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I bought these REI rain pants, and just finished the Portuguese Coastal. They were indispensable! Great in rain, but also used them just when it was windy and cooler. Kind of like a windbreaker for your legs. Extremely light. On sale now through Monday May 27...
What Rita Flower says is useful. I just finished the Portuguese Coastal (I'm still in Santiago). After a flare-up of plantar fasciitis, I ended up shipping my pack most of the way. I also taxied 2 full days and 2 half days (i was keeping up with my walking husband). In the end, the off days...
Hi Promm24. Welcome to the Forum! You should definitely download the WhatsApp app. You should be able to use your regular mobile # also as your WhatsApp #. Then you can use it to call anywhere in the world. Many businesses in Europe will not answer a U.S. phone number call, as it costs them...
There is one way to increase your chances of seeing the Botafumeiro swing. As folks have pointed out, tour groups will pay for it. In fact they often coordinate with other groups arriving at the same time, to share the cost.
So, sometime during your last few days, as you approach Santiago...
In 2016, a friend of mine, Lou, was hospitalera for the season at El Serbal Y la Luna (the owner had to be away that year, so she enlisted Lou to keep it going). Lou invited me to stop for awhile, and I enjoyed 6 days of switched roles... helping pilgrims instead of being one. It was a joyous...
Most doctors are willing to tell the pharmacy to dispense extra meds, if you explain that you'll be on a trip and need more that the normal amount, to cover the time you'll be gone.
We were at that Ponte a Cappiano hostel two weeks ago, and we thought it was just fine! The quirky host (who was a doppleganger for British comic Rowan Atkinson) put us in a room with 5 beds, but we were on our own, so essentially a private room. The hostel is right on the famous Medici...
Hi Sirron! Drop in on our regular Ivar Forum Community Zoom Chat and we'll be very happy to share your excitement...and, yes, even talk about socks. 😏 We're a widely diverse group, from all across North America and Europe.
It's every Tuesday, 6pm Madrid time. Everyone (experienced and newbie...
What Trecile said. Get a silk sleep sheet and a light weight down throw (both washable). Then, instead of stuffing the throw inside the sleep sheet, do this: Cut it so it's just a few inches wider than the sleep sheet and attach it to the top of the sleep sheet with spaced velcro tabs down...
If you skip the rosary beads and just mumble to yourself with no apparent excuse, while looking at your fingers...wouldn't that actually work better? :cool:
Has anyone mentioned yet that Roland's sword, Durandal, is embedded in the walls at Rocamador? The story is that Roland threw it back into France, as a defiant last dying gesture. It flew the 400(?)km, stuck in the wall, and remains there to this day.
BTW, Rocamador is on a variant route off of...
Thanks for the additional suggestions! I have read Spanish Steps, and really enjoyed it, and so just bought A Sense of Direction, on your recommendation. I lean towards the spiritual cynic view myself, so I'm looking forward to it!
I did exactly this...but with a twist. I took a Cocoon washable silk sleep sack and trimmed the washable down blanket from Costco so it was the same size as the sleep sack. Then I sewed on Velcro tabs to attach the blanket to the top of the sleep sack. Advantages: less weight (total 1 lb.)...
I absolutely loved the book. I read Rebekah's translation a few years ago...the Kindle version. It was one of the most "real" Camino memoires I've read. By that I mean that I felt he wanted us to really see into his thoughts, struggles, joys...that he wanted to show all, be completely honest...
Hello all. My brother-in-law, Colin, & sister-in-law, Shealagh, are both excellent photographers. They've put together a photo book (with some commentary) on the walk from Le Puy to St. Jean PdP. He's posted it online, free for anyone to enjoy. I'm about half way through, and chomping at the...
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