LIVE from the Camino Live from Camino Malaga

[Anniesantiago]

No prefix for this route.

Hello all.
I arrived in Madrid this morning.
It's an absolute madhouse!
I've never seen so many tourists this early in the season.
Weather was beautiful today but raining lightly now at 10 pm.

Got my Vodafone SIM, food, and am meeting with my next door neighbor from Portland for coffee tomorrow morning. Dang, we're all so world-travelled!

Then I'll spend much of the day saving the maps I'll need to get me through the olive trees.

My train leaves for Malaga Sunday morning early. About 2.5 hour trip. Ticket was 55 euros.

I will spend one night at Aparamentos Marques de la Merced, tourist around, get my Credential. Night 2
I found a pension right across the street from where the Camino begins in Junta de Los Caminos. It is called Alojamiento Jose Carlos and is 25 euros for one night single.

Next day I will begin walking.

You can follow my blog at www.caminosantiago2.blogspot.com

 

[MichaelB10398]

Thanks for the update. It will be great to hear how things progress.

 

[Anniesantiago]

It's 3 am and the young party people are still raging away downstairs. I managed a siesta today so I think I'll just grab a coffee from the machine in the lobby and start my day. How do they do it!?

 

[oursonpolaire]

It's 3 am and the young party people are still raging away downstairs. I managed a siesta today so I think I'll just grab a coffee from the machine in the lobby and start my day. How do they do it!?

They must be vampires.

 

[Anniesantiago]

They must be vampires.

Haha. Maybe.
Well, due to the noise, I startled myself awake at 11 am!! Holy cow! I haven't until 11 since I was in my 20's!

I learned something today that I didn't know. Actually two things.

1. If you have a ticket somewhere from he Atocha station (like mine to Makaga) then your Cercanius ticket that morning is free. So instead of paying to take the Metro to the station, I'll go one floor down and take Circanius.

2. Since I was here two years ago, there was s a very fancy security you must go through to board the train. Has that always been in place? I don't remember it.

It's raining cats and dogs today. It reinforces my decision to start in Malaga. Here in Madrid I'm staying at Hostal Alonso which I booked on booking.com. It it much more run down than the photos on the website show but it is clean and the landlady is lovely. If you are a light sleeper, request a room away from the street. The terraced rooms are noisy as heck until 5 am. But the room for a single at €25 makes me hesitant to complain. It's very convenient to Atocha and two blocks from Plaza de Sol. See photos on my blog.

Tomorrow morning, Malaga!

 

[Castilian]

1. If you have a ticket somewhere from he Atocha station (like mine to Makaga) then your Cercanius ticket that morning is free. So instead of paying to take the Metro to the station, I'll go one floor down and take Circanius.

The Cercanías ticket is free (as I've said on other threads) if:

• You have a ticket out of Puerta de Atocha (or out of Chamartín) station that includes a combinado cercanías code. If you are traveling, for example, on an AVE or an Alvia train, your ticket will have the code but if you are traveling, for example, on a Regional or a MD train, you ticket won't have it (and you'll have to pay for the Cercanías ride).
• AND your train out of Puerta de Atocha (or out of Chamartín) doesn't depart more than 4 hours later than your cercanías.
• Notes:

1. You need a ticket to get the cercanías. With the combinado cercanías code it's free but you must get the ticket (i.e.: don't try to go directly to the cercanías with your combinado cercanías code)
2. You can take advantage of the combinado cercanías on other routes (e.g.: If you take an Alvia from Santiago de Compostela to Madrid and want to reach the airport on a cercanías after your arrival to Madrid). For detailed info about the combinado cercanías options and rules take a look at www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/larga_distancia/servicios/combinado_cercanias.html

2. Since I was here two years ago, there was s a very fancy security you must go through to board the train. Has that always been in place? I don't remember it.

Same control(s) than 2 years ago, AFAIK.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Thanks for clarifying. I checked at Atocha this morning and was told By the attendant at Renfe as well as by my landlady here in Madrid that If I was taking the train to another city I could board the Cercanius with my ticket so that's all I know.

How do you tell if your ticket has this code???

I will post this new info on my blog.

Thanks again.

