Day Four: May 1, 2024From Palas de Rei to Melide 14 kilometres—in wind and driving rain
© InternetToday we faced an important decision. Pilgrims would normally walk directly from Palas de Rei to Arzúa, a distance of 28 kilometres. But after two consecutive days of more than 20 kilometres, tackling nearly 30 more would be difficult.
© Richard HuangAfter much deliberation, we decided to stop overnight in Melide, roughly halfway. In hindsight, with the rain continuing day after day, allowing ourselves an extra day was a wise choice. Once the decision was made, the physical pressure eased. We relaxed and had more time to appreciate the scenery along the way.
© Richard HuangThis stretch has a few ups and downs but is moderately difficult overall. There are some brief climbs and descents, though no especially steep slopes.
© Richard HuangThe route passes through farmland and villages, with views of Galicia’s fields, pastures, and traditional farmhouses.
© Richard HuangSeveral beautiful woodland paths lead through enchanting scenery, offering the peace and beauty of nature as we walk.
© Richard HuangAlong the way are old bridges and small churches, including those at Ferreiros and Boente. Today’s walk was relatively short, and before we knew it, we had reached Melide.
Melide
© Richard HuangTwo Camino routes—the Camino Primitivo and the Camino Francés—meet in Melide. Compared with the other places along the way, it is a fairly large industrial town. It is famous for pulpo á feira, Galician-style boiled octopus, and trying it was one reason we chose to stop here.
© Richard HuangSeveral well-preserved medieval bridges stand around the town; they were once important crossings for pilgrims and travelling merchants.
© Richard HuangThe surrounding countryside is lush and beautiful.
© Richard Huang
© Richard Huang
© Richard HuangThe town has several historic buildings worth seeing, including the churches of Santa María de Melide and San Roque. Beyond their religious significance, they embody Galicia’s architecture, history, and culture.
© Richard Huang
© Richard HuangToday happened to be May Day, so many places were closed. We did not get a proper look around town; instead, we went straight off to find a restaurant serving boiled octopus.
Choosing What to Eat
© Richard HuangMelide has several renowned restaurants specializing in pulpo a la gallega, or Galician-style octopus, among them Pulpería Ezequiel and Pulpería A Garnacha. The two are not far apart. Online reviews said the service at the first could be poor, and as luck would have it, we saw the second one first and went in. The woman there certainly knew how to drum up business: whenever customers arrived, she would promptly lift an octopus from the pot for them to photograph, then demonstrate how she cut it up. It was rather like ordering a giant lobster in Toronto and having someone hold it up for a picture.
© Richard HuangPulpo a la gallega is simple to prepare and delicious. The octopus is usually boiled and sliced, then sprinkled with coarse salt and paprika and drizzled with olive oil. Sometimes it is served with boiled potatoes. It is a firm favourite with diners.
Along the Camino, food comes on plates of every description, but boiled octopus is invariably served on a wooden one. Besides retaining heat and absorbing moisture, the wooden plate carries on a cultural tradition rooted in Galicia’s culinary customs and history.
© Richard HuangMany restaurants here have remained in the same families for generations, preserving the authentic flavour of this octopus tradition.
© Richard HuangSpeaking of food culture, it is interesting to compare how coffee is presented in big cities such as Madrid and in small villages. Both make excellent coffee, but they look entirely different: in the city, elegant and artfully presented; in the villages, rustic and unadorned. I prefer the village version—it is distinctive and full of character.
© Richard HuangOn the road, if we asked for a latte or a mocha, some staff did not understand. They would say they only had coffee with milk. That made things easy: from then on, whenever we ordered coffee, we simply asked for two coffees with milk. Yet, for all that simplicity, they would unfailingly add a little latte art. It might consist of no more than one or two quick strokes, but it was unlike anything we normally saw back home. Such a small cup of coffee, and such delight.
© Richard HuangThe same rustic simplicity can be seen in how the food is plated. Along the Camino, every restaurant and inn offers pilgrims a set meal called the Menú del Peregrino. It has three courses—a starter, a main, and dessert—with several choices for each. The whole meal costs between 11 and 20 euros. Inexpensive and generous, it is ideal for pilgrims.
© Richard HuangThat modest 11 euros even includes red wine—not a glass, but an entire bottle! Which directly explains why I drank too much the day before yesterday.
The Camino passes through the Ribeira Sacra wine region. Located in southwestern Galicia, Ribeira Sacra has rugged terrain, interlacing river valleys, and precipitous hillsides that create distinctive conditions for growing grapes. Vineyards cling to the steep slopes, giving the grapes a truly unusual growing environment. The region’s red wines are generally full-bodied and fruit-forward, with complex flavours.
Serving a whole bottle of red wine with a meal is common along the Camino. It reflects Spanish hospitality and respect for pilgrims while adding to the pleasure of both the meal and the journey.
© Richard HuangSpain is one of the world’s best-known orange-producing countries, and the oranges of Valencia are especially famous for their sweetness, juiciness, and quality. Along the Camino, fresh orange juice is squeezed straight from the fruit, with no water or anything else added. Fresh and sweet, it was indispensable at breakfast and a must at every rest stop. Even after three or four glasses in a day, we still wanted more. We walked through the rain for days without catching a cold, and I give much of the credit to that freshly squeezed juice.
