Coffee in the morning...

[Thepainter]

Hi to you all,
I have a question concerning my most important morning ritual: I just won't wake up or start a day without a cup of coffee! (and a cigarette, but that won't be so difficult to arrange ). So my question to all of you who have walked Camino Frances before is: are there possibilities for making coffee in the morning in the alburgues? Is it wise to take something with me; cup, coffee, spiral heater?
I'm planning to make this trip a not so expensive one, so buying a cup in a cafe every morning (don't know if they're open anyway) is not my first option.

Thanks for your advice!

 

[mspath]

Thepainter,

Some of us carry the 'little luxury' of an electric water heating coil. See various posts here regarding using it (or not) and viable alternates as well as appropriate types of cups. As with most camino equipment the choice is large.

Happy brewing and Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[Deleted member 3000]

A solo cup of espresso is under 1E. Some albergues have vending machines that dispense a palatable cup, but it always will be better in the bars, which open early. A bigger difficulty is a second cup of coffee. Many a camino has been put to the test by a string of closed bars, particularly on a Sunday morning. An absence of electrical outlets along the trail will make your heating coil useless for solving the second-cup problem...

 

[WycombeMan]

I have to say the only thing which worries me about my Camino is the lack of Tea in my system, I would have it on drip if I could, its currently 11.15 in uk as I write this and im on cuppa no.7, I am taking a few tea bags and my cup and praying the odd albergue has a kettle. ive broken 1 coil and left another in a hostel in past 12months so will not be taking one as I obviously cannot be trusted with one.

 

[mspath]

Falcon,

I ALWAYS hope to stop at an open bar for my second and third cup of the day! After walking in the cold to enter a warm bar and sit for a hot coffee is pure bliss.However this is NOT easy in late November or December since many are closed for their well earned rest.

Margaret

 

[StuartM]

A solo cup of espresso is under 1E. Some albergues have vending machines that dispense a palatable cup, but it always will be better in the bars, which open early. A bigger difficulty is a second cup of coffee. Many a camino has been put to the test by a string of closed bars, particularly on a Sunday morning. An absence of electrical outlets along the trail will make your heating coil useless for solving the second-cup problem...

The camino broke my caffeine addiction, one of many things I'm grateful for.

On the other hand, the midday cerveza made a much nicer replacement. Might not be the best breakfast though.

I was amazed how cheap Spanish cafes were. A cafe con leche and lump of cake for less than a couple of euros at breakfast? You wouldnt get much change out of five quid in a British coffee shop.

 

[marjm007]

I don't drink coffee but I have a monster energy drink each morning. Will that be availableon my Camino or a Red Bill?

 

[LoneStar]

The critical question, are there free re-fills on coffee or do you pay by the cup at the bars? Coffee is the only reason I am considering bringing a backpacking stove. On those long Appalachian Trail days I usually stop to make a couple of cups of coffee with hot chocolate, the twin buzzes of caffeine and sugar help push out the last 9-10 miles of the afternoon.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

are there free re-fills on coffee

No. It is a concept that has not been adopted by France or Spain. Brewed coffee is rare, so there is not a pot of aging coffee burning on a hot plate. Coffee is the real thing, brewed one cup at a time. Even a dilute cafe Americano is rare.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

ALWAYS hope

Me, too. Dashed hopes make for lively blogs, though.

 

[LoneStar]

That's what I thought. I do remember the cafés con leche coming in fair sized cups and very good. Thanks for the quick response.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I wouldn't take a stove. Just take a coil. The little Nescafe packets you get in Spain aren't bad, but if you like better coffee for on the road, try VIA - a very good instant by Starbucks. I honestly do not recall many places along The Way where I couldn't find coffee in the mornings… Regarding a kettle - I never saw even one on the Camino, although the albergues with kitchens had pots you could boil water in (except in Galicia where they have lovely kitchens that have no pots/pans/plates/utensils at all)

 

[Thepainter]

Thank you for the abundant and quick replies! Doesn't make me less concerned tough about being able to maintain my good mood in the morning ! Getting rid of this coffee addiction was not on the plan, for starters, but I might have to consider it a possibility anyway...
Might take a chance on taking with me these coils you are talking about, is that the same as what I meant with 'heating spiral'?

