On the Camino, on this date in May...

[Alan Pearce]

On 12th May 2014, Alan, my Australian pal, and I arrived in Santiago having just finished the Camino Ingles. It had been a short walk in beautiful weather and we were in good time for the Pilgrims Mass at 12. We spent a few days in the city before we started a volunteering stint together in the Pilgrims Office.


On 12th May 2015 Alan, Mike from America, Ruben from Madrid and I arrived in Alcazaren on the Camino Madrid having walked in from Coca. We were in the Bar Real to collect a key for the alburgue when we met Maria, a lady from Holland, who had arrived just ahead of us. Maria (in her seventies) was walking alone and had been on the way for seven days. She joined our happy band for the rest of the camino and we parted the very best of friends. The next year she started on the Primitivo but had to stop in Lugo with what she thought was a knee issue: she bussed it to Santiago and spent a few days with Alan who was volunteering in the Pilgrims Office. We kept in touch and Maria subsequently had a hip joint replaced later that year: it hadn't been her knee at all. She had a laugh about that. In 2017 we arranged to meet to walk the Invierno and hopefully to volunteer together in the Pilgrims Office. Plans were well advanced when totally unexpectedly Maria was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer: after a brave fight, she sadly passed away on 23 August that year. We were devastated, she was such a vibrant, positive, happy person. Those two dates, 12 May 2015 and 23 August 2017 will always have a special place in my camino memories.

Thanks Sean for bringing back these great memories. Just a little more about Seans and my time with Maria - I am very partial to a good brandy as a nightcap after a days walk, and after she stayed as a guest in my flat in SdC in 2016, she bought me a bottle of brandy as a thankyou. After she tragically died, I put the unopened bottle away until such time as Sean and I could open it and together toast her memory. This we did in 2018, in the cloisters of San Martin. The remainder is back in storage, until we both can be in SdC together, and toast Maria again.

 

[Kanga]

I don't think I need to say anything. Except that we were eating!

 

[VNwalking]

I don't think I need to say anything.

Yes, with all due respect you do.
...We are all wondering where the heck that is!

 

[Kanga]

It was a baked camenberg, with a platter of cold meats, salad, chips, toasted bread. Just a little snack for a hungry motor-bike rider!

(edited) - oh, and there was desert after that too.

 

[Kanga]

I just received a note from my Facebook history from this day 4 years ago. I quote: "St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. I'm nuts. As the bus went up and up and up, and then down and down and down, and the mountains looked glorious but impossibly steep, I remembered. This is not a walk in the park! Plus it is raining. The Pyrenees".

 

[trecile]

May 14th 2019 Pinxtos and Pizza in Pamplona

 

[NualaOC]

Great thread and photos!

May 14th 2020 marked the end of my three days on the Camino Mendocino and transition to the Camino de Madrid. It was a day where I thought I might meet some other pilgrims, but that didn't happen until the following one.

1&2: Walking rom @rayyrosa 's albergue to Manzanares el Real


3, 4 & 5 Manzanares el Real to the Las Dehesas youth hostel

 

[wayfarer]

Notes from 14/05/12 Camino Frances




We left Astorga at 06.50 and hit the trail, we stopped at Murias, about 5Km further on and had breakfast which was served by an overworked and slightly highly strung but very nice lady. We met one of the American women here, Suzy, and she didn't look too good at all. We passed her a little later and she was was muttering "must go on, must go on" under her breath, but she assured us she was ok when we asked.


My brother and Adrian. L/R

Later we met up with a retired teacher from Letterkenny, Adrian, who was walking the Camino in stages for a few years. He knew Sean Corry from our village, who taught in Letterkenny, small world. We walked with him for a few hours until we reached Rabanal del Camino.

The day was beautiful, blue skies and just cool enough to be comfortable walking. There is still snow on the mountains nearby. We had lunch together in Rabanal and then we decided to walk the extra 5k to Foncebadon so as to have a short walk to the Cruz de Ferro tomorrow where we will leave our stones from home and our prayers. We said our goodbyes to Adrian who was booked in at Rabanal.