 

[Castilian]

On your ticket it must say somewhere (usually is on the top-left corner): combinado cercanías followed by a code of numbers and letters (the one you have to use to get your free ticket on the self-service tickets machines). There's a picture on the link I provided that shows the usual location of the code.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I see it now up in the left corner.
Thanks!

 

[CaminoDebrita]

No prefix for this route.

Hello all.
I arrived in Madrid this morning.
It's an absolute madhouse!
I've never seen so many tourists this early in the season.
Weather was beautiful today but raining lightly now at 10 pm.

Got my Vodafone SIM, food, and am meeting with my next door neighbor from Portland for coffee tomorrow morning. Dang, we're all so world-travelled!

Then I'll spend much of the day saving the maps I'll need to get me through the olive trees.

My train leaves for Malaga Sunday morning early. About 2.5 hour trip. Ticket was 55 euros.

I will spend one night at Aparamentos Marques de la Merced, tourist around, get my Credential. Night 2
I found a pension right across the street from where the Camino begins in Junta de Los Caminos. It is called Alojamiento Jose Carlos and is 25 euros for one night single.

Next day I will begin walking.

You can follow my blog at www.caminosantiago2.blogspot.com

Buen Camino, Portland friend!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Night two in Madrid. 3 am and impossible to sleep.

I felt like taking a nap this afternoon and now I wish I had. The party is raging downstairs and even with earplugs sounds like it's in my room. The terrace doors on this place won't completely close so there's no way to block out the noise. If the bathtub wasn't hobbit sized I'd go sleep in there. I sure hope my hotel room in Malaga isn't over a bar! At this point I fear if I sleep I'll miss my alarm and my train. Lord, save me from vampires!

I missed meeting up with Clare from the forum tonight but did have wine with my next door neighbor from Portland, which was a kick. His wife is getting her butt kicked on the Camino, in his words. He chose to stay in Madrid and take a Spanish class. Also hoping to meet Maggie on Monday for coffee. Small sweet world.

Now if only I can sleep tonight. . Please God. A quiet room. Por favor?

 

[Anniesantiago]

Sunday 17 April. Zero sleep last night. I stayed awake all night. By 3 am I was afraid to go to sleep and miss my train so I stayed up.

Made it onto the train. Wow! Spain has USA's Amtrak looking like we are a third world country. Beautiful clean waiting rooms. Beautiful clean train. Checked in using my iPhone. Good security. Just a very positive experience.

The trip from Madrid to Malaga took under three hours and I met have dozed because what felt like 10 minutes later, we were in Córdoba. That was good to know because if all goes well, I will finish this stretch in Córdoba. Then I can train to Madrid, hop to the airport and jump a bus to Pamplona where I need to be by the 6th or 7th.

Malaga is beautiful. It was too early to check into my apartment so I spent the morning attending Mass at the Cathredal, then visiting the Alcazaba. Entrance to the Alcazaba is free after 2 pm on Sunday's but I paid a pensioner fare of €,60 because I got there early. Photos on my blog.

I really needed a restful night so I requested a tiny apartment in the interior of Apartamentos Marques de la Merced. It's a pretty and well stocked apartment in the Old District for €34. Has a stove, fridge, washing machine, hot showers, tv, and a big double bed (matrimonial). I could be happy living here!

Tomorrow I may meet up with Maggie then need to find a bus to Junta de Los Caminos where I have rented a room, across the street from the trail, for €25

Malaga weather is beautiful today but showing thunderstorms the first two days I walk. I'll have to check with Maggie about how the trail will be affected. I don't mind a little rain, but lightening scares me so I may hold off that day depending on what it looks like.

Ok. That's it for today. Breakfast was €3 in Plaza de la Merced and consisted of toast, jam, orange juice and coffee. my plan was to cook tonight but I'm fried after no sleep so I may grab a Donar Kabab for €4 and call it good.

Photos on the blog. More tomorrow.

 

[MTtoCamino]

Sunday 17 April. Zero sleep last night. I stayed awake all night. By 3 am I was afraid to go to sleep and miss my train so I stayed up.

Made it onto the train. Wow! Spain has USA's Amtrak looking like we are a third world country. Beautiful clean waiting rooms. Beautiful clean train. Checked in using my iPhone. Good security. Just a very positive experience.