 

[Betty Bauer]

I was doing a sort of self-imposed study project on the Camino this last summer, and one of my sources (written around the late 70s - early 80s) suggested that if one was used to drinking coffee or tea in the morning before they did anything, then it would probably be worth the effort for them to keep doing this, and to get a large amount of liquid in them in general before they started to walk every morning. It sounded like great advice to me

 

[simply B]

Hi, Thepainter!

Full disclosure: I am not a "morning person". Without a good cup within minutes of rising, I am barely a "person" at all.

I had a bit of difficulty finding a cup of coffee in the morning quite a lot after Santo Domingo. Maybe it was because I was in late season or perhaps due to my early starts.

There was some discomfort but I was usually able to find a fresh, hot coffee within 6 to 10 km of starting the days walk.

Betty's post above reminds me that, yes, things did go better when I increased my water intake on coffee-less dawns... and steered clear of chirpy "morning person" pilgrims until I found a bar! (No reason for them to suffer from my addiction, right?)

I think the alternative of taking a coil, cup and some Via is a good one. Tea lovers will be un-amused by the general lack of kettles at albergues. But maybe I only stayed at the cheap ones....

B

 

[madame_shepard]

Hi to you all,
I have a question concerning my most important morning ritual: I just won't wake up or start a day without a cup of coffee! (and a cigarette, but that won't be so difficult to arrange ). So my question to all of you who have walked Camino Frances before is: are there possibilities for making coffee in the morning in the alburgues? Is it wise to take something with me; cup, coffee, spiral heater?
I'm planning to make this trip a not so expensive one, so buying a cup in a cafe every morning (don't know if they're open anyway) is not my first option.

Thanks for your advice!

My husband and I were able to find coffee before leaving most of the towns during our Camino last summer (SJPP-Fromista). Sometimes it was a cafe that opened early, sometimes it was a self-serve machine in front of a store, and in Estrella the cashier at the shop had a coffeemaker next to the cash register that she willingly used to make coffee for her customers. Regardless of the source, we were always VERY grateful to have it!

 

[hnguyen]

Hi to you all,
I have a question concerning my most important morning ritual: I just won't wake up or start a day without a cup of coffee! (and a cigarette, but that won't be so difficult to arrange ). So my question to all of you who have walked Camino Frances before is: are there possibilities for making coffee in the morning in the alburgues? Is it wise to take something with me; cup, coffee, spiral heater?
I'm planning to make this trip a not so expensive one, so buying a cup in a cafe every morning (don't know if they're open anyway) is not my first option.

Thanks for your advice!

Dear Painter,
If caffeine is important to you, and your budget is tight, then taking along your cup, coil heater and coffee makes sense. Just make sure that your heater voltage and your plug/adapter are compatible with those in Spain - and that your coffee items are neither too bulky nor heavy! Many albergues (particularly the private ones) have kitchens where you can cook & heat water. These kitchens tend to be crowded at dinner time but rarely used early in the morning. I myself forgo a lot of my usual morning rituals on the camino. I go for simplicity and weight saving! However, I also believe in "different strokes for different folks!" Buen camino.

 

[shellebelle]

I carried a small backpacking pot with lid, a plastic Melitta filter and paper filters --oh and ground coffee purchased at mercdos along the way. Also, I had a small electric coil which worked great until a fellow pilgrim tried to heat her cup of milk which broke it. We were early risers and having a cup of coffee with breakfast was a great way to start the day.

 

[FaithandGratitude]

I have to say the only thing which worries me about my Camino is the lack of Tea in my system, I would have it on drip if I could, its currently 11.15 in uk as I write this and im on cuppa no.7, I am taking a few tea bags and my cup and praying the odd albergue has a kettle. ive broken 1 coil and left another in a hostel in past 12months so will not be taking one as I obviously cannot be trusted with one.

