On this date in September...

[tpmchugh]

21st September, 2013. Acebo to Ponferada. Tough walk down to Molinaseca but the views were unbelievable. The albergue was not yet open so I decided to spend the time cleaning my boots when I heard a voice having a laugh at the idea of anyone cleaning their boots. It was Mees. My heart fairly lifted, I had caught up with him, not because I was fast but because he had decided to have a rest day. We would not be parted again until the camino was over.
2016, I was walking from Mazarife to Hospital. I met a guy from Glasgow who was a fellow Celtic supporter. Met a few times over the next few days. Stayed in the Karl Leisner albergue. Spent about an hour watching as the albergue cat would go into the garden and come back with a rat. Time after time but where he put them I have no idea

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Spent about an hour watching as the albergue cat would go into the garden and come back with a rat. Time after time but where he put them I have no idea

I would bet on the hospitero's pillow.

 

[nycwalking]

Grañón, September 21, 2018.

A fun and tasty communal dinner with Pilgrims from France, Spain, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy, Korea, Poland, Venezuela, Lithuania, Russia, and USA.
View attachment 83398
Don't be afraid to stay in Grañón just because you sleep on mats on the floor. It's a great place! YMMV.
¡Buen Camino!

I love Grañon.

 

[Lexicos]

Holding ..... onto ..... my seat!


The Meseta I think. June 2017.

 

[Lexicos]

..... 2020 .....

 

[Lexicos]

..... 2021 .....

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Sept 22, 2012: Hot, hot day at the Cowboy Bar, El Ganso.... Where I first encountered Spanish cider.

 

[JohnLloyd]

Two years ago today, I arrived.

Since then, it feels like all roads still lead there.

 

[Saint Mike II]

23rd of September 2015. Today I arrived in Triacastela. I had stopped overnight (22 Sep) at Laguna de Castilla (just short of the Galician border. The morning dawned very foggy, unlike the previous afternoons clear sunshine. As I was on the bike I decided to stick to the road to O 'Cebreiro. As the altitude increased the fog became thicker, it was almost impossible to see the village until I was right on it. A short stop to pay my respects to Don Elias, a coffee and I was off. Again it was not wise to try to follow the walking pilgrims as I would be unable to see them until right on them. I checked into the Albergue Complexo (a privately operated establishment - I stayed here again in 2017). Fortunately the sun came out in the afternoon and dried my washing. Samos monastery was one planned stop tomorrow and then through Sarria to the village of Barbadelo (and Casa de Carmen albergue).

 

[Kanga]

Also on 23 September 2015. Between Hontanas and San Anton, on the Camino Francés.



And we stayed at San Anton that night.

 

[trecile]

On August 21, 2016 I set out from SJPDP on my first Camino. My goal was the End of the Earth - Finisterre. On September 25th, I reached it.

 

[Kanga]

On 26 September 2015 - Villalcázar de Sirga - one of my favourite retablos.

 

[JohnLloyd]

Happier times

 

[DoughnutANZ]

View attachment 83468
..... 2021 .....

Qantas (Australian Airline) have mothballed their fleet of A380’s, used for international flights, until 2023!

 

[camino07]

My first day out of Madrid last year

 

[Camino Chrissy]

My first day out of Madrid last year

View attachment 83720View attachment 83721View attachment 83722

I have always loved turning around to look back behind me after leaving a village or city on the camino and marveling how far my feet have taken me. Your photo of Madrid is outstanding.

 

[Kanga]

@camino07 I loved that day too.

 

[longwayhome]

Two years ago today I found walking past this misty graveyard a little unnerving...

 

[trecile]

I celebrated my birthday in Santiago with my pilgrim friends on September 26th, 2016.
Unfortunately, I had come down with a really bad cold a few days earlier on the first day of my walk from Santiago to Finisterre, and I felt miserable, but I was so happy to have reached my goal of seeing the end of the world!

 

[OTH86]

On this date 2013 - first Camino...

 

[tpmchugh]

September 26th, 2016. Passing through Villafranca to Trabadela, stopping at albergue Crispetta. It is a boring walk up the sendabehind the concrete barrier. I had read about this section in Hape Kerkeling's book describing it as a death trap. Now it is a quiet road with a concrete barrier to protect the pilgrim. The new motorway has taken away all the traffic. Have to say that Villafranca was an oasis of beauty compared to all the villages I have passed through over the last lot of days.
Same day 2013, Mees and I were heading for Sarria. We took the San Xil route out of Triacastela. Mees wasnot feeling so good this morning. Passed the fountain with the huge shell in pitch black so hard to get a good photo. If I remember correctly, somewhere along this trail, there is a Coke vending machine sitting out on its own miles from anywhere. We could see the electric supply cable threading through the tree tops an disappearing over a little hill. Sometimes wish I had gone via Samos for the history. It is alledged that the monastery was part of the Francos rat run for escaping nazis. Stopped at A Pedra albergue beside tourist office as we enetered Sarria. What a place. After a great dinner in the attached bar, the hospitalero gave us an after dinner brandy followed by a spirit he distilled himself from the many chestnuts that littered the ground in their thousands. My two caminos are starting to converge but I have never before thought of checking to see if there was a date that I was in the same place both years

 

[Tulle]

I forgot to post this yesterday.. September 25 2018 on Camino Primitivo. Google translate?

