Day 14 - Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis

It rained hard during the night and it was damp and raw as we left Pontevedra headed for Caldas de Reis in the early morning. Colorful murals bid us adieu as we walked out of town. The streets were wet and the cobblestones a bit slippery as we wended our way through the city streets. We weren’t alone. The closer we get to Santiago, the more crowded the path has become. We passed by the 14th century Convento e Iglesia de San Francisco. According to local tradition, the Convent was founded by Francis of Assisi as he passed through Pontevedra on the Camino en route to Santiago de Compostela. We crossed the Roman/Medieval Ponte do Burgo pedestrian bridge over the Lérez River right as we left Pontevedra. We came across the Igrexa de Santa Maria de Alba and immediately noticed its pilgrim symbols of staff and gourd out front. The current church dates from the late 16th, but was built on the foundation of an early 12th century temple. We would have liked to have peeked inside, but it was…