© Richard HuangNo discussion of starters would be complete without mentioning two soups we especially loved. One was lentil soup, made chiefly with lentils, vegetables, tomatoes, spices, and olive oil. Smoked meat or sausage is often added for extra flavour. Served hot after a tiring day’s walk, it supplied ample energy and helped us recover our strength.
© Richard HuangThe other was caldo gallego, Galician soup. Its main ingredients include leafy greens, potatoes, white beans, pork, and sausage. Rich in vegetables and pulses, it provides plenty of fibre and protein. Long, slow cooking allows all the flavours to meld, producing a hearty broth that combines the freshness of the greens with the savouriness of the meat.
© Richard HuangAnother very popular snack is fried Padrón peppers. They are simply fried and sprinkled with coarse salt, preserving their fresh, tender texture while adding a savoury edge. Part of Spain’s tapas culture, the dish is simple but delicious—and one of our favourites.
© Richard HuangOne starter I particularly recommend is a salad made with Raf tomatoes, also known as pata negra tomatoes. Considered among Spain’s finest, they are widely admired for their quality and distinctive flavour. This simple, delicious dish is thoroughly Spanish. Beyond the basic tomato, olive oil, and coarse salt, it may include onion, avocado, balsamic vinegar, cheese, or fresh herbs, adding richness and layers of flavour.
© Richard HuangFor our main courses, we mostly chose seafood, since Galicia borders the Atlantic and has it in abundance. The local meats, including veal, were also fresh and tender.
© Richard Huang
© Richard HuangFor dessert, we usually chose either Basque burnt cheesecake or Tarta de Santiago.
© Richard HuangOne cheesecake deserves a special mention: the homemade lemon cheesecake at Marela Cantina. Made entirely by hand from fresh ingredients, it combined the bright taste of fresh lemon with a silky texture, and every bite had the warmth of something made at home. It was the best cheesecake we had ever eaten. After the first bite, we thought it was so good that we immediately ordered another.
Choosing Where to Rest
Restaurants like Marela Cantina are dotted all along the Camino. Every two or three kilometres, the route usually passes through a hamlet with a café or restaurant where walkers can sit down, rest their feet, and replenish their energy.
© Richard HuangOnce seated, we would order a slice of cake, a cup of coffee, or something else. By the end of each day, we had done plenty of eating and drinking. Quite a few friends asked whether walking 100 kilometres had surely made us lose weight. Not at all. Every little establishment had a strong personality of its own: the décor and the food differed from one to the next, adding considerable interest to what might otherwise have been a monotonous walk.
© Richard HuangOn some mountain stretches, the hamlets are farther apart, and the next one may be about five kilometres away. Planning matters: when we encountered a stretch like that, we made sure to stop and rest properly at the preceding village.
© Richard HuangAt times, whether to make up ground or escape the wind and rain, we might hurry on and skip several villages. Deciding where to stop and rest therefore required weighing the weather, the trail conditions, and how we were feeling physically.
Choosing How to Travel
© Richard HuangWalking is not the only way to travel the Camino; there are several alternatives.
© Richard HuangCycling is one of the most popular options after walking. It is faster and allows pilgrims to cover greater distances in less time, but it also demands a certain level of fitness and cycling skill because the terrain varies so much. To receive the official certificate, cyclists must ride at least 200 kilometres.
© Richard HuangSome especially fit pilgrims choose to complete the journey by running. This requires greater physical conditioning and endurance but allows them to cover more ground in less time.
© Richard HuangAlthough travelling on horseback is less common than walking or cycling, some pilgrims do choose it. We saw several different groups of riders on this trip. It is a more leisurely way to travel and brings people closer to nature.
© Richard HuangTravelling on horseback requires thorough preparation and advance arrangements, including food, lodging, and rest for the horses. It is a rich person’s game.
Choosing the Path
© Richard HuangAlthough the Camino’s milestones point pilgrims towards Santiago, we often saw two markers standing side by side, one pointing left and the other right. The contradictory directions left us thoroughly puzzled.
© Richard HuangThe conflicting signs usually marked a fork where the route split in two before rejoining farther ahead. Such alternatives often exist because one path is difficult but exceptionally scenic, while the other is easier but visually unremarkable.
© Richard HuangWhenever we came to such a fork, a cluster of pilgrims would gather, uncertain which way to go. Everyone would search for information and compare notes. In the end, some chose to embrace the difficulty for the magnificent scenery; others took the easier path so they could reach the next stop sooner.
Reflections of the Day
The French mathematician Siméon-Denis Poisson proposed a thought experiment known as “Poisson’s dilemma.” A small animal, often called “Poisson’s mouse,” is placed between two similar options—two bundles of hay, for example. Unable to tell which is better, it cannot choose at all.
On the Camino, we often find ourselves caught in the same dilemma as Poisson’s mouse. Every step leads into the unknown, and every fork demands a decision. We do not know which choice is better, or which path will bring us greater peace of mind.
© Richard HuangThe greatest choice in life is the choice of faith. Like walking the Camino, it is a journey of spiritual cleansing and discovery. We may lose our way in the fog of faith, yet with every footprint we seek our own answer—finding a glimmer of light, perhaps, or recovering the peace within.
© Richard Huang