From another tea-lover: take more than a few bags!! Tea drinking is not big in Spain and some supermercados dont even sell it. What you can buy, can be pretty awful. For my upcoming next Camino, I'm taking a whole box of my favourite (organic, fairtrade, black tea), hang the weight!

 

[annakappa]

No. It is a concept that has not been adopted by France or Spain. Brewed coffee is rare, so there is not a pot of aging coffee burning on a hot plate. Coffee is the real thing, brewed one cup at a time. Even a dilute cafe Americano is rare.

Yes, coffee in Spain, as in Italy, is the real thing. Brewed one cup at a time, especially for you! What a pleasure.
One year we thought we had the solution and brought along a mini thermos. If we found out that there would not be the possibility of getting a coffee first thing in the morning, we bought from the local bar, last thing before retiring, a thermos full of coffee. Problem was that it didn't stay hot overnight!
The only time I remember we missed out on our early morning coffee was in Zubiri. We walked all the way to Trinidad de Arre before finding a bar. By then it was midday. I wasn't a happy pilgrim that morning. That was on our first Camino and after our first night, having started in Roncesvalles. I've learnt to organize myself better now! Anne

 

[oursonpolaire]

While I am fond of my morning coffee and have some sympathy for other posters on this, there is little better on the planet than cafe con leche after two hours walking in the cool clean morning air of Navarre-- this is a foretaste of the paradise which we have been promised.

 

[HermanTheGerman]

Hi to you all,
I have a question concerning my most important morning ritual: I just won't wake up or start a day without a cup of coffee! (and a cigarette, but that won't be so difficult to arrange ). So my question to all of you who have walked Camino Frances before is: are there possibilities for making coffee in the morning in the alburgues? Is it wise to take something with me; cup, coffee, spiral heater?
I'm planning to make this trip a not so expensive one, so buying a cup in a cafe every morning (don't know if they're open anyway) is not my first option.

Thanks for your advice!

Coffee is readily available in Spain and also very strong. It's a great way of kick-starting your morning. The longest we ever had to walk in search of one was 10km, which was apparently too far for my fiancee After returning from Spain the first time, I found myself craving Spanish coffee in the mornings! The quality of the coffee I found, was universally good right across Spain and in Portugal.

 

[WycombeMan]

From another tea-lover: take more than a few bags!! Tea drinking is not big in Spain and some supermercados dont even sell it. What you can buy, can be pretty awful. For my upcoming next Camino, I'm taking a whole box of my favourite (organic, fairtrade, black tea), hang the weight!

I popped into waitrose this morning and bought supplies 120bags of breakfast tea and 40 lady grey, also in a pound shop milk 50 cartons, all weighs 346g so well worth it me thinks. Panic sweats over

 

[Deleted member 22638]

I popped into waitrose this morning and bought supplies 120bags of breakfast tea and 40 lady grey, also in a pound shop milk 50 cartons, all weighs 346g so well worth it me thinks. Panic sweats over

Soon to be a very popular pilgrim me thinks

 

[Espero]

I popped into waitrose this morning and bought supplies 120bags of breakfast tea and 40 lady grey, also in a pound shop milk 50 cartons, all weighs 346g so well worth it me thinks. Panic sweats over

What? No sugar?

 

[WycombeMan]

What? No sugar?

nah i'm sweet enough

 

[indyinmaine]

• I usually can't start my day either without coffee but I tried something different on the Camino. With exercise + coffee I found I had too much of a buzz so switched to cocoa and had my coffee at the first or second café. Added benefit - they say that chocolate helps drain all that lactic acid from those aching muscles. It worked quite well.

 

[Larry from Sydney]

Indy was the coco easy to find in the Camino or did you take it with you - being as I am a bit if a coffee addict maybe not having coffee while in the Camino will purge my system us not having all that milk I normally have will cut down on my fat intake as I have 8-10 cups a day - can see some headaches coming but it is a small thing to give up for the Camino


Sent from my iPhone using Camino de Santiago Forum mobile app

 

[indyinmaine]

the

Indy was the coco easy to find in the Camino or did you take it with you - being as I am a bit if a coffee addict maybe not having coffee while in the Camino will purge my system us not having all that milk I normally have will cut down on my fat intake as I have 8-10 cups a day - can see some headaches coming but it is a small thing to give up for the Camino


Sent from my iPhone using Camino de Santiago Forum mobile app

It was always available in most of the albergues and ALWAYS in the cafes. Just heat up the milk and you pour in the cocoa. And it does help with the tone of your muscles.

