LIVE from the Camino Chrissy on the Camino de Madrid

DTCamino · Oct 20, 2023

David Tallan said:
I remember the same from when I was there in June. We stocked up with food before heading out to Santervás because we read there was bithing there: no restaurant, bar or shop. But when we got there the hospitaleros shared their comida and cena with us and laid out a nice breakfast.

As well, the albergue shares the building with the Ponce de Leon Museum which we visited.

The hospitalero in Villalón advised us to stock up and he offered and very nicely drove our groceries to Santervas for us.
We cooked a big lunch for both him and the Santervas hospitalero as well and then the 3 other pilgrims from Mexico we hadn’t seen in days unexpectedly showed up just as dinner was ready. 9 of us around that table and yet there was still enough food and wine for everyone.(like loaves and fishes maybe??)

jpflavin1 · Oct 21, 2023

Camino Chrissy said:
After two full weeks of dry weather, minus one hour of a spit of rain to tease, this morning we left the albergue in Tamariz with ominous clouds and an hour later wind and rain became our enemies for the next 3+ hours.

Before we left, Ivan, who has managed the tiny albergue and the bar across the street for four years, made us a yummy breakfast of scrambled eggs, onion, meat and tomato slices from his garden. He told us we were his last pilgrims as he has trained a new couple to take over the responsibilities of serving this small community of 65 people and the pilgrims who pass through. Ivan speaks some English and is a kind soul and we enjoyed chatting with him. I saw a cute mural across from the bar of two dogs. The story is that a pilgrim came through with no money, but offered to do a mural instead of paying for a bed as he was an artist. Ivan's dog is one in the mural, so I took a picture of him and his dog...so cute!

We arrived in Villalon de Campos a bit chilled and bedraggled. It was nice to have a hotel room to hand wash a bit of laundry and our dirty shoes that swam in puddles today, and dry out our rain gear. We didn't want to wait until 8:30pm to eat so a trip to the grocery store provided enough food for tonight and will last for tomorrow.
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The Muni Albergue in Villalon is one of the nicest I have ever stayed in. Very large with living room tv, large kitchen, nice showers and if I recall a washing machine.

Camino Chrissy · Oct 21, 2023

jpflavin1 said:
The Muni Albergue in Villalon is one of the nicest I have ever stayed in. Very large with living room tv, large kitchen, nice showers and if I recall a washing machine.

We booked hotels ahead of time wherever possible and the Hotel Rural in Villalon was great. It had a space heater in our large bathroom and we were able to wash all our wet rain gear, shoes, socks, etc and they dried by morning and were toasty warm...no regrets.

Camino Chrissy · Oct 21, 2023

FYI, almost no data connection last night in Santervas, so could not send my daily update, but will have internet tonight in Sahagun.

DTCamino · Oct 21, 2023

Camino Chrissy said:
We booked hotels ahead of time wherever possible and the Hotel Rural in Villalon was great. It had a space heater in our large bathroom and we were able to wash all our wet rain gear, shoes, socks, etc and they dried by morning and were toasty warm...no regrets.

The manager cooked us a nice menu del dia at the Hotel Rural and was very friendly. My room did have the oddest shower, though. It looked like it was a quadruple massage jet shower but none of the massage jets worked anymore, and you had to do crazy things to keep the shower from spraying the whole bathroom. I think they call that a 1st world problem!

DTCamino · Oct 21, 2023

Camino Chrissy said:
FYI, almost no data connection last night in Santervas, so could not send my daily update, but will have internet tonight in Sahagun.

I’ll be curious to hear your thoughts on Santervas. It was one of my favorite albergues I’ve ever stayed in, but I may be biased as I was having a great time with good company. The Ponce de Leon museum and city tour was interesting but the curator (she) was curt with the Spaniards and downright rude to me.

Camino Chrissy · Oct 21, 2023

Day 13
My memories of yesterday are mostly of high winds and trying to avoid the mud on our shoes from rain the day before, but there are still always attractive landscapes to see, and interesting old villages with their own charm of days gone past. I have been fascinated by the unique adobe structures still standing, and enjoy taking pictures of them.

We ended our day at the albergue in Santervas. A lovely place and we were the only ones there so we were given a cozy room with only 4 beds and a balcony.
We took a tour of the Ponce de Leon museum and it ended with a private tour of the church. We really enjoyed it! (Derek, the museum curator was very nice to us, and patiently waited as we took quite a bit of time looking around and reading the English side of the plaques. She then offered to open the church for us; not sure if everyone gets to see it or not. Possibly a different person than you had.)
Afterward, we made our own dinner of pasta with garlic, basil pesto, olive oil and good bread.

Adobe charm...

Our room at the albergue and tour.

Camino Chrissy · Oct 21, 2023

Day 14
Our last day walking to Sahagun.
It was a cold day in the morning when we left the albergue at 8:00am; I think about 40°F and ended in the 50's with part sunshine and no wind. I stayed warm as I layered and wore nearly all the clothes I brought except my hiking skirt; including two t-shirts, long sleeve top, down puffy, two pair leggings, gloves, hat and scarf.
The walk had a variety of landscape, including our first vineyard on this route.
We had the lunch we'd packed of bread, tuna and olives, chips, and some chocolate about half-way to the cute apartment we'd rented in Sahagun.
For some reason I'd totally forgotten about the certificate of completion I'd wanted to get and by the time I thought about it, neither the church nor the tourist office were open.
We had a nice dinner later and I ordered grilled chiperones.
Tomorrow we take a train to Avila for two nights, then on to Madrid for two additional nights before flying home, so I will end here.
Thank you to those who have followed my little journey, and I enjoyed all the comments and parallels to your own time spent on the Camino de Madrid.