 

[tpmchugh]

September 27th 2013. Sarria to Mercadoiro. What a stinker of a day. We srarted out in the rain and finished in the rain. And not just light rain, it fairly poured down. As per usual, Mees and I did not walk side by side. He was faster than me but as long as I could see him ahead I felt OK. He had a light blue poncho so there was no problem picking him out in a crowd. I staggered into Morgade feeling like a drowned rat. A barn type structure to the left was full of dripping wet ponchos and backpacks so added mine to the collection. I could see Mees' hanging on a peg. Inside the bar, it was chock full of pilgrims trying to get a warm drink. Found Mees at a little table for two in a corner and we had the usual lunch. Tortilla and coffee. A couple of pilgrims were looking for someone to share a taxi since they had their first stamp already and would get the second in the albergue. I have to say I was a little tempted but then an Irish voice declared that back home we would call this 'a saft day'. That did it, I was walking. Got to Mercadoiro but there was no chance of drying our clothes. The clothe horses were inside of course. We hung our outer wear on the coat rails and within minutes there was a puddle on the bench and floor. Later, a mad dash across the garden to get dinner. Really enjoyable but in no rush to go back out in the rain to get to bed. Only took one photo today, church at Ferrerios.

2016 Trabadello to A Faba. Better weather than 2013 thankfully. Started out before dawn and still dark when I got to the truck stop at top of hill. The albergue in A Faba not yet open when I got there but what a pleasure it was to get the boots off and get my feet in the cool fountain. In the little bar in A Faba, I met a couple from Sunderland, England. The lady was a keen knitter and was making a cushion cover but with a difference. She was asking everyone she met if they could add a row. My Mum had taught me to knit when I was a kid so I added a row. Somewher in Sunderland there is a cushion cover with some of my knitting in it lol

 

[David61]

16th September 2013. Virgen del Camino to Mazariffe. I left Virgen before dawn which was getting later every day as we got closer to Autumn/Fall. What a disaster is the signage leaving that town. I eventually made it to a roundabout and didnt know which way to go and there wasn't another pilgrim in sight. After walking right round checking the exits I decided to just sit down and wait for either someone else to arrive or the sun to come up. Just as I was about to give up, I spotted my faithful friend, the yellow arrow, and I was off again. Into Fresno gasping for breakfast but the café was not yet open so water and a snack bar had to do. It was still dark so I turned on the lights I had attached to my rucksack and walkrd on. It seemed like forever in the dark and not an arrow to be seen. I started to doubt I was on the right road and must have missed a turn. Another ten minutes and I will turn back was my thought. Then I spotted a light in the distance so walked on and came to Oncina. I was more mentally tired than physical so a rest break was needed. Then along came Mees and Raoul, last nights dinner companion. They were having the same doubts themselves when they spotted the red lights moving ahead. They were following my lights, The blind following the blind. Stopped eventually in San Antonio de Padua. They serve a great paella.
2016, I was between Castrojeriz and Boadilla but on a whim, I stopped at Ermita de San Nicolás. What a place that albergue is. An experience not to be missed. One of the hospitaleros heard me say I was from Ireland and asked if I preferred Guinness or Smith Wicks, made me laugh everytime he pronounced the W in smithwicks. BTW, sunrise from Mostelares is amazing

You take amazing pics! Mine are so humdrum in comparison

 

[David61]

Tuesday 16th September 2019, Camino Frances, Rua to Santiago
An iconic part of the Camino for me was being able to stand by these statues and see the towers of the Cathedral and reflect on my Camino before the final walk to the Cathedral. I was inspired to see them by the film The Way. I now have this picture on a place mat. Whether it was the time of day (I was there about 1pm) or because you have to leave the main Camino route to get to them, there were very few people which made it a more peaceful moment. The only minus being the items wrapped around their necks; I can understand things being left at the feet of the statues, but please, not on the statues themselves - I am hoping they will have been taken off before my next Camino. It did not though spoil the moment which will always be part of me now.View attachment 83093

As with you I so wanted to see them because of The Way but didn't realise they were "off trail" and never did. Next time

 

[rappahannock_rev]

September 27, 2012: Reached the 100 km marker for the first time. (I think it's been moved since then....)

