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On the Camino: One Day at a Time, one Photo at a Time 4.0.

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Nearing Espinal
photo taken October 17, 2014



Here comes the sun

Although the 5 hour slog up the Valcarlos route the day before to Roncesvalles had been exhausting, the morning's copious
breakfast in Burguete with fresh squeezed orange juice (at times better than champagne) provided instant necessary energy.
Thus the camino path downhill towards Espinal was easy and my confidence returned while walking toward that glorious sunlight.
 
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In 2019 I was fortunate enough to be walking El Camino during Holy Week (also see my post and photo #786 in this thread from Easter Morning in O Cebreiro). If any of you have ever experienced Holy Week on El Camino, you may remember the elaborate processionals that occur through the streets in the different cities and towns. I took the photo below in Ponferrada on Holy Thursday, hence the float representing the Last Supper. Jesus Christ is standing at the head of the table, and the person closest on the right, holding the bag of money, would be Judas Iscariot. But as I looked at the table, I realized there was another person there whom we all know, and that person is the Apostle James, also known as ... Santiago de Compostela! An incredibly important personage in the history of Spain.

 
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Leboreiro
Cabazo or Granary

photo taken November 30, 2011



..Located in the small village of Leboreiro, on the CF east of Melide, is this typical Cabazo, that is, a granary in the form of gigantic basket used to preserve corn

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Conoce todos los detalles sobre Cabazo de Leboreiro. Un Cabazo es un gran canasto circular hecho con palos entrelazados y cubierto de paja que apoyado en una base de piedra es utilizado para conservar el máiz. Detrás del Cabazo se encuentra la iglesia románica de Santa María con ábside circular...
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Best lightweight Camino guides
Ideal pocket guides for during & after your Camino. Each weighs only 1.4 oz (40g)!
Best lightweight Camino guides
Ideal pocket guides for during & after your Camino. Each weighs only 1.4 oz (40g)!
Get a Spanish mobil number + data while on the Camino
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
March 25, 2019 – I took this photo from the Citadel in SJPP, looking toward the Pyrenees, on the afternoon before I would start my first Camino. Bring yourself back to your first Camino … your first trepidatious steps. What thoughts swirled through your mind … will I find the albergue … will there be a bed … what about communicating? I needn't have concerned myself. El Camino turned out to be the single most meaningful and uplifting spiritual journey in my 60-something years of life. I tip my hat to acknowledge everyone who makes the Camino possible and who perpetuates its spirit. I wish everyone an equally rewarding Camino. Plans to return as soon as practical are already underway, and if it had not been for Covid, I would have returned months ago.

 
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Even on the CF it is possible to have quiet and solitary moments.
Roadworks between Reliegos and Mansilla de las Mulas. CF 2013 in March. Was the only pilgrim that day that stayed the night in Reliegos and actually saw no other other one until I walked into Mansilla.
I remember the local police drove by and stopped to ask me if I was ok.
 
Villalcazar de Sirga,
Iglesia de Santa María la Blanca, main door
photo taken November 6, 2011



Patterns

In Villalcazar de Sirga the masive and austere fortress-church, Santa Maria la Blanca was built in the 13th century by the Knights Templar.

Diagonally opposite the restaurant
El Meson des Templiers has also existed for centuries. In 2011 filled with antiques it appeared quite up-market. However we pilgrims shown a table four steps lower than other diners, ie. truly below the salt were served a delicious special pilgrim menu for 11€.

Feeling mellow after that copious bargain lunch I revisited this church door. Sunlight on the surface dazzled while the repeated simple wooden structural units created an overall rhythmic pattern of interconnection.

Similarly the Camino is composed of separate pilgrims forming
interconnections. Walking with Belgian, Spanish and German experienced long distance trekers our common "language" was smiling. We may stop at the same bar for coffee or sleep in the same albergue but in no sense did we move as a single force! Each follows his own way.

Content just to be, we all try to take it as it comes enjoying the good and bearing the bad ie. incessent rain and heavy mud, after all this is life.Thankful at the end of each day for a bed (preferably a bottom bunk for me), working toilet, hot shower, something to eat and when possible good companionship and human interconnection.

Such was the pattern those days moving ever westward . Carpe diem!
 
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I know I posted this before, but it is in the queue of my sequenced photos and I just cannot resist showing you the beautiful smile on the face of the young woman who helped me with getting credit on my phone - 2006, not as simple as now with direct debits and no roaming charges within Europe.
Facing the magnificent Parador, the shop was on the left, with the statue of the seated pilgrim in front and centre. I will look for my version of that photo, although I have posted that before as well!

 
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What a day. It started in Pamplona because the day before only saw me land in Madrid and take a bus to Pamplona, arriving at 10pm. A night at a Pension and then found myself in a taxi headed to SJPDP. It was a really wet, windy January day and I can vividly remember trying on my poncho for the first time in those conditions. It didn't go well. After those antics I found my way up to the first of several portals I would pass through. The normal Pilgrim office was closed for winter but managed to find the winter office and found myself in the Albergue with Mme Jeannine for the evening. Not sure if I slept much more than a couple of hours that night, making ready for the grand adventure ahead...

 
Najera
Santa Maria Real, cupola, interior
photo taken February 18, 2007



When Santa Maria la Real
dating from the 11th century and built from local red stone after a two year restoration reopened it was repurposed as a museum. Unfortunately in the extremely dim light beneath this cupola most sculpture and many royal tombs were quite difficult to see/study properly.

What a relief it was to finally exit
that dark monastery interior
into abundant natural daylight despite the ever present rain!
 
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When I walked the Frances in 2016, from SJPP I damaged a cruciate ligament. I was 15 miles from Santiago, I finished by taxi. I returned in 2019 and completed it on foot.
Whilst staying in Santiago, unable to walk very far, 100 Metres or so, I took photos, in between sitting down at cafes. This is early one morning, quiet, no pilgrims, wet pavement, low sun, and monochrome. I found it very tranquil and healing. I did not walk up the slope.
 

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Compass? Map? GPS? Nah, they said. Impossible to get lost they said. I respectfully beg to differ.
Jan 7th, 2013. Left SJPDP before 1st light (Of course, everyone was excited, right?) and headed up the Valcarlos route as one does in winter. Crossed the small bridge shortly after leaving town. So far, so good. Came to the first fork in the road (yellow arrow pointing left but too dark to see that. At least too dark the first time I saw it... I think the literary folk call that foreshadowing...) and headed straight on. Only went about 100-200 metres or so and seemed wrong so stopped to get bearings and read guide book. But 'fortunately' an Italian and Portuguese Pilgrim came walking up to me with the 'all good sign'. The Italian said this was his 3rd Camino so... Yay, me, I'm on the right track after all! Off we went in blissful ignorance. The Portugese was a very fast walker so shot off ahead of us. I stayed with the Italian and we chatted and enjoyed the beautiful countryside and the absolute absence of other Pilgrims. A winter Camino dream came true...! About an hour later as we wandered along what had become a mountain road I asked if this all looked familiar to which I got a pretty shaky answer. Thankfully we came across someone working on the road and were able to ask where we were and if Valcarlos was ahead. Smiling the worker said no, that it was about 20 km behind us. Seems we had gone pretty much north out of SJPDP instead of the prescribed south-west. About face, and march! By the time we reached Valcarlos my GPS had recorded 28kms. Not bad, you know if we had been arriving in Ronscevalles but when considering Valcarlos is only 13 km from SJPDP, 28 km wasn't such a sterling start to my first Camino...! Sadly, the Portuguese walked until it was almost dark before finding a farmhouse to stop and ask directions. He was over 30 km from Valcarlos so the wife put him in her car and drove him to us... So, moral of the story... if anyone tells you its impossible to get lost on the CF, smile, nod and keep your GPS handy...!

First photo shows Portugues surging ahead, due north



Second photo is the gang reunited and laughing over good vino tinto in Valcarlos

 
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Moutras, Hórreo
photo taken March 16, 2009



Wrapped in mid morning fog this two story wooden hórreo or corn crib appeared almost magical to me in 2009.

Fellow walker D. Madill in his 2014 blog
Gallician Granaries provides splendid research re the history and location of these distinct structures

To arrive at Moutras I had followed the CF and LU P 4203 route from Ferreiros after spending the night at the cosy Xunta de Galicia albergue almost hidden in the wood; over the years each visit was a pleasure.
 
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On my last visit, 2019, I started at Tui and did the Portuguese to SDC, then the Frances from Ponferrada to SDC. Being greedy I then used up my spare time, before returning home, to do half an Inglese. This picture, near Meson do Vento, is to remind me of warm dawn starts and golden sunshine. Looking forward to finishing the other half, one day.
 
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It took me ages to remember the name for this gable in Spanish...

Bell-gable​

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



The bell gable (Spanish: espadaña, Catalan: espadanya, French: clocher-mur, Italian: campanile a vela) is an architectural element crowning the upper end of the wall of church buildings, usually in lieu of a church tower. It consists of a gable end in stone, with small hollow semi-circular arches where the church bells are placed. It is a characteristic example of the simplicity of Romanesque architecture.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
2016 at San Anton. Two owl chicks , A Male and female , the smaller Female has it's head turned and is looking at the Male. Note how they poop outside the nest. One of the parent owls would bring live prey in the early hours of the morning and drop it on the roof of the albergue. Pandamonium with screeches was the norm but quite disturbing for some pilgrims.

 
 
I love this...how very unique and unusual to see owls in this unnatural habitat. I've only seen them in trees, swooping in flight, or in an aviary.
 
Train on the 4-day Catalina Camino
Train for your next Camino on California's Santa Catalina Island March 16-19
Entering Redondela, on a Sunday, we knew not much would be open. As we arrived we discovered a two day puppetry festival. So no shops open and all cafes, bars, totally full or reserved. So it was snacks from the rucsacks for dinner. However the puppets, all sizes and shapes where wonderful.
 
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I'm noticing a few new posters to this thread. Not intending any shaming I want to say that on this thread (and others that get a lot of photographs attached) we've informally agreed to submit the photos as thumbnails. This prevents browsers from submitting many, many megabytes of pictures already seen with each download or refresh. That really speeds up webpage display times. It has been appreciated by forum members with older devices and/or slow internet access.

Of course the posts where this all was discussed might not have ever been seen buried so many pages and posts in the past so don't feel bad.

Thank you.

Go to the following post by @Koidream to see how to submit thumbnail pictures.

 
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Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Hi All,
My sincere apologies for upsetting accepted protocols. I have always tried to keep my online images very small, as I know how irritating it can be to get large images posted. The offending items have been suitably thumbnailed. Mea Culpa.
 
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Thanks, Laurie, for drawing attention to her walking narrative.
NYC was such a trooper and in a more difficult season to walk that route.
 
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
 
peregrina2000 said:
Wow, was it really that long ago? I remember your live posts and how giddy you sometimes sounded to have overcome so many obstacles!

For a good read, frank and honest and joyful, try @nyc’s live posts from her 2019 Sanabrés.
Click to expand...

We’ve all lived a thousand and one nights and then some since then.

And, if you’re a caregiver it’s even more so.

But: Life is good!

Buen camino to we all as soon as possible!
 
Love the stork nest atop the Bell-gable, it's like a crown!
 
Train on the 4-day Catalina Camino
Train for your next Camino on California's Santa Catalina Island March 16-19
Valcarlos/Luzaide, view south to France
photo taken October 16, 2012



Crossing borders in the Pyrenees


This mountain landscape view is from the municipal albergue in Valcarlos/Luzaide, Spain, towards the facing slope in Ondarolle, France.

Hidden within the foreground trees is the rio Luzaide/ la nive Arnéquy, which since the 17th c Treaty of the Pyrenees serves here as the border between Spain and France.
 
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Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
SabineP said:
View attachment 94868

The walk up to Bruma on the Camino Ingles ( 2014 ) before the rerouting. Now, the " new " Camino does not pass here anymore.
Click to expand...
It's amazing Sabine, your photo for today could have been taken in Australia. We felt very much at home on the Portuguese and in Galicia walking among the millions of gum trees.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
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Join the Camino cleanup. Logroño to Burgos May 2025 & Astorga to OCebreiro in June
Ibaneta, chapel, interior
photo taken 17 October, 2012



Hidden colors

After a 5 hour climb up from Valcarlos to the 1060 m. Ibaneta pass I peered exhausted into a tiny window on the locked wayside chapel door and "discovered" these hidden glass panes. Their bright colors provided an immediate aesthetic pick-me-up.

Re-energized I could then descend towards Roncesvalles monastery to offer thanks for my journey and to rest my very weary bones.
 
Get a Spanish mobil number + data while on the Camino
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
A small happiness I have is discovering the Camino when I don't expect it. Four years ago in Austria, I was aware that Stams Abbey was not very far away. The Hotel staff said it was walkable, about 10-15 Km, I could then get a train back. I headed off and discovered after a while, that I was walking "Jakobsweg". I wished I had a credencial with me. On another visit, to Malmo in Sweden, I discovered I was on the "Pilgrim Way,
Skane Blekinge". The picture is a chapel inside Stams Abbey.

 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Approaching Portugalete via the East Bank of the river, on a quiet sunny Sunday morning. With just a hint of the Viscaya Bridge in the distance. The locals call it the hanging bridge (Puente Colgante), it is the first of its kind ever to be built, a distinction which earned it a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. It operates every 8 minutes. May , 2018.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I did enjoy that bridge, but the walk there from the Guggenheim was not worthy!
 
Uterga, my boots
photo taken October 22, 2012


Up and down through hell

The path up the infamous Alto de Perdon in October 2012 soon became churning mud. Cold white fog hid any view as alone and frightened I plodded precariously while slowly lifting each heavy mud-covered boot. On the windy summit rain poured down.

Then began the even more hellish descent. Scree and multitudes of tennis-ball size stones covered the treacherous downward muddy path for the next few kms. The rain never ceased.

At dusk outside the Uterga albergue I took this photo for permanent proof of all that mud.
 
JohnLloyd said:
I did enjoy that bridge, but the walk there from the Guggenheim was not worthy!
Click to expand...
Sorry you didn’t enjoy your walk there, we did. We were lucky to be walking on the east bank and as we said on a Sunday morning and it was a beautiful day. Our hostel in Bilbao was on the east bank closer to Portugalete, so we just walked out the door, turned right and had a short 10 km stroll along the river. We decided to have a short day’s walk because we wanted to stay in Portugalete and enjoy the bridge.
 
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