 

[Larry from Sydney]

The problem will be the milk as while my wife will probably look forward to a warm milk I will be trying to give it up along with coffee - I will want a chocolate fix though to help with muscle relaxing - thank you for the advice I may try and enjoy one or two as I will be carrying fish oil tablets, magnesium tablets and cramp away (sounds like I am a chemist shop) - the cramp away is a sports powder that works for me to relieve cramping - different things for different people - anyway enjoy your walk

 

[Icacos]

can see some headaches coming but it is a small thing to give up for the Camino

Headaches from caffeine withdrawal can be diabolical – I know, as I’ve had a few. Over the years I’ve learned to simply drink very weak coffee; that way it is relatively easy to wean myself completely off my dependency whenever I think it’s a good idea – such as when I was heading off on my Camino. (Yes, I know, coffee aficionados will be horrified at the thought of weak coffee )

I knew I was going to have a REALLY hard time resisting a daily café con leche while on the Camino. My quest immediately when I got to Roncesvalles was to find out how to ask in Spanish for a weak café con leche. I showed the very kind, patient waitress just how weak I needed my coffee, and she suggested that the best thing would be for me to ask for “descafeinado con leche”. This I did and along the way I was even asked at some places if I wanted it “de machina”, but it was much easier for everyone to just get the cup of hot milk with the little packet of coffee on the side, and add it to the milk myself.

………. And I even learned to ask, very, very reluctantly, for “Descafeinado con leche caliente”, because sometimes they seemed not too particular about the temperature of the milk.

Oh, those breakfasts were so good ..... and the second and third ones too
Charleen

 

[Larry from Sydney]

Thank you Charleen - the breaking of the coffee addiction is one of my reasons for doing the Camino to clean out my body and soul in many ways - we each do the Camino for our own reasons - mine is mainly a spiritual journey to show myself that my spiritual belief will get me through anything - at teh same time mentally to show mentally my mind can get my body through anything so I do not want to weaken my resolve - but I am sure a few days in I will be able to smell coffee from 5kms

 

[StuartM]

The problem will be the milk as while my wife will probably look forward to a warm milk I will be trying to give it up along with coffee - I will want a chocolate fix though to help with muscle relaxing

You can ask for Colacao (instant hot chocolate) with hot water (agua caliente) instead of hot milk. It comes (usually) in a glass with a sachet of powder on the side and you mix it yourself. Most bars and cafes sell Colacao.

It is worth trying real Spanish hot chocolate if you can find it, it is served very thick and very strong.

 

[lynnejohn]

You can ask for Colacao (instant hot chocolate) with hot water (agua caliente) instead of hot milk. It comes (usually) in a glass with a sachet of powder on the side and you mix it yourself. Most bars and cafes sell Colacao.

It is worth trying real Spanish hot chocolate if you can find it, it is served very thick and very strong.

With churros!

 

[OzAnnie]

I had forgotten about the colacao. It was a nice variation., but is very more'ish. Yum

 

[jeffrey r aitken]

Hi to you all,
I have a question concerning my most important morning ritual: I just won't wake up or start a day without a cup of coffee! (and a cigarette, but that won't be so difficult to arrange ). So my question to all of you who have walked Camino Frances before is: are there possibilities for making coffee in the morning in the alburgues? Is it wise to take something with me; cup, coffee, spiral heater?
I'm planning to make this trip a not so expensive one, so buying a cup in a cafe every morning (don't know if they're open anyway) is not my first option.

Thanks for your advice!