 

[tpmchugh]

You take amazing pics! Mine are so humdrum in comparison

Why thank you kind sir. Truth be told, the ones I did not post are well,not fit to post. Since I am not a great photographer, I reckon if I take enough, I gotta get some good ones. However, the Camino helps in that there is so much beauty to snap

 

[tpmchugh]

Sept 14, 2015: Posed for the iconic CF 'Solitary Tree' photo on the Alto de Matamulos, approaching Hornillos.....

View attachment 83015

In 2012 when my son walked his first, I read that there were no trees up there. Back then, pictures from the Camino, like books and videos were few and far between. Now I am not claiming any credit but until I published my 2013 photo of this tree, I had never seen one of it before. Now, everyone has published a version of it. Probably were hundreds but I had never seen any

 

[simply B]

27 September 2012:

Diverted to Bayonne from TVG station at CdG-Paris because my optional tickets to the Champagne, Normandy, and Brittany were all overly delayed/canceled. (I wanted to leave my walking options open thus was left with an "accidental "Camino.)

Sweet memory for the day -

I hit the Hotel Ibis near the train station (no reservation), dropped my pack in the room and went down to the resto. I was delicately informed that the kitchen closed in 30 minutes. "No problem", said I in the French available to me, "just ask the chef to put together what he can from leftovers that would satisfy his father for a meal at home." (The chef was a tad bit older than my son from what I could see.)

A few minutes later, I was presented with a bounteous salad topped with slices of pate', rillete, and charcuterie....with a half liter of the local red thrown in and a basket of baguette. About 20 minutes later, the hesitant chef presented himself to inquire as to whether his choices were suitable and was pleasantly surprised to find that every plate was clean. I was left in peace to nurse the remaining wine. The bill was 15 euro!

27 September 2017:

My late Camigo and I were recovering at a bar in SJPP from a terrible taxi trip from Pamplona.

My private (family-only) blog entry for the day...

"We believe our driver from Pamplona may have mistaken us for Formula 1
bigwigs whom he wished to impress. The only other possibility is sheer insanity.

Forty some kilometers of tight switchbacks, many with sheer multi-hundred feet
drop-offs. ALL taken at double the speed limit. Multiple ‘under an inch’
clearances with big trucks coming our way.

Tail-gating, passing on blind curves and paying no attention to the crying of tires
on the curves. I wanted to scream but could not take the chance of losing breath
completely...needed to save some for an Act of Contrition when we did a "Thelma and Louise" off a curve.

We’re okay! A couple of Basque beers, Pilgrim Mass and blessing behind us followed
by wine and plates of Basque food has restored us. We also wrangled a bunch of
candles for family intentions and thanksgiving for our safety to date."

Thank you, @trecile , for a great thread!

B

 

[tpmchugh]

September 28th, 2013. Mercadoiro to Ligonde. The weather was slightly better today with showers instead of constant downpour. We were heading for the municipal albergue but we came to Fuenta de Peregrino first and liked the look of it. Movie and popcorn at 3, prayers at 5 and included dinner and breakfast. And all this in a donativo. Met some lovely people. A German lady who lived in Mexico and a German girl walking to releave the stress of waiting for exam results. Also met two Irish sisters who were suspicious of the religious group running the place because they would not declare a denomination. They missed out on the movie and a very touching religious experience at the prayer time. Oh well, their loss. By the way, if you stop here in wet weather, the smell of cow dung is strong but you get used to it after a while. As we watched the movie, a little mouse came out of a hole in the wall and just sat there on the floor beside us. Hospitalero said he wanted rid of it but did not have the heart to harm it

2016 I was walking from A Faba to Hospital de la Condessa. Started out in early morning darkness and saw the most amazing sunrise as I climbed up to O Cebreiro. Missed an arrow leaving Laguna del Castilla and ended up walking the road up to Cebreiro. An Argentinian guy who also missed the arrow joined me and we enjoyed each others company so much, we did not mind being on wrong road. Got some great pics looking back from the top and then looking forward. I never seem to tire of the views from O Cebreiro and look often at my photos and dream of going back. Excuse me for posting so many photos but I have so many of this day and its hard to choose. Would have posted more but the limit of ten curbed my enthusiasm lol

 

[Latecomer]

On 28 September, 2018 ... After a short walking day (about 18km) from Albergue La Finca Place in Población de Campos (an excellent forum recommendation from Trecile), I arrived at Albergue Espíritu Santo in Carrión de los Condes a little before sign in time.

The nun said I could wait in the courtyard where I was surprised to see a Peregrino friend who was also waiting. After signing in and washing clothes, we had some refreshments at the well located Bar España and gave directions to pilgrims coming into town.

My friend and I would run into each other subsequently in Villafranca del Bierzo (during a 4 hour lunch), Portomarin, and Santiago.
¡Buen Camino!

