Mondoñedo to Baamonde: Into the Middle Ages

Ruth: There are moments along the way where it feels like we have travelled back to the Middle Ages. This feeling was intensified at Mondonedo where the whole town was being decked out for their Medieval Festival. Catapults were being set up beside tents selling spices and teas. This new Medieval market was peopled with a young generation of pierced and dreadlocked vendors whose marginal living might have much in common with the vendors that plied their wares in the same streets a thousand years ago.

We stayed at the lovely Santa Caterina Monastery where we sampled the famous Tarta de Mondonedo made with crushed almonds and squash according to a recipe that is as ancient as the town.

Today our route climbed for most of the day. The grades on the N 634 are very good, but we couldn't resist the temptation to go off on the Camino roads and paths for some of the day. These side trips are tough but so pretty.

Tonight we are just 102 km away from Santiago and the masses of pilgrims have increased dramatically. The pilgrim albergue in Baamonde has 100 bunks rather than the more typical 30. We are enjoying our own room at the nearby Ruta Esmeralda Hostal.