After a brief stop at Sarria for the pilgrim's stamp, we are off to Portomarin. The Camino diverts away from the highway. Half of us decide to take the Camino while the rest takes the highway. The Camino adds about an hour more over dirt roads, but also adds magic to the ride. After crossing some railroad tracks, the road turns into a forest road, shaded by towering oaks. One of the wooden bridges we cross is featured in a public TV travel show. Some sections are steep, but walking your bike is always an option.
About halfway to Portomarin, the Camino again merges with the main highway. Portomarin is a new community reborn in the 60's. The old village of Portomarin bordered the river banks and was being swallowed by the rising river. To preserve the ancient church, it was relocated literally stone by stone to its new location. If you look at the relocated church at the town center, you can still see the numerical labels on each piece of stone.
That's
Alfredo on the far left of the table.
Spanish
roads are by far one of the cleanest roads we've ridden on.
No broken glasses on the roads. As for drivers, they really
give you space. On one occasion, a car coming from the
opposite direction was driving on the shoulder. I was
wondering why? It only dawned on me when a truck passed us
straddling the centerline. The passing truck was giving us
extra wide room to the point that the oncoming traffic had
to move to its shoulder.