I will be heading for my first walk in April and will have my coil and my little stove and lots of singles ready for myself and the ones who need it. Cheers

 

[obinjatoo]

The critical question, are there free re-fills on coffee or do you pay by the cup at the bars? Coffee is the only reason I am considering bringing a backpacking stove. On those long Appalachian Trail days I usually stop to make a couple of cups of coffee with hot chocolate, the twin buzzes of caffeine and sugar help push out the last 9-10 miles of the afternoon.

You won't need refills with Spanish coffee. It's awesome! Try the Cafe Cortada.

 

[obinjatoo]

Oh, I almost forgot... There are some really strong instant espresso out there. Even tepid water from the tap will work in a pinch. I hate that "lack of caffeine" headache.

 

[LoneStar]

Thanks to everyone for sharing all these helpful options.
Buen Camino

 

[Ebbs]

I wouldn't take a stove. Just take a coil. The little Nescafe packets you get in Spain aren't bad, but if you like better coffee for on the road, try VIA - a very good instant by Starbucks. I honestly do not recall many places along The Way where I couldn't find coffee in the mornings… Regarding a kettle - I never saw even one on the Camino, although the albergues with kitchens had pots you could boil water in (except in Galicia where they have lovely kitchens that have no pots/pans/plates/utensils at all)

I am, as well, a true lover of good coffee any time of the day. VIA...what a grt idea! I wonder if I can strike a deal w/my local Starbucks? So it's possible to find hot water in most albergues?

 

[Anniesantiago]

I am, as well, a true lover of good coffee any time of the day. VIA...what a grt idea! I wonder if I can strike a deal w/my local Starbucks? So it's possible to find hot water in most albergues?

Yes. If there is no kitchen, there is almost always a restaurant or bar in the village. That's why there is no kitchen
If there is no bar, there's generally a kitchen where you can at least heat water.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I wonder if I can strike a deal w/my local Starbucks?

Except for Barcelona and Madrid, you will be hard pressed to find a Starbucks in Spain. I don't think they want to compete with 80 cent espresso.

 

[Monk Moses]

Except for Barcelona and Madrid, you will be hard pressed to find a Starbucks in Spain. I don't think they want to compete with 80 cent espresso.

Thank God there is no Starbucks in Spain!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Thank God there is no Starbucks in Spain!

Not "none," but just a handful in Madrid and Barcelona.

 

[tyrrek]

Don't be too relaxed about the availability of your morning smoke. I found myself short in a couple of shopless places (Larrasoana, Boadilla...). Even if you are well stocked up others are not, and in the true pilgrim spirit you freely share all evening without cursing once (even under your breath). ;-)

 

[StuartM]

With churros! View attachment 8745

One of my favourites!

There is a great churros stand in Camden market should anyone in London need a fix.

 

[jeffrey r aitken]

Now thats funny LOL.But so true sharing is all apart of life! I will stock up on rollies for my journey,and hope to meet up with Joost from Amsterdam for a little tobacco pick me up .HEhehe

 

[StuartM]

Don't be too relaxed about the availability of your morning smoke. I found myself short in a couple of shopless places (Larrasoana, Boadilla...). Even if you are well stocked up others are not, and in the true pilgrim spirit you freely share all evening without cursing once (even under your breath). ;-)

I'm not a smoker so never paid it much attention in Spain but I remember from rural France every village square had a cigarette machine and a condom machine. Everything you need for an out of hours emergency

 

[JennyH94]

While I am fond of my morning coffee and have some sympathy for other posters on this, there is little better on the planet than cafe con leche after two hours walking in the cool clean morning air of Navarre-- this is a foretaste of the paradise which we have been promised.

Aaahh! oursonpolaire - I'm with you ! Café con leche ... pilgrims' petrol ! 'Love those café con leches - especially with a slice of Mother's Cake ! Paradise !

 

[indyinmaine]

While I am fond of my morning coffee and have some sympathy for other posters on this, there is little better on the planet than cafe con leche after two hours walking in the cool clean morning air of Navarre-- this is a foretaste of the paradise which we have been promised.

Don't get me wrong. After my Colacao to start out, I was known to be heard shouting, "CCCAAAAFFFFEEEE" looking for a cafe con leche about two hours out!