 

[trecile]

On 28 September, 2018 ... After a short walking day (about 18km) from Albergue La Finca Place in Población de Campos (an excellent forum recommendation from Trecile), I arrived at Albergue Espíritu Santo in Carrión de los Condes a little before sign in time.

The nun said I could wait in the courtyard where I was surprised to see a Peregrino friend who was also waiting. After signing in and washing clothes, we had some refreshments at the well located Bar España and gave directions to pilgrims coming into town.
View attachment 84056
My friend and I would run into each other subsequently in Villafranca del Bierzo (during a 4 hour lunch), Portomarin, and Santiago.
¡Buen Camino!

I'm glad that you enjoyed your stay at La Finca!

 

[nycwalking]

On this date 2002, I walked Rabanal Del Camino to Ponferrada where I was to start a two week hospie stint at San Nicolas Del Flue then continue walking to Fisterra.

Leaving Molinaseca Jason and Jesus Christo carried my pack to Ponferrada, found albergue, we took pic, then they were off. Hadn’t seen them before or after.

The day was awfully hot and I was flagging. That’s why they carried pack. I remember thinking Jasón of the Golden Fleece fame and Jesus Christ were helping me: Camino Ángels.

 

[tpmchugh]

September 29th, 2013 and 2016. These two years have one thing in common for the 29th. I have no photos for either walk. 2013 it was Ligonde to Melide. Nothing much happened other than one foot in front of the other. When we got to Melide, I was shattered so we stopped at the first albergue we came to. A young girl was hospitalera and offered to carry my bag to the dorm. No thankyou. Mees would never let me live that down. Later as we sat outside having a beer, she brought us a slice of pizza each and then peanuts. As Mees had his afternoon nap I went to get batteries for my camera. Thats why there were no photos. Phone was out too. Later we met our German friends from Ligonde and I had my first taste of octopus. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it
2016, conscious of needing to get to Santiago to catch a plane home, I decided I was short on time so took a bus from Hospital to Sarria. October brought a change in Aer Lingus timetables so if I missed the flight I hoped for, I would be 5 days in Santiago before next one. As it was, I still missed the flight

 

[tpmchugh]

Last day of September 2013. Short walk today from Melide to Arzua. Stopped at El Alamán for breakfast. No matter when I stop here, there is always someone I know sitting there or someone turns up while I am sitting there. I have heard others remark the same. You always meet an old friend at El Alamán. Today I met the young German girl from Bavaria and the two Irish sisters. Funny thing though, never seen any of them again. Stopped at Santiago Apostle albergue. Who wired their banks of washers and driers. There was a bank of slots for the driers but no matter which one you put your money in, it just went into the reserve for number one. By the time we had all figured out what was happening, there were hours of drying time on number one and nothing could get the others to work. Boy did a queue build up for that dryer lol

2016, The walk was from Mercadoiro through Portomarín to Ventas de Narón. I started out very early. I think it was still dark but the fog was so thick, I couldnt see more than a couple of feet ahead. I did end up in Portamarín but not certain I was on the right road. A bit scary I must say. Now where is that bridge. Completely cloaked in the mist. I know I made it across cause I could feel the strain in my legs climbing those stairs. Could not see the top and from the top, could not see the bottom. Up the hill and out into the open and the mist fell away behind. Now I met a lady, Marie, that keeps popping up. Met her first in Monjarin as we waited for Hogar to open. That was a funny day. The crowd built up outside the door and one lady was afraid she would miss her place in the queue when it opened. She produced a toilet roll and gave everyone a sheet with their number written on it. Guess what, I was Number Two lol. Met Marie again in the municipal in Burgos as we prepared to leave. Someone had taken her poles by mistake. Then again, we met in Hontanas. I stopped to look at the ruins of San Anton and that was the last I saw of her as she disappeared into the distance. Now, here we were again having lunch at Gonzar. I would meet her again at the end of the day when she walked into the albergue I was staying at, Casa Molar. We would walk on and off together all the way to Santiago. In Casa Molar I got chatting with the lady who served me food just before the kitchen closed. She told me she was a nun home on leave from the Phillipines but she helped out in her brothers albergue/restaurant. When I was in my early teens I had an old school chum who went on to be a priest and went to serve in the Phillipines. Imagine my astonishment when she said she knew him and had worked with him. He was still out there. It really is a small world. Marie BTW is the lady in blue to the left of the photo. In the misty photos you can just make out the shape of the bridge and lights from the other side

 

[linkster]

On this date, September 30, 2018 in Pamplona at Meson del Caballao Blanco overlooking the Portal de Francia.

 

[David Tallan]

On this date, September 30, 2018, arriving in Porto to start my Camino Portugues.

 

[Tulle]

September 30 2018. This is where I stayed in Santiago.

 

[trecile]

View attachment 84170September 30 2018. This is where I stayed in Santiago.

The best!

 

[camino07]

My favourite place to stay