More adobe clay/bricks in a small village...

Finally near entering Sahagun.

Tassie Kaz · Oct 22, 2023

Camino Chrissy said:
Day 14
Our last day walking to Sahagun.
It was a cold day in the morning when we left the albergue at 8:00am; I think about 40°F and ended in the 50's with part sunshine and no wind. I stayed warm as I layered and wore nearly all the clothes I brought except my hiking skirt; including two t-shirts, long sleeve top, down puffy, two pair leggings, gloves, hat and scarf...

Well, @ least your pack would've been light!

Camino Chrissy said:
Tomorrow we take a train to Avila for two nights, then on to Madrid for two additional nights before flying home, so I will end here.
Thank you to those who have followed my little journey, and I enjoyed all the comments and parallels to your own time spent on the Camino de Madrid.

Greetings from 🏝Bali @Camino Chrissy! Sorry I haven't added to the comments or responded to your emails (you know the reason... ) but rest assured I have been following (& really enjoying ) your write ups & pics on a daily basis.
Back to my normal solo travel from tomorrow so will start catching up from then.
Savour your last few days & safe travels. Please promise you will abide by Rule #1;
NO RUNNING TO TRAINS !
In fact, 'no running' full stop!...you hear me young lady?
Take care xox

Camino Chrissy · Oct 22, 2023

Kaz, I hope you have had a great vacay to Bali, and now time doing extra things you want before goinghome.
Thank you for reminding me of rule #1...got it!
Yes, I did seem to notice my pack felt lighter wearing all my clothes

layered on, along with carrying less water.
Safe travels back to Tasmania.

Kirkie · Oct 22, 2023

Camino Chrissy said:
Day 14
Our last day walking to Sahagun.
It was a cold day in the morning when we left the albergue at 8:00am; I think about 40°F and ended in the 50's with part sunshine and no wind. I stayed warm as I layered and wore nearly all the clothes I brought except my hiking skirt; including two t-shirts, long sleeve top, down puffy, two pair leggings, gloves, hat and scarf.
The walk had a variety of landscape, including our first vineyard on this route.
We had the lunch we'd packed of bread, tuna and olives, chips, and some chocolate about half-way to the cute apartment we'd rented in Sahagun.
For some reason I'd totally forgotten about the certificate of completion I'd wanted to get and by the time I thought about it, neither the church nor the tourist office were open.
We had a nice dinner later and I ordered grilled chiperones.
Tomorrow we take a train to Avila for two nights, then on to Madrid for two additional nights before flying home, so I will end here.
Thank you to those who have followed my little journey, and I enjoyed all the comments and parallels to your own time spent on the Camino de Madrid.
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More adobe clay/bricks in a small village...
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Finally near entering Sahagun.
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Wishing you trouble free endings, and a safe trip home. Thanks for all your reports!

jungleboy · Oct 22, 2023

Well done on another camino completed, and enjoy Ávila and Madrid!

Camino Chrissy · Oct 22, 2023

Kirkie said:
Wishing you trouble free endings, and a safe trip home. Thanks for all your reports!

Thank you, Kirkie, and I've been wanting to tell you that I really like your new avatar photo.

Lindsay53 · Oct 22, 2023

Enjoyed following your journey Chrissy. Have a good trip home!

Pilgrim 122 · Oct 22, 2023

Well done Chrissy for completing another camino! I've really enjoyed your updates and photos. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip and have a safe journey home.

chinacat · Nov 10, 2023

Well, I finally found this thread …
Great ‘walkelogue’ ( like a travelogue but on foot) … and some lovely photographs
Thank you
(off to read more thoroughly now )

chinacat · Nov 10, 2023

Camino Chrissy said:
My last picture is of a cute little plant struggling to live in the man-made environment on a very old wall. I call it..."Where there's a will, there is a way".

That’s Ivy too!
It has gone completely mad in our tiny welsh valley this year … nothing deters it!!

Peregrinopaul · Nov 10, 2023

Camino Chrissy said:
Day 14
Our last day walking to Sahagun.

In June I walked up the track behind La Peregrina and took an identical photo! I wondered where the track went to. Now I know. Great thread.

Camino Chrissy · Nov 10, 2023

chinacat said:
That’s Ivy too!
It has gone completely mad in our tiny welsh valley this year … nothing deters it!!

Better the lovely ivy than nettles!

P.S. Thanks @chinacat, for finding this thread of the Madrid Way, and receiving some enjoyment from my words and pictures.

TuiMarie · Jun 16, 2024

Thank you for your daily updates. I'm planning on doing this mid May next year and these updates have given me helps of tips for planning. I loved reading your day by day posts and all the photos. I really liked that you weren't doing really long days and planned your camino with sightseeing as well. I want to see and experience the real Spain as well as walk with time and peace to fully enjoy the experience and I think I will get that with the Camino de Madrid.

jsalt · Friday at 8:14 PM

Hi, I’m thinking of walking the Camino de Madrid again next year. Any suggestions on budget places to stay the first few days that are not more than 15 kms apart?

Fred Gaudet · 2024-11-17T00:41:41+0100

I plan to walk the Camino de Madrid in July 2025. I've seen a Kindle 2019 book on Amazon. Is there any guidebook after that date or will be before July 2025? Thanks.

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