 

[Tigerandahalf]

Have spent a few summers in spain and the cafes con leche are just lovely. I loved nothing better than going to the local plaza and sipping one in the afternoon sun watching life going by. Coffee is widely available but tea is a rarity. Asking for tea with milk once the waitress brought me out a leche caliente with a tea bag on the saucer. I dont think she ever heard of the phrase 'just a drop of milk'.

 

[Kanga]

Asking for tea with milk once the waitress brought me out a leche caliente with a tea bag on the saucer. I dont think she ever heard of the phrase 'just a drop of milk'.

LOL - I can picture it! I've given up trying to have tea English style in France or Spain. I sometimes have a "tisane" in France or a "té" in Spain. Without milk.

 

[JennyH94]

Hey Larry

I fell in love with the hot chocolate drinks in Spain....my two highlights were one at Orrisson and this wee gem in Leon.

The hot chocolate was so thick your spoon almost stands up in it.
Hmmmmmmmmm nom nom nom.

Hi Lise - was this at the café at one corner of Plaza Regia and the Cathedral? The café also had an amazing range of pastries, cakes and biscuits - fantastic! The hot chocolate I had at that café kept my chocolate addiction topped up for days! Well, at least until Astorga!

 

[JennyH94]

Oh my gosh!!! Yes it was!! How awesome is that. ..!!!!!
I indulged in a few of those pastries as well!!!!

I'll say, Lise! Trust us pilgrims to sniff out the best places for the best treats! I can honestly say that I have never had a better hot chocolate than the one I enjoyed in that café - that taste and texture - so delicious!

 

[Mark Lee]

 

[Mark Lee]

The camino broke my caffeine addiction, one of many things I'm grateful for.

On the other hand, the midday cerveza made a much nicer replacement. Might not be the best breakfast though.

I was amazed how cheap Spanish cafes were. A cafe con leche and lump of cake for less than a couple of euros at breakfast? You wouldnt get much change out of five quid in a British coffee shop.

 

[StuartM]

View attachment 9018

The only thing that stops me being incredibly jealous is that it's Mahou If it had been Estrella Damm or San Miguel I'd be green with envy!

 

[Mark Lee]

The only thing that stops me being incredibly jealous is that it's Mahou If it had been Estrella Damm or San Miguel I'd be green with envy!

Here ya go, brother.........

 

[StuartM]

Much appreciated

 

[Tigerandahalf]

Estrella is a lovely beer. Light and smooth. Coffee and a slice of cake is common and can be very cheap but wages are also very low and workers can work split shifts.

 

[Kanga]

I've never had a bad cup of coffee in Spain. Whereas in some countries that will be nameless .... I've never had a good one!

One if the joys of the Camino - that first café con leche grande y tostados Yesterdays bread roll cut and squished on a hot plate, with butter and jam. Yum!

 

[wayfarer]

The only thing that stops me being incredibly jealous is that it's Mahou If it had been Estrella Damm or San Miguel I'd be green with envy!

Mmmm.... San Miguel, the patron saint of thirsty pilgrims.

 

[xin loi]

Larry from Sydney--Don't know what "Cramp Away' is....but Here in the US, when hunting grouse on foot, you usually will walk a bird dog into the ground by lunch and have to change dogs for the afternoon. But some local Veterinarians recommend giving dogs a 500 Mg dose of Vitamin C so they can hunt longer . Seemed to work on bird dogs so I was curious if it would work on me. Yep!

Supposedly Vitamin C helps repair torn muscles/ cramps. Works for me at 500 mg but friend needs 1000 mg. We take it prior to doing an all day overland walk thru the brush.

 

[trevorcc]

From a man who loves his coffee, i found that if the local bar was not open there would be one down the road and along with my brekkie coffee I also caught up with friends or just sucked up the atmosphere to start my day.