We booked a double room at a private albergue in Foncebadon, Convento de Foncebadon. This cost €45.00 but was well worth it as it was as good as any hotel we have stayed in so far. The guys English improved when he found out we were Irish and he even put on some Irish music on the outside speakers when we were having a beer later.



He is big into motorbikes and has a BMW 1200 GS. He also has a 1950's bike called a LUBE, these were manufactured in Bilboa, and has pride of place in the restaurant. He invited me to a vintage bike race in August which is held in the next village. He said its the only place in Spain where road racing is still allowed.



We saw to the usual daily chores, laundry, beers and a chat with some of the others. We met Ana again, she had booked into the dormitory section of the Albergue. Ana joined us for dinner, which was really good and we had a catch up and a laugh.
Hope to have a bit of a sleep in tomorrow and then on to the Cruz de Ferro.

 

[Pelegrin]

Great thread and photos!

May 14th 2020 marked the end of my three days on the Camino Mendocino and transition to the Camino de Madrid. It was a day where I thought I might meet some other pilgrims, but that didn't happen until the following one.

1&2: Walking rom @rayyrosa 's albergue to Manzanares el RealView attachment 74985
View attachment 74986

3, 4 & 5 Manzanares el Real to the Las Dehesas youth hostel

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It should have been early in the morning (sun on east) and the Charolais and Limosin cows still lying down. I am missing a lot the Sierra de Madrid that must be beautiful because it is raining a lot. What a pity!!

 

[MikeyC]

14th May 2019. Camino Frances.
Poblacion to Carrion. Just another beautiful day doing what pilgrims like to do.

 

[Richmond Gardner]

On May 10, 2017 A merry band of 10,arrived in Santiago at the conclusion of my first Camino. I had walked from SJPP and was joined by most in Sarria...my wife Ann, my younger sister, friends and sister in law. What a wonderful ending it was!
I miss it every day

 

[Tassie Kaz]

In Burgos on the 11th 2017. Is that where the chocolate factory was/is? I couldn’t find it. .

I'm quite the choco-holic so I think (hope!) my radar would have picked up if there was a chocolate factory in Burgos. Are you perhaps thinking of Astorga?...that's the chocky capital of the Camino.

 

[NorthernLight]

May 14, 2013 Najera Municipal Albergue



The shoe versus boot argument enthusiasts can go wild!!!

edited to correct year

 

[trecile]

May 15th 2019 Pamplona to Obanos with detour to Iglesia de Santa Maria de Eunate

 

[wayfarer]

Notes from 15/05/12 Camino Frances.

We had a sleep-in this morning and left the albergue at 08.30 after a good breakfast, and started the walk to Cruz de Ferro. It was a beautiful, clear chilly morning, perfect for walking.

Both of us are feeling really excited about finally reaching the cross and leaving our stones which we had carried from home.

Just as we got to about fifty meters from the cross, a tour bus pulled in and disgorged about fifty or so tourists who immediately walked up to the cross. They formed a big circle around the cross and started to sing then pray, then some more singing, then some speeches, then more singing and praying. This went on for about twenty or thirty minutes and many pilgrims who arrived about the same time as us left in frustration without getting near the cross.

I got a bit impatient and climbed up as far as I could go and pitched my stone, which was a flat beach stone on which I had written all the names of the people I wanted to remember in my prayers. Well the stone shattered when it made contact with all the other stones in the mound! My granddaughter had given it to me before I left home and I was so mad and disappointed when this happened, I took it as a bad omen. Iggy was a lot more patient than me and waited and let them do their thing. Eventually they left to the relief of everyone, we all got to walk up to the cross and have photos taken of each other. It was a memorable occasion but not in the way I had envisioned.



We slung our packs and headed off towards Ponferrada which was our intended destination. The rest of the day was the most beautiful day we spent on the Camino, walking through mountain trails, glades and passes with birdsong and the smell of wildflowers.



