Day Two (April 29, 2024)Sarria to Portomarín
21 km | Fog, then sunshine
© InternetThe greatest test on the Camino is facing uncertainty. Walking such a long distance day after day through the countryside of an unfamiliar country, what would I do if something went wrong and I could not speak the language? How would I call for help? Where would we stay along the way? Would we get lost? What if the weather turned foul? Before setting out, my head was full of questions and my heart full of anxiety.
© Richard HuangUncertainty became our greatest challenge, but also the Camino’s greatest allure. The road ahead was lost in haze; we summoned our courage and walked into the mist.
© Richard HuangToday was our first day on the trail. I had slept poorly the night before. Early in the morning, I hoisted the heavy pack onto my shoulders, excited but also apprehensive and a little dazed. We returned to the Church of Santa Mariña. Since it stands right beside the Camino, everyone likes to collect their first stamp there before setting out, so it has naturally become a common starting point.
© Richard HuangWhich way now? Just follow the crowd.
© Richard HuangThere are often plenty of fellow pilgrims around when the day begins, but differences in pace gradually spread everyone out. Perhaps we walked slowly, or perhaps we spent too much time taking photographs. Either way, by the end of the day we often found ourselves alone in the woods.
© Richard HuangToday’s route led mostly through green fields and rolling hills. Lush meadows and dense woodland lined the way, refreshing both mind and spirit.
© Richard HuangMorning fog lent the landscape an air of mystery that perfectly matched my own uncertainty at the time.
© Richard HuangBy afternoon, the sky had cleared to blue and the land stood bright and transparent, as though it had taken on an entirely different face.
© Richard HuangSunlight poured down upon a world of green: the tender green of new spring shoots, the deep green of open meadows, the glossy green of crops swaying in the breeze. It felt as though we were walking through an emerald sea. The freshness washed over us, lifting our spirits.
© Richard Huang
© Richard HuangWe often saw this climbing plant along the Camino: wisteria, whose purple or white blossoms open in spring.
© Richard HuangWisteria is commonly regarded as a symbol of love, happiness, and the spirit. Its presence not only beautifies the journey but also offers comfort and inspiration.
© Richard HuangMost of today’s paths were gentle, with only the occasional gradual slope—kind terrain for a first day’s walk. From the hilltops, beyond the villages, woods, and fields, we often saw wind turbines in the distance, lending a modern note to this ancient pilgrimage route.
The Town of Portomarín
After walking twenty kilometres, we spotted a white town on a distant hill. That was Portomarín, our destination for the day.
© Richard HuangTo enter the town, we first had to cross a bridge. At its entrance hangs the Bell of Freedom, which pilgrims stop to ring. Its clear chime seemed to dissolve the day’s weariness at once, sending us into town with renewed energy.
© Richard HuangPortomarín is a town both above and beneath the water. The old town now lies in ruins below the waters of the Miño River. When the Belesar Reservoir was created in the 1960s, the original settlement was flooded. A new town was built on higher ground, and several historic buildings were dismantled stone by stone, moved uphill, and reconstructed as they had been. The new town now has a population of about 2,000.
© InternetThe water level was fairly high when we arrived. Photographs found online show that when the reservoir is low, the old, low Roman bridge emerges beneath the modern one, along with some of the ruins of the former town.
© Richard HuangAfter crossing the new bridge, we still had to climb the steps of this old arched bridge to reach the town above. We were exhausted after a full day’s walk, but as we faced this final staircase, the joy of success had already begun to well up inside us.
© Richard Huang
© Richard HuangThe liveliest part of town is around Town Hall Square. Though the square is small, supermarkets, banks, pharmacies, restaurants, and gift shops cluster nearby, making it remarkably convenient.
© Richard HuangThe most striking building on the square is the Church of San Juan. Built in the thirteenth century, it looks almost like a fortress. When the church was dismantled, each stone was numbered before being moved from the old town and reassembled in its original form. Those numbers can still be seen on the stones along the church’s side.
Accommodation
The Camino is long, and as evening approaches, one question looms: where will we sleep? The first step in easing that anxiety is to understand the kinds of accommodation available along the route.
