Bookswap on the Camino?

[sun is shining]

Heya all,

so very excited for my first Camino this summer! Instead of revising for my exams I've been reading the forum and looking at pictures of Spain. Thanks to everyone for all the great advice posted on here - it certainly helped making my planning so much easier.

Lately there has been a lot of talking about bringing a Kindle on the Camino. I have to admit that I never got into these e-readers - I just need a nice old paperback book with me while travelling. So my plan is to pick up a book from a charity store here, bring it with me and once I finish swapping it with someone else . While travelling in Asia I found that most hostels have bookswap facilties. So my question for experienced peregrinos on the Camino Frances - are these things commonly available or can I at least find second-hand book stores in the bigger cities?

Thanks for all your advice!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have picked up several books left randomly by pilgrims along the way, and left them when done. I doubt that they make it back to the beginning of the route, but each book will find several readers. Some albergues have actual libraries. I read from them, but never took any copies with me.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Heya all, can I at least find second-hand book stores in the bigger cities?

Yes, some of the major cities have second hand bookshops and some of those may have books in English! Some of the Corte Ingles shops with book sections may also have a small supply of books in english but that is an expensive way to buy books.

Good luck

John

 

[johnBCCanada]

Hi

Its a good idea and may work. My experience was that some of the hostels had english language books that had been left behind and that could be taken but not all by any means. I remember giving a book I'd picked up in a hostel in London to a woman from Colorado on the Camino Inglise and finding another book for myself a day or so later.

Chance will determine.

John

 

[Caminando]

Good point....I'm sorry it won't help you in Spain, but there will be a book exchange system on the route from Vezelay , France in the auberges/refuges.

Heya all,

so very excited for my first Camino this summer! Instead of revising for my exams I've been reading the forum and looking at pictures of Spain. Thanks to everyone for all the great advice posted on here - it certainly helped making my planning so much easier.

Lately there has been a lot of talking about bringing a Kindle on the Camino. I have to admit that I never got into these e-readers - I just need a nice old paperback book with me while travelling. So my plan is to pick up a book from a charity store here, bring it with me and once I finish swapping it with someone else . While travelling in Asia I found that most hostels have bookswap facilties. So my question for experienced peregrinos on the Camino Frances - are these things commonly available or can I at least find second-hand book stores in the bigger cities?

Thanks for all your advice!

 

[sun is shining]

Thanks for all your replies guys - its always great to hear from people that actually know the situation!
I guess I'll just bring my book and ask around if anyone finished theirs and fancies swapping. This can be quite interesting and leading to discovering books you would not normally read.

A few years ago in Indonesia I bumped into a lovely woman who was at the end of her travels. To safe space in her backpack she just randomly gave me three books to read. They were all about Botswana and wouldnt usually have been on my 'must read' list - after reading them Botswana is the next country I want to go to as soon as I pack my backpack again

Thanks again and Buen Camino!