LIVE from the Camino Álvaro Lazaga walking again - Camino del Bajo Aragón

[AlanSykes]

The caminopath Álvaro Lazaga is back on the camino, his 44th, filing daily reports on youtube. He left his (rainy) home town of Benidorm on Monday, heading northwards towards Valencia and Castellón, where he will join the Camino del Bajo Aragón towards Zaragoza. He is hoping it will be legal for him to cross into Teruel province and the region of Aragón on May 9th - "¿libertad?". If it isn't, he will return home.

 

[yolanda Mejia]

The caminopath Álvaro Lazaga is back on the camino, his 44th, filing daily reports on youtube. He left his (rainy) home town of Benidorm on Monday, heading northwards towards Valencia and Castellón, where he will join the Camino del Bajo Aragón towards Zaragoza. He is hoping it will be legal for him to cross into Teruel province and the region of Aragón on May 9th - "¿libertad?". If it isn't, he will return home.

Enjoy, keep posting what is open or close for us to know. Thank you

 

[Isca-camigo]

I'm going to bump this, not sure about the new rules on the forum and bumping but Alvaro a couple of days ago reached Castellon and started a Camino proper from there, this route so far looks a stunner, and even some pilgrim accommodation, for anyone looking for a new, beautiful and challenging route this so far on the 1st two days has ticked a lot of boxes.

 

[peregrina2000]

Today Álvaro arrived in Escatrón, where I have been on the Ruta del Ebro. Looks like there is now a very nice albergue there. We had to stay down in a windowless cement block along the river.

Oh, the longing.....

 

[SabsP]

Today Álvaro arrived in Escatrón, where I have been on the Ruta del Ebro. Looks like there is now a very nice albergue there. We had to stay down in a windowless cement block along the river.

Oh, the longing.....

Camino Jacobeo del Ebro: Escatrón, albergue del peregrino.

Escatrón abre un albergue para peregrinos dentro de la ruta del Camino Jacobeo del Ebro. El albergue, atendido por hospitaleros, cuenta con 8 plazas.

escatron.es

From 2018, but I guess it will still be spotless. Not that many pilgrims passing by anyway.

Oh the longing indeed.

 

[Isca-camigo]

The last few days have been up there visually on his videologs as the best have seen done by him

Oh, the longing.....

Ditto

 

[peregrina2000]

When I was in Escatrón (and now I remember getting a hug from a real camino enthusiast, who came out of the tourist office and might just have been the woman in Álvaro’s vlog), I heard there was a nice monastery up the river a way. I went into a bar to ask for directions, but started chatting with three very nice women who needed a fouth to play Parcheesi. So I spent the afternoon doing that instead.



I remember leaving Escatrón the next morning. First sight was a hydro-electric plant. Then across the river, I could see what very definitely looked like a monastery. Yes indeed it was the Monasterio de Rueda, Cistercian monastery now turned into a fancy hotel. The cloister looks just stunning. But I’ve seen many beautiful cloisters and only rarely get the chance to enjoy Parcheesi and learn all about the declining fortunes of Escatrón.

 

[peregrina2000]

Ok, I need help. At 4:40 more or less of the day in Zaragoza, Álvaro is trying to decide whether to continue with the full-regalia pilgrim he has just met, César, or to do what he decided, which was to take the bus to Logroño and continue walking (the latter idea because of a conversation with a mayor along the way who told him to not even think of walking from Zaragoza because of all the covid).

As he is trying to decide, César says — Hay una frase que no falla en Epaña — there’s one sentence that never fails in Spain — Then Álvaro asks, and what is it, and the two pretty much say it at the same time. It sounds to me like they both say “No oigo.” But that doesn’t make sense. What are they saying?

I was pretty certain I knew which he would choose, but I won’t spoil the surprise for the rest of you. But I do wonder what they were saying!

 

[Pingüigrino]

Ok, I need help. At 4:40 more or less of the day in Zaragoza, Álvaro is trying to decide whether to continue with the full-regalia pilgrim he has just met, César, or to do what he decided, which was to take the bus to Logroño and continue walking (the latter idea because of a conversation with a mayor along the way who told him to not even think of walking from Zaragoza because of all the covid).

As he is trying to decide, César says — Hay una frase que no falla en Epaña — there’s one sentence that never fails in Spain — Then Álvaro asks, and what is it, and the two pretty much say it at the same time. It sounds to me like they both say “No oigo.” But that doesn’t make sense. What are they saying?

I was pretty certain I knew which he would choose, but I won’t spoil the surprise for the rest of you. But I do wonder what they were saying!

I was sitting with them, drinking, chatting and laugthing. What Cesar ( and Alvaro) said its a no so correct way to say "do not you dare".
They said " no hay huevos". You have no b_lls.
Finally he haven´t, and took the bus to Logroño, avoiding three stages on confined area.

 

[peregrina2000]

I was sitting with them, drinking, chatting and laugthing.

Oh, of course! I knew that you lived in Zaragoza - in fact, I think we had a plan to meet but then I had a bed bugs cartastrophe or else you were out of town or something! Next time.

I wonder how the closed towns will react to the peregrino who arrives while engaging in what seems like very un-pilgrim-like behavior, notwithstanding his outfit.

 

[Pingüigrino]

Oh, of course! I knew that you lived in Zaragoza - in fact, I think we had a plan to meet but then I had a bed bugs cartastrophe or else you were out of town or something! Next time.

I wonder how the closed towns will react to the peregrino who arrives while engaging in what seems like very un-pilgrim-like behavior, notwithstanding his outfit.