Coming down the mountain was rough enough going and had a toll on feet and ankles but it was worth the pain.



We passed Manjarin on our way but Tomas the Templar was busy entertaining a few other pilgrims so we passed on.



We stopped in Acebo for lunch, the day was heating up and we met up with Ana, John, from Arizona, and a new pilgrim from Texas called Mary, a tough sixty-nine year old who took a shine to Iggy. She wasn't too impressed with me as we disagreed on most things.

John had left the cross without leaving his stone this morning because of the tourists and was very disappointed as he was carrying his son's ashes to Muxia and thought the Cruz de Ferro would be a special moment for him. I really felt sorry for him.



After lunch we headed off again and reached Molinaseca by about three o'clock. As we crossed the old bridge to the town we heard Ana calling us from a riverside cafe down below We joined her, Mary and Annalise for a drink and chat.

After the first drink we decided to stay put for the day and I went off and organised a private room around the corner from the Cafe. We had a great afternoon chatting and laughing about different things that happened along the way.

Jim from New York arrived later and joined us. His ears were very badly sunburned as he only had a baseball cap but Ana fixed him up with some cream. We all had dinner together then went our separate ways to bed. What a great day.

 

[Robo]

On 'This' date (15th May) only just saw thread.
I have twice been between Catrojeriz and Fromista.
On my Birthday...

I walked alone in 2015. Pat was with me the 2nd time, same date, same place, in 2018.

 

[ranthr]

16.05.18 My first day on Camino de Invierno from Ponferrada to Borrenes.

 

[wayfarer]

Notes from 16/05/12 Camino Frances.




Ponferrada.

We were up and away early before it got too hot. We had breakfast in Ponferrada which is about eight Kms away. We met Ana again as we came into town and she was not a happy camper, she had followed the arrows on a detour off the main road which she thought was to bypass the city but it led to a church and back to the main road again.

She joined us for breakfast and we started the walk out of the city but then Anna was suddenly gone.

Shortly after this we met Mary from Texas, Iggy's admirer, and walked with her for a while but she stopped for a break and we kept going.

The day kept getting and hotter but we soldiered on. Villafranca del Bierzo is our planned destination today which is 31Km away.

We got in about 15.30, the the temperature was showing 29C, our hottest day so far. We found that most places in town were booked up so we walked through and almost out the other side before we found an albergue. As it was a private one, we booked a double room for €12.00 each.

John from Arizona, Mary from Canada and Analise were there when we booked in.

The albergue is run by a young couple from Barcelona and they were really nice and helpful.

After all the usual daily routine we headed out to dinner with the whole gang. We had a great laugh at dinner swapping stories about the various incidents that had befallen us on the way. John told the story of Suzy going into the woods to pee but left her rucksack on to save time, this caused her to overbalance and fall back mid stream, this is not a tactic to be repeated. Analise had met a pilgrim from Cairo who really needed to go but most places were closed as it was near lunchtime, he saw one place opened but there was no one on the reception desk so he looked around and found the loo. When he came out he found the place locked up so he started looking for a way out, when he entered one of the rooms he found several open coffins with bodies in them, he panicked and ran, then found an emergency exit and burst out setting of the alarms, he didn't stop running until he was out of town, it seems he had wandered into a crematorium.

Just as we finished dinner Jim from NY strolled past, he too could not get accommodation in the town so we brought him back with us and he got sorted with a bed.

John got some bad news when we returned to the albergue, Suzy, who I mentioned before, had taken ill with pneumonia and was in hospital further back the trail. John decided to get a taxi back and keep her company for a while and contact her family.

Sadly this was the last time we saw John and to my great regret I forgot to get his contact details. He was a nice man.

Tomorrow we plan to walk to Vega de Valcarce about 18 Km away.

 

[Caminogoat]

If you were on the Camino on this date in May in a previous year, where were you? I arrived in St Jean Pied de Port on May 10th last year for my fourth Camino, which would take me along the Francés to León, then the Salvador to Oviedo, then I walked to Avilés to connect to the Norte. After reaching Santiago I continued on to Finisterre.

Several threads that I started about dates in May have been combined into one.

When you respond, please mention the date, route you were on and where you walked (or rested) that day. Thanks!



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On May 10, last year, I walked from Calizano to Santander, fue muy bonito. Espero que pueda volver pronto.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

On May 10, 2018, I walked from Zariquiegui, just outside of Pamplona, to Mañeru. The toughest part was climbing down from Alto del Perdón as the path has been terribly washed out for decades.

Just before the climb from the river valley just past Puente La Reina, I met a couple who had stopped off at the side of the path to adjust their loads. We exchanged brief greetings. It would not be much more than a week before the news reached me that she had passed in her sleep in an Albergue in Burgos. ❤ ✝

 

[Ali@59]

On 10/05/2017 I was walking from Grado to Salas but started in Bilbao on 27/04/2017 for Camino del Norte then changed route for Primitivo and I was not disappointed. It was a fantastic experience

 

[tpmchugh]

OK, its now May 16th.2015 I was in Sarria. I was treating myself to a non albergue day and stayed in the hostal attached to albergue a pedra. There is a bar arrached aswell and he serves a great meal. When I stayed in the albergue part in 2013, the meal was finished with a homemade liquour made from the local chestnuta that cover the ground in late september. Guessing it was free as might have been illegal to sell it. Very dissappointed that he didnt have any in May 2015. Many at the table were fellow Irish just starting. Why did they feel the need to apologise when they found that I had walked from St Jean. Makes no difference to me as long as the company is sweet and the craic is 90

 

[WalkingJane]

16/05/2015 in Castrojeriz stayed at Casa Nostra for 2 nights. One of my favorite places. Did not know that a few days on I would learn that my sister had been told her cancer had returned. Left to go home and help her move to Tacoma, WA to be near her daughter. Decided to move my own things as well as I had no strong ties to NC. Returned to Leon in October to carry on.

 

[pickles]

I’m going to break date ranks a little, but for good reason. On this date - 16 May 2018 - I met Alejandro, a hospitalero in Foncebadon, who would change my life forever. I stayed in his campervan rather than my dorm bed, he walked me up to Cruz de fiero in the morning and he came to meet me a few days later in Triacastela. When I finished the Camino I came back to see him. Cutting the rest of the story short, he ultimately left his job to come and live with me in London and we now have twin boys who are 1 year old! We dream of running an Albergue together one day and bringing up our boys there. We need to gain the courage to take another risk again, like we did when we met, and just do it! Maybe in another year from now...on this day!

 

[trecile]

I’m going to break date ranks a little, but for good reason. On this date - 16 May 2018

No worries. This thread is for any date in May.
You have a wonderful story and a lovely family.

Last year on May 16th I walked from Obanos to Estella, and took these "classic" Camino pictures.

 

[WalkingJane]

I’m going to break date ranks a little, but for good reason. On this date - 16 May 2018 - I met Alejandro, a hospitalero in Foncebadon, who would change my life forever. I stayed in his campervan rather than my dorm bed, he walked me up to Cruz de fiero in the morning and he came to meet me a few days later in Triacastela. When I finished the Camino I came back to see him. Cutting the rest of the story short, he ultimately left his job to come and live with me in London and we now have twin boys who are 1 year old! We dream of running an Albergue together one day and bringing up our boys there. We need to gain the courage to take another risk again, like we did when we met, and just do it! Maybe in another year from now...on this day!
View attachment 75145View attachment 75144

Thanks for sharing your delightful story, and photo!

 

[Whispering Ted]

Last year on May 10-11 we were in Salamanca, having walked the Via Augusta from Cadiz to Sevilla, then repeated the Via de la Plata which we had walked ten years earlier as far as Caceres, where our arrival coincided with Womad! Free music until the early hours in the Plaza Mayor. From there we caught a bus to Salamanca for two days rest before the long trip back to Australia. Sadly, it was Patricia’s last Camino, as she lost her battle with ovarian cancer in November.

 

[Michael; Camino-addicted]

May 10, 2018 I was together with two dutch friends from my 2012 Camino on the way to Padron by boat after walking the Camino Espiritual.

One week later, we had a fantastic view from the lighthouse in Fisterra.
The tourist board made a promotional film that evening. Our picnic with red wine, bread and cheese and in addition fantastic Galician Gaita music in the background - we all had to drop a little tear
I will never forget this evening.

 

[legs]

Wife and I on the Potuguese Littoral at Esposende

 

[Tony Bobcat]

If you were on the Camino on this date in May in a previous year, where were you? I arrived in St Jean Pied de Port on May 10th last year for my fourth Camino, which would take me along the Francés to León, then the Salvador to Oviedo, then I walked to Avilés to connect to the Norte. After reaching Santiago I continued on to Finisterre.

Several threads that I started about dates in May have been combined into one.

When you respond, please mention the date, route you were on and where you walked (or rested) that day. Thanks!



View attachment 74801View attachment 74802

Two years ago yesterday my wife and I left SJPD. to Orrison for our first day on our Camino Frances, unfortunately we only got as fas as Castrojeriz before my knee collapsed. It was suppose to continue on the 27 of this month. Will have to be next year.

 

[Old Kiwi]

John Hungerford, You mentioned the Aussie Camino in South Australia. How do I find information on that?

 

[P Rat]

On this 10 th day in May, 2019: We arrived in Granja de Moreruela (Via de la Plata). This was the day our son still walked (well, he ran the stages) with us. We loved this section, the next was absolutely stunning, and we are forever grateful our son came with us for part of it and enjoyed it too. He left us the 15th from Puebla de Sanabria.

 

[SabsP]

17th of May 2011 arrival in Santiago de Compostela after my first Camino ( Frances ).

17th of May 2019 first day on the Camino Vasco Interior , seeing the first official flecha.

 

[wayfarer]

Notes from 17/05/12 Camino Frances


We slept a little late this morning but after breakfast we were away by 08.55. Its much cooler and windy this morning so the jackets and rain pants went on.

Today's walk is mostly beside the main road for about 20 Kms to Vega de Valcarce, not the most pleasant walking but it is what it is. The day warmed up as we walked so we could take the rain gear off again.

When we reached La Portala de Valcarce I knew I had been here before in the camper with Jane. We had stopped here for a meal on our way back from Santiago a few years before.

We arrived in Vega at about 11.30 but decided to keep walking as it was still early. We would walk another 6 Km to Las Herrerias, this would take us to the base of O’Cebrerio and shorten the climb for tomorrow.

As we left Vega we saw Analise sitting at a café with her boots off, she was having a problem with blisters, we told her our plans and she asked me to try and keep a bed for her in the albergue in Las Herrerias, which I did, she never showed and this was the last time we saw her, she had a great sense of humour and was a great laugh.

We got into Las Herrerias early afternoon and waited at the albergue, which did not open until 14.00. The place is run by a guy from Chicago and his Spanish partner. It is pretty basic but clean.



We did our usual shower and laundry and hung the washing out to try on the albergue clothes line, it was sunny and windy so they should be dry in no time. We went for a walk up through the village and had lunch and a few beers at a local bar.

When we returned I found that my clothes had been moved from the line and were not dry and had been replaced by other clothes, so I moved the other clothes and moved mine back, after a few minutes a woman came out of the albergue and went to move mine again but I told her to leave them till they were dry, she was not happy and went off and obviously told her husband and the other couple that they traveled with so they all came out to have a look at the grumpy pilgrim and give me the stink eye, but the clothes stayed put.

The albergue only served a vegetarian meal in the evening so Iggy any I decided to eat out further up the village in a café recommended by the albergue as we felt we needed meat to replace the calories we were burning. The meal was home cooked by the lady who owned the café and most of the ingredients except for the trout were from her own garden.

There were only three of us at the meal, the other guy was from St. Emilion, near Bordeaux, a place we had visited many times in the camper, he told us he had his own vineyard and invited us to visit any time we were there again. It was an excellent meal.

We met an Irish pilgrim from Kerry in the albergue who started walking from St. Jean a good week after us, he walked long distances every day. He also did hill running in Kerry. Needless to say we didn't meet him again after that .......

 

[P Rat]

John Hungerford, You mentioned the Aussie Camino in South Australia. How do I find information on that?

Aussie Camino | A camino experience marking significant places in the life of Mary MacKillop and Julian Tension Woods.

John, did you mean this one perhaps? Other wise the Australian Friends of the Camino have some information on pilgrim walks in Australia, though they're nothing like the ones in Europe by the look of it.

 

[P Rat]

Aussie Camino | A camino experience marking significant places in the life of Mary MacKillop and Julian Tension Woods.

John, did you mean this one perhaps? Other wise the Australian Friends of the Camino have some information on pilgrim walks in Australia, though they're nothing like the ones in Europe by the look of it.

Actually, this is the other one I once read up about: www.caminosalvado.com
Good luck!

 

[SabsP]

Last year on the Vasco Interior. Vilabona in the rain.

 

[wayfarer]

Notes from 18/05/12 Camino Frances.

Looking back towards Las Herrerias.





Views when the mist cleared.

After a very nice breakfast we headed up the mountain towards O’Cebriero at 1347 mts. It was tougher going than our first day from St. Jean to Roncevalles but we had definitely got fitter along the way. The day was cool and misty and we stopped at a little hamlet, La Laguna, at 08.00 for second breakfast. We met a young Korean having a glass of vino tinto with his breakfast. He told us his Irish name was Kevin and we met him several times again on the way to Santiago.

We reached O’Cebriero in the early afternoon and stopped for a look around, bought some post cards and little gifts for our grandkids. After a snack we headed down the mountain towards Tricastle.




Gift shop in O'Cebriero.





Alto do Poio. 1337 mts.



Going down the mountain was not really going just down but up and down pretty much all day. This area has a lot of small dairy farms so the roads and tracks were covered in cow dung.

We reached Fonfria mid afternoon and decided to stay. Fonfria has only a few houses and the albergue, which is also the café/pub/restaurant. It is run by a Brazilian family and is clean and spacious and had a great warm air system for drying your boots/shoes. This was the only albergue where we had to pay for wifi along the whole Camino. Iggys small toes are very painful today with all the downhill walking.

The pilgrim meal this evening was really very good, they kept bringing us extra portions until we were so full we could just about move.
I had a game of “close the widow, open the window” with a Dutch guy on the top bunk all night. I would wake up and find the window against my bunk open and the light rain and cold coming in on me, I would close it, after a while the cold would wake me again and I would find the window open again. The window I might add was slightly below his bunk so he might have got the fresh air but I got the rain. This went on all night and I was tired and well peeved by morning but in the interests of peace and tranquility I said nothing.

We plan a short day tomorrow to give Iggys toes a chance to recover.



Preparing Tarte de Santiago for the pilgrim meal.

 

[tpmchugh]

Monday 18th May 2015, I had met my new friend, the Rev Bob Blessing. I had told him about this great little albergue in Ligonde, Fuenta del Peregrino. I introduced him to two young people I had met on the trail from Portomarín who were volunteers in that albergue. Now Bob or Saint Bob as other peregrinos called him was an US army chaplain who could walk faster than I so he got there first and took the last bed. With friends like that,,,, only joking. The two young people had been waiting for me and arranged for me to sleep in their reception area on a camp bed they put up for me. Great night but a bit cold in the draughty reception but a bed is a bed. For reasons of my own that I did not reveal to Bob until later, I am deliberately taking my time to arrive in Santiago on May 23, the aniversary of my first child and son's death in 1983. It was not my intention at the start but thats how it worked out. I was in La Faba on the 14th, his birthday. When I told Bob, he asked if I would permit him to walk in with me despite his own PTSD problems from serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Slowing down was great for him and on a sunny afternoon in Monte do Gozo, his wife thanked me for slowing him down when she called from San Diego. BTW, some pilgrims asked if Bob had changed his surname when he became an Anglican priest but he was as he said 'born blessing'