© Richard HuangPilgrim Hostels (Albergues / Hostels)These are the most traditional and popular option. They generally offer simple shared dormitories with bunk beds—in plain terms, one large communal sleeping room—along with basic shared showers, toilets, kitchens, and other facilities. Prices range from a voluntary donation to about €20. Most operate on a first-come, first-served basis and require a pilgrim passport at check-in. Those who favour albergues often set out before dawn so they can arrive early enough to secure a bed. Walkers, especially younger ones, enjoy them not only because they are inexpensive but also because they provide opportunities to meet and befriend other pilgrims.
© Richard HuangGiven my age, I worried that I might not arrive in time to get a bed, and I also had concerns about the quality of my sleep. So I abandoned the idea of a dormitory bunk and chose pensións and hotels instead. Following our itinerary, I booked the rooms in advance through Booking.com, removing one source of uncertainty.
© Richard HuangGuesthouses (Pensións)These are privately run guesthouses or small hotels offering private rooms with their own bathrooms, somewhat like an Airbnb. Guests often never meet the owner; details such as how to collect the key are usually arranged through WhatsApp, and responses generally come quickly.
© Richard HuangHotelsHotels provide comfortable rooms with private bathrooms. Larger towns and cities offer a range of options, from budget accommodation to luxury properties, usually with amenities such as restaurants, bars, and Wi-Fi.
Other options include:Country Houses (Casas Rurales)These are rural homes or farmhouses converted into guest accommodation—roughly the Spanish equivalent of China’s farmhouse guesthouses, or nongjiale. They are usually found in smaller villages along the route.Refuges (Refugios)Refugios are similar to hostels but offer fewer facilities. They are usually found in more remote or mountainous areas.CampingSome pilgrims also choose to camp along the way.
Yellow Arrows and Milestones
Once the question of accommodation was settled, we could put our heads down and walk. But another question soon arose: which way should we go, and might we get lost? To prepare for that possibility, we had downloaded several Camino apps in advance, along with offline maps that could guide us even without a mobile signal.
© Richard HuangOnce we started walking, we discovered that we had worried for nothing. Yellow arrows and milestones are the pilgrims’ essential guides along the Camino. Follow them and it is almost impossible to get lost.
© Richard HuangMilestones usually stand beside the path or at intersections. They bear the pilgrim-shell emblem, point the way forward, and show the remaining distance to Santiago. Whenever we hesitated at a fork, all we had to do was stop and look carefully around us. There was always a milestone somewhere nearby, and the tension would ease once more.
© Richard HuangThe yellow arrow is one of the Camino’s most common waymarks. Arrows appear on walls, road surfaces, signs, trees, and rocks.
© Richard HuangThe yellow arrow was devised by Elías Valiña Sampedro, who served as a priest at a church in Santiago during the 1960s. Passionate about the Camino’s history and significance, he recognized that pilgrims needed clearer guidance along the way.
© Richard HuangIn 1965, he began painting yellow arrows along the entire route to point the way toward Santiago. His innovation greatly improved the pilgrims’ experience, helping them avoid getting lost and sparing them needless difficulty.
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© Richard HuangHis contribution went beyond creating a simple, effective waymark. More importantly, it gave the pilgrimage tradition and its culture renewed vitality—and a new sense of direction. The yellow arrow has become an iconic symbol, guiding countless travellers on the road to Santiago.
Reflections on the Day
Uncertainty is an unavoidable part of the Camino. The weather, our physical and mental condition, the state of the trail, and the availability of accommodation can never be fully predicted. Fortunately, after a thousand years of evolution, the Camino has developed a mature support system for walkers, including waymarks and lodging. Pilgrims themselves can meet the unexpected through careful preparation and planning, attention to physical and mental well-being, an optimistic and flexible attitude, and a willingness to communicate with fellow travellers and ask for help.
People often say that walking the Camino is like travelling through life. Uncertainty is just as unavoidable on life’s road. Having walked the Camino, I came away with a deeper understanding of how to face the unknown: focus on what lies within my control and set aside what does not; trust my own abilities; share with others; seek inner peace; cherish the present…
The Camino is made one step at a time. The step beneath my feet is solid and real, even though the next remains unknown.
© Richard Huang