Perhaps he ended up trying to justify his actions to the Guardia Civil.
He is a very devout christian believer and is absolutely convinced that God is taking him in His and.
His choice, ( nor a wise one IMHO) but he can get himself into a mess until he traspass the provintial limit of Aragon.
In any event, may he have a Buen Camino

 

[peregrina2000]

@Pingüigrino, either you have a twin or you are walking now with Álvaro! At least that’s how it looks to my aging eyes!

 

[chinacat]

@Pingüigrino, either you have a twin or you are walking now with Álvaro! At least that’s how it looks to my aging eyes!

It does look like him, doesn’t it?

 

[Pingüigrino]

Well, my friends, your aging eyes doesn't lie.
I'm currently walking with him.
I'm having a unsuspecting temporary window, and enjoying a walking week.
Slow walk, short stages.
The bad new is that Alfredo, one of us, suffered a brain internal bleeding two nights ago wile sleeping.
The good new is he is in Burgos Hospital, where he get a brain scanner.
No damages, he can speak and move normally.
We have having a continuous celebration, since yesterday.
Live is wonderful, the Camino is open, springtime is gorgeous, the green sea of the meseta is waiting for us.
We'll be forever young, strong, and blister less.
What else can we ask for?
Whish us well, my friends.
Buen Camino to you all, honest people.

 

[Pingüigrino]

I am in Castrojeriz now.
When arriving to Hontanas I left Alvaro and Cari in the brand new wonderful Albergue one km before arriving the town.
I kept walking because tomorrow I'll need to be in Frómista to take a train back to Zaragoza next Wednesday.
I have no words to say how I feel.
The fields are GORGEOUS. The wheat is green and shiny, the weather perfect, only a few pilgrims in the way, enough acomodations all along the French way, the locals as friendly as ever, and my feet are light like if I were twenty.
Please keep you at home, let the Camino free for the few privileges ones who are currently enjoying it. We are walking like in the 90,s but with the facilities and infrastructure of 2021.
In fifteen years of pilgrimage NEVER felt like I'm feeling now.
I know you all are feeling jealous now.
And I love it.

Buen Camino to you all, honest people.

 

[peregrina2000]

I know you all are feeling jealous now.

Oh, you are so right, Pingüirino, but it is what you call “envidia sana,” I think. That’s a phrase we don’t really have in English (at least I’ve never come up with one). But it is pretty much the opposite of schadenfraude, which is another term we really don’t have in English!

Anyway.... so happy that you have enjoyed those beautiful emerald green fields. I have many memories of them burned into my brain, frequently surrounded by huge red fields of poppies. We will be back!

 

[Pingüigrino]

Oh, you are so right, Pingüirino, but it is what you call “envidia sana,” I think. That’s a phrase we don’t really have in English (at least I’ve never come up with one). But it is pretty much the opposite of schadenfraude, which is another term we really don’t have in English!

Anyway.... so happy that you have enjoyed those beautiful emerald green fields. I have many memories of them burned into my brain, frequently surrounded by huge red fields of poppies. We will be back!

Yes, of course when I said jealous it was said in the good sense of this word.
I'm trying to encourage you all to go to enjoy the nature, as fast as you can.

 

[peregrina2000]

Yes, of course when I said jealous it was said in the good sense of this word.
I'm trying to encourage you all to go to enjoy the nature, as fast as you can.

Hope you had a safe trip home. @Pingüigrino, I have a question. In today’s video (25 May), a woman appears who has been in some of his other videos. She looks so very familiar to me and I wonder if she is the woman who used to be the hospitalera in Outeiro on the Sanabrés right before Santiago. Do you know her?

 

[Pingüigrino]

Hello Laurie.
You are right, she is Pilar, the Mamigrina, she is the former (as long as I know) hospitalera of Outeiro.
Maybe your aging eyes are sharper than appears.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hello Laurie.
You are right, she is Pilar, the Mamigrina, she is the former (as long as I know) hospitalera of Outeiro.
Maybe your aging eyes are sharper than appears.

Mystery solved! Thank you, I remember her very well. I think I stayed there twice when she was there. She was a no-nonsense hospitalera, but very kind and proper. She had that place so clean you could eat off the floors.

 

[VNwalking]

Well, my friends, your aging eyes doesn't lie.
I'm currently walking with him.
I'm having a unsuspecting temporary window, and enjoying a walking week.
Slow walk, short stages.
The bad new is that Alfredo, one of us, suffered a brain internal bleeding two nights ago wile sleeping.
The good new is he is in Burgos Hospital, where he get a brain scanner.
No damages, he can speak and move normally.
We have having a continuous celebration, since yesterday.
Live is wonderful, the Camino is open, springtime is gorgeous, the green sea of the meseta is waiting for us.
We'll be forever young, strong, and blister less.
What else can we ask for?
Whish us well, my friends.
Buen Camino to you all, honest people.

Wow I missed ALL of this conversation when you were actually out there. Sorry you had to go back home, @Pingüigrino because it sounds totally wonderful.

I know you all are feeling jealous now.

Happy someone can walk again, and that you can!

That’s a phrase we don’t really have in English (at least I’ve never come up with one).

Empathetic joy, happiness for the good fortune of someone else. An underrated gift.

 

[Mournes]

Alvaro Lazaga has today completed his epic Camino 44 from Benidorm to Santiago and back.Congratulations to Alvaro on his incredible pilgrimage.
I will miss his daily videos which are all available on You Tube.