly tasked with calling a Pension in Airexe to sort out the details! Despite my pequeno Espanyol the room was sorted. This change of plan leaves us with a mere 5 mile strut down to Palas de Rei tomorrow......in the blooming rain though.

Shortly after making the booking (Friday evening) we went into the centre of Portomarin where we came upon posters on huts in the main plaza advertising a beer festival. A young Spanish man appeared from behind one of the huts and engaged me in English. Similar (ish) to the lyrics of 10CC's Dreadlock Holiday our conversation went...."aaah do you like beer?". "No" I replied. "I love it!". "Well we have beer festival here tomorrow. You must come!".  Ffs we change our plans, and I miss out on that!


Beerfest central

After that we meet Barbara BW again with the full "Schwarzwald crew" - her daughter and friend. This Camino is becoming one long round of reunions. The rest of the evening passes off uneventfully. But here's a picture of my wonderful Caldo Gallego (Galician speciality soup). 



Yes good people, it has green things and beans in it...all healthy stuff. I think I must be going down with something 😉. Could the aforementioned Mr Hield please post some porky scratchings over ASAP. Mark the packet "top secret, not to be opened by your wife", like last time!!

I am writing this from Pension Airexe (pronounced " air eye sher"), having completed our day's walking. Today's 18km was largely, well, I'm sorry to say, shit! Apart from the last 5-6k.



We left Portomarin in the half light with the town shrouded in a low hanging mist. It was nevertheless still pretty warm. Too warm for the long uphill climb. Within minutes we were, I regret to say, moist! Glistening before 8am. Most irregular! The low hanging mist made for a few nice photos, but that was it. Coffee after 8km was even more welcome than usual. The walking; we just weren't feeling it. Too many people, and we just couldn't get in the rhythm.



We had coffee and good chat with Natia, BBW's daughter. Again she was walking solo for most of the day, with her friend and Mum still not fully fit; but joining her for a small section of the journey. She hadn't been that keen on doing a Camino, but as her Mum was so keen to do one she agreed to accompany her. Now, of course, she was loving it more than her Mum.





Natia went on her way, and we left shortly afterwards. Still it was a bloody slog - was I seriously thinking about doing another 50 miles beyond Santiago? Enthusiasm was waning seriously. We turned briefly onto a main road, and passed a café. Then boom! It was Jiggy and Phillip from yesterday. I said we'd had a shit morning so far. So had they. Having missed a turning whilst deep in conversation, they walked 4km unnecessarily. Jiggy was typically philosophical and positive about it......"we were having such a good and useful conversation, so it didn't matter".

From there on the day got better. Jiggy's infectious enthusiasm and personality, and Phillip's calm philosophical outlook brightened our world. It rained. Not heavily, but we couldn't care less about it. The poncho's came out; what little smidgen of style credibility we had was cast away.



We walked, we talked, we learned; and we were happy again! The last 6km flew past. At Airexe we had coffee together- Phillip worked on a "no beer before midday" rule, so it had to be coffee!!! Another farewell, but with a promise to meet in Santiago. I hope that happens...the midday beer embargo will not apply!


This is called an "Horreo" - a grain store on stilts. They are unique to Galicia apparently. Please also note the magnificent washing line** next to it**


Airexe Iglesia on a wet Saturday afternoon!


Just 75 kilometres to Santiago


The bar in downtown Airexe on a wet Saturday afternoon ffs!

**Now I know that readers are always on the lookout for that really special Christmas gift. So I'm delighted to announce my perfect solution to that. Very soon you will be able to pre-order this year's Christmas must have gift. My unique "Washing lines of Galicia 2023 Calendar". These will be retailing at £10.99 (plus £75 p & p) available from www.nodgesseasonticketfund.com





NB. Please beware of cheap alternatives such as the "Swindon Magic Roundabout" 1000 piece jigsaw, or indeed the "Bus shelters of Redditch" calendar 

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