 

[Christine15]

• After reading all the posts re Cafe con Leche I am definitely the odd person, I was so looking forward to enjoying Cafe con Leche's alas, did not enjoy them at all, I admit I like my coffee quite strong & I don't drink instant, in Italy love the coffee but it is not hot enough. After trying 6 or 8 times in various places to get what "I consider a good cup of coffee" I gave up and only drank black tea which I had no problem getting on the camino, however in the evening I stuck to wine, not problem getting that either. I loved my Camino and not getting a good cup of coffee (to my standard) was nothing. I hope to walk again in 2015 or 16 and next time won't even bother about Coffee.

 

[ChuckPinoy]

Hi to you all,
I have a question concerning my most important morning ritual: I just won't wake up or start a day without a cup of coffee! (and a cigarette, but that won't be so difficult to arrange ). So my question to all of you who have walked Camino Frances before is: are there possibilities for making coffee in the morning in the alburgues? Is it wise to take something with me; cup, coffee, spiral heater?
I'm planning to make this trip a not so expensive one, so buying a cup in a cafe every morning (don't know if they're open anyway) is not my first option.

Thanks for your advice!

Some of the Albergues offer coffee, and if they don't, you should be able to find a cafe/bar along the way. Many of the pilgrims are weight conscious (backpack) and only bring bare essentials. But if you don't mind the extra weight, you can always bring a jet boil to heat your water and whatever else you need to make coffee. Spiral heaters requires electricity which may not be readily available.

Buen Camino!

 

[ChuckPinoy]

The critical question, are there free re-fills on coffee or do you pay by the cup at the bars? Coffee is the only reason I am considering bringing a backpacking stove. On those long Appalachian Trail days I usually stop to make a couple of cups of coffee with hot chocolate, the twin buzzes of caffeine and sugar help push out the last 9-10 miles of the afternoon.

Unfortunately the bar/cafes I've stopped at did not offer free refill. If you don't mind the extra weight, bring a jet boil or backpacking stove so you can heat up something on the go. A cup of noodles will also take you a long way ;-)

Buen Camino!

 

[Kanga]

• Cafe con Leche's alas, did not enjoy them at all,

Good heavens. How sad. My daughter is a trained barister, put herself through university in Sydney making coffee, and she agrees with me; impossible to get a bad coffee in a cafe in Spain.

But it is Spain, not Bondi. The treatment and technique is different.

If you like it strong, you should ask for "doble cortado" - a "cortado" is a short black with a dash of milk - proportion and strength of coffee to milk is probably closest to our flat white, but it's a small cup, so ask for doble (or have two).

A "solo" is a short black expresso - the same as Italian "cafe".

And presumably you realise that "cafe con leche" is an expresso filled with scalded full cream hot milk. It's considered breakfast, a meal, 1/4 coffee and the rest is scalded milk. It's not a cappuccino, flat white or even a latte. Don't expect it to be.
The Spanish do not use the micro-foaming technique so ubiquitous in Australia.

No self respecting cafe in Spain would dream of serving instant.

 

[wayfarer]

Because of the old ticker I order a Cafe con leche, corto de cafe, mucho leche. In other words, short or light on the coffee and lots of milk, and I have rarely got a bad cup of coffee in Spain.

 

[StuartM]

in Italy love the coffee but it is not hot enough.

I've found this in a lot of mainland Europe, including Spain. It's really annoying, great coffee (and hot chocolate) but always lukewarm, even black coffee. I was in Amsterdam the other week, everywhere I went... lukewarm coffee!

I wonder if there is a connection, the dreaful black sludge we get in the UK is always hot, the very good stuff is barely warm...

 

[Al the optimist]

I'm one of the last (often the last) up and out in the mornings. I let others thrash about and then start in uncrowded comfort. I am happy to start with just water and no breakfast and normally take those pleasures after an hour or two along the trail. But I love Spanish coffee and pastry then, when I am really awake and have generated a small appetite. In the cities I look for Chocolate and Churros. Lovely thick chocolate and fried doughnut like pastry - very filling.

 

[Kanga]

[quote="Al the optimist, post: 203288, member: 18869". In the cities I look for Chocolate and Churros. Lovely thick chocolate and fried doughnut like pastry - very filling.[/quote]

One of the highlights for me of a visit to Barcelona is to have churros y chocolate in the Opera Cafe on Las Ramblas, late at night. The well dressed elderly opera patrons spill out after the Opera and come into the cafe for what is obviously a regular treat. The whole atmosphere is wonderful - and the churros are pretty terrific too!

