I generally love staying in albergues when walking a Camino, appreciating that it's a big part of my pilgrimage experience, and aside from the usual discomforts (smells, sounds, sights), haven't had any problems. The most uncomfortable experience...
I love my electric coil and a proud member of the Electric Coil Club. I never leave home without it on a Camino ! Not only do I use it for my mandatory first coffee of the day but also for heating water for homemade ultralight dehydrated meals...
This last trip (Norte/Frances/Vdlp), after years of bringing my trusty European plugged heating coil, I decided to leave mine at home to save weight... big mistake.
I had gotten used to cold instant coffee in the morning from another trip and...
Time to reintroduce the Electric Coil Club! See this thread. We are always happy to welcome new members. @Lindsay53, I am surprised to see that you are not a convert after your Levante, because that was the first Camino I ever carried it on...
I met him 2003, when Hontanas was a dramatically different place. The entrance to town was a junk yard, and Vitorino sat on the steps of his bar/garage. It was from the steps that he performed his grotesque wine pour exactly as described. He...
I really liked walking from Biarritz last year, so that's another option. It gives you two days of relatively flat walking along the French coast before you get to the climbs in Spain. Getting to Bayonne/Biarritz from Paris is very easy by train.
31 October 2025
What a day! But first, the usual. Very quiet here today (although it is only 4 o'clock), just two peregrinas from Taiwan and my replacement, Valentín.
I got up at my usual 6:00 and, wonder of all wonders, all 8 pilgrims were...
Peter, do you follow Dave Whitson? He's walked many Camino's, is the author of several Cicerone guidebooks, has a wonderful podcast, and has JUST completed the American Discovery Trail! Here's his website, it's definitely worth a look...
Earlier this month, I began walking from Ponferrada to Santiago with two friends. Although I had walked two previous Caminos, this was the first for both of my friends.
This Camino was full of the Unexpected. The first few days were easy...
Camino Frances
towards O Cebreiro
near La Laguna
November 30, 2012 on the biking path!
Shaggy with snow these huge pines resembled fairy tale phantoms .
This site is run by Ivar at in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon