Bed Bugs in winter

When the Santiago pilgrim office opened this morning the running total of Compostelas issued for this year stood at 445,807. Today they handed out another 1,897. Making the new total for the year to date 447,704. More than were issued in the whole of 2023 (446,078) which was itself a new record year. And there are still nearly 3 months left of this year.

The results are in from the annual autumn questionnaire I send to all the albergues, and they are not as radical as they were last year. Prices have increased, but not as frequently as they did from 2023 to 2024, when prices almost universally went up. In fact, two albergues (so far) have lowered their prices. There have been a few closures on the Norte, Portugués, and Francés routes due to retirement (four!) or the inability to negotiate a new lease. Some of these closures are a real...

This was a rather last minute arrangement. About 3 weeks ago I saw a window in my life to get some time to myself and booked a flight to Lisbon from Christchurch New Zealand. I'm spending 36 days away from home. I feel I have lost my way over the past decade and its time to find a new way forward. I'm 67 but physically healthy and fit. Mentally not so great. I want to explore my creative side (Been an Engineer all my life). What I would like is to go though my last few years of...

I really enjoyed my Christmas Camino last year (Portugués de la Costa) and I just decided that I am going to repeat! I booked a room at San Martín Pinario for the 31st of December and I'll now have to choose between Caminos. It's going to be a short one, but which one? Camino Inglés (from Ferrol) - totally new to me Camino Sanabrés (from Ourense) - stranded in O Castro Dozón earlier this year Camino Francés (from Sarria) - I walked this stretch only once, in 2015 I tend to choose the...