 

[GerryDel]

My son became addicted to KAS Naranja. Now I have to find it over here.

 

[Calgarybiker1965]

I have to say the only thing which worries me about my Camino is the lack of Tea in my system, I would have it on drip if I could, its currently 11.15 in uk as I write this and im on cuppa no.7, I am taking a few tea bags and my cup and praying the odd albergue has a kettle. ive broken 1 coil and left another in a hostel in past 12months so will not be taking one as I obviously cannot be trusted with one.

I'm laughing WycombeMan...7 cups? SAY WHAT? How many pit stops is this after the tea starts breaking the seal?

 

[oursonpolaire]

Unfortunately the bar/cafes I've stopped at did not offer free refill. If you don't mind the extra weight, bring a jet boil or backpacking stove so you can heat up something on the go. A cup of noodles will also take you a long way ;-)

Buen Camino!

To be quite honest, I get better value paying for a 2d cup in Spain than I ever have on free refills anywhere in North America. The authority of this statement rests on forty years of coffee-drinking and business travel. In six Caminos, I had one bad cup, in a wayside café not far out of Portomarin.

 

[Bajaracer]

My son became addicted to KAS Naranja. Now I have to find it over here.

Gerry, KAS is available is the US, any Spanish market should carry it, my local Spanish market, Pata Negra Market carries it.
http://m.tienda.com/food/products/bv-18-8.html

 

[Mary Kate]

The problem will be the milk as while my wife will probably look forward to a warm milk I will be trying to give it up along with coffee - I will want a chocolate fix though to help with muscle relaxing - thank you for the advice I may try and enjoy one or two as I will be carrying fish oil tablets, magnesium tablets and cramp away (sounds like I am a chemist shop) - the cramp away is a sports powder that works for me to relieve cramping - different things for different people - anyway enjoy your walk

Hi Larry from Sydney, I've just spotted this thread about coffee and chocolate. I hope you had a great Camino.
My problem is that I can't have cow's milk products and use goat's milk. (Cow's milk makes me arthritic as well as other reactions and it's not worth it though I hate being a finicky eater!) I've been steeling myself to cope with black coffee on the Camino. Are those delicious looking churros dairy-free? Does anyone know if goat's milk is readily available? Also, I didn't know chocolate helped with cramps which I suffer from at night. Having a glass of (goat's) milk before I go to bed keeps them away.
Any information from experienced peregrinos much appreciated.
Mary

 

[JohnMcM]

Ah! Cafe con leche and dear memories of sharing a cup or two with friends.

 

[woodswoman]

I don't drink coffee but I have a monster energy drink each morning. Will that be availableon my Camino or a Red Bill?

While I did drink cafe con leche on the Camino, I didn't need coffee, and as I read the self-admitted addictions of coffee, tea and Red Bull drinkers, I'd like to ask that you think about some of the reasons you might be walking The Way. Perhaps you will become more energized by what you are doing, thinking, feeling, hearing, and seeing than by the need for Red Bull, etc. When you get home, you can go back to your drink habit, but I'll bet it will look different by then. Not saying you should walk the Camino to break a habit, but some people do . . . I felt as though I was approaching the Camino as a fresh thing, and except for brushing my teeth, nothing about my days on the Camino resembled my time at home. I showered at night, not in the morning, certainly didn't have a king=sized bed, and was not used to hiking at all. But I wanted a solitude journey, without having a computer in my face most of the day, without any of my usual distractions, and that also meant shifting what I thought I couldn't live without.

Try it . . . you might like it!

 

[GerryDel]

Gerry, KAS is available is the US, any Spanish market should carry it, my local Spanish market, Pata Negra Market carries it.
http://m.tienda.com/food/products/bv-18-8.html

Cool, I'll have to pick him up a 12 pack.

 

[Rachael]

Now I want a churro or two, and a wee cup of Valor chocolate. The most decadent breakfast I've ever had.