The trip from Madrid to Malaga took under three hours and I met have dozed because what felt like 10 minutes later, we were in Córdoba. That was good to know because if all goes well, I will finish this stretch in Córdoba. Then I can train to Madrid, hop to the airport and jump a bus to Pamplona where I need to be by the 6th or 7th.

Malaga is beautiful. It was too early to check into my apartment so I spent the morning attending Mass at the Cathredal, then visiting the Alcazaba. Entrance to the Alcazaba is free after 2 pm on Sunday's but I paid a pensioner fare of €,60 because I got there early. Photos on my blog.

I really needed a restful night so I requested a tiny apartment in the interior of Apartamentos Marques de la Merced. It's a pretty and well stocked apartment in the Old District for €34. Has a stove, fridge, washing machine, hot showers, tv, and a big double bed (matrimonial). I could be happy living here!

Tomorrow I may meet up with Maggie then need to find a bus to Junta de Los Caminos where I have rented a room, across the street from the trail, for €25

Malaga weather is beautiful today but showing thunderstorms the first two days I walk. I'll have to check with Maggie about how the trail will be affected. I don't mind a little rain, but lightening scares me so I may hold off that day depending on what it looks like.

Ok. That's it for today. Breakfast was €3 in Plaza de la Merced and consisted of toast, jam, orange juice and coffee. my plan was to cook tonight but I'm fried after no sleep do I may grab a Donar Kabab for €4 and call it good.

Photos on the blog. More tomorrow.

Annie thank you so much for sharing this experience here & doing a blog!!

 

[Castilian]

I'm glad to see you are starting to enjoy. Let's hope you get much more enjoyment along the route.

I will finish this stretch in Córdoba. Then I can train to Madrid, hop to the airport and jump a bus to Pamplona where I need to be by the 6th or 7th.

I don't know if you already have your plane ticket to Pamplona but if you don't have it, I wouldn't bother to take a plane and would take a train instead. Direct trains from Madrid to Pamplona depart from Puerta de Atocha train station (the same one used by the trains coming from Córdoba) so you would avoid that way the hassle of getting to Madrid airport and from Pamplona airport to downtown Pamplona as well as the waiting time in the airport (longer then the one at the train station). In addition, planes are more likely to run late than trains.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I'm glad to see you are starting to enjoy. Let's hope you get much more enjoyment along the route.



I don't know if you already have your plane ticket to Pamplona but if you don't have it, I wouldn't bother to take a plane and would take a train instead. Direct trains from Madrid to Pamplona depart from Puerta de Atocha train station (the same one used by the trains coming from Córdoba) so you would avoid that way the hassle of getting to Madrid airport and from Pamplona airport to downtown Pamplona as well as the waiting time in the airport (longer then the one at the train station). In addition, planes are more likely to run late than trains.

My plan was to take the train from Córdoba to the Madrid airport and jump on the bus to Pamplona. I love the bus but I will look into the train as I get close to Córdoba. Thanks.

 

[Magwood]

I'm definitely on for tomorrow. Really looking forward to meeting you. Will phone you when we arrive, but just in case communication doesn't work, let's say we meet in the plaza in front of the cathedral (with the fountain) at 10:30, and perhaps you can allow us a little grace if we are a bit late for some reason.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Sounds great Maggie.

Moderators or Ivar, could you add a colorful 'Live From Camino Mozarabe' header for those of us walking this route?

 

[C clearly]

Sorry we didn't meet last night, but you know how each day (or portion thereof) presents a new plan. We have alarms set now to depart from Spain tomorrow morning.

Ben Camino!

 

[KinkyOne]

Sorry we didn't meet last night, but you know how each day (or portion thereof) presents a new plan. We have alarms set now to depart from Spain tomorrow morning.

Ben Camino!

What, again C Clearly???
That's just great! What route?

Ultreia!
And same for you Annie!!!

 

[C clearly]

What, again C Clearly???
That's just great! What route?

The route home now, after 6 weeks in Spain - about 3 on Caminos and 3 more as a backpacking tourist.

 

[ivar]

Sounds great Maggie.

Moderators or Ivar, could you add a colorful 'Live From Camino Mozarabe' header for those of us walking this route?

Done. You can now select it for new threads created in the Camino Mozarabe forum here:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/camino-mozárabe.101/

 

[ivar]

...and I also added it to the "Live" from the Camino section:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/live-from-the-camino.15/