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Thank you all for sharing your pictures and stories. I've always walked Caminos in the Fall/early Winter, so I have none to contribute for May. It is sure a treat seeing the one's posted

 

[jprogers]

I had to reply as the date registered in my mind. First camino 10 May 2005 ..2nd day of walking from Roncesvalle to Zubiri..we had breakfast at Burgete first taste of tortilla. I don't have digital photos. However we looked very happy in all photos.

 

[SabsP]

Last year on this day. Donativo albergue in Beasain on the Vasco Interior. Hospitality in the truest sense of the word.

 

[wayfarer]

Notes from 19/05/12 Camino Frances.





Today is my eldest son Daire’s Birthday and I'm sorry to miss it but I text him.

We started down the mountain after breakfast at about 07.30. Lots of cow dung this morning. We planned to stay in an albergue about 20 km from Fonfria, a little hamlet called Teugun, but we must have missed it. All the hamlets in this area consist of only three to four houses so somewhere along the line we passed it by.







Not a bad day for walking, cool and a little overcast. We met up with a South African lad today who was sat near us at a café in Leon, he came across as very loud then. He walked with us for a while and chatted. Turns out he was OK, he just talked very loudly. His pack was 18 kilos he told us, he was planning to travel around Europe when he finished his Camino, the joys of youth.

Before we knew we were in the outskirts of Sarria, short day my butt. We checked into a small hotel/restaurant at the first junction we came to in Sarria, right on the Camino.



We had a really nice dinner just up the road from the hotel and we finished up with a large glass of Jameson which was on the house, I had to tell the waitress to stop pouring, they don't do mean measures in Spain.

We are only 110 Kms from Santiago now, four to five days more walking. Maybe a sleep in tomorrow. I won’t mention any more short days.

 

[VNwalking]

2017 On the Camino Baztanes, climbing the hill above Urdax:

2019: Another attraction of Beasain on the Vasco...excellent food! The mouth-watering offerings at Bar Blai:

 

[rappahannock_rev]

May 19, 2018. Checking into a cheap Lourdes hotel at the start of my Camino Aragones (Lourdes-Oloron-Somport Pass-Jaca-Sanguesa-Puente la Reina Gares, thank you Jen & Syl!). The folks in the lobby were watching the wedding of Harry and Meagan.....

(Confession: I am hard pressed to think of anything in which I have less interest than the marriage of Harry and Meghan.)

 

[MikeyC]

This day (19th) last year on the CF.
A bitterly cold start as we left Rabanal. The sky was blue, the sun shining, the hills a riot of colours but it was the chilling wind that I most remember. After Cruz de Ferro the wind died down and much later we could even enjoy a picnic lunch as a steady stream of pilgrims passed before our eyes.

In previous years we had pushed on but we stopped at Acebo this year for a change.

 

[tpmchugh]

Fall or

Thank you all for sharing your pictures and stories. I've always walked Caminos in the Fall/early Winter, so I have none to contribute for May. It is sure a treat seeing the one's posted

Fall or autumn as I call it is good too. Walked late September early October twice. Believe it or not, neither was as cold as a couple of days in early May in 2015

 

[SabsP]

Last year on the Vasco Interior. Somewhere in between Segura and Zegama.

 

[Former member 49149]

This day (19th) last year on the CF.
A bitterly cold start as we left Rabanal. The sky was blue, the sun shining, the hills a riot of colours but it was the chilling wind that I most remember. After Cruz de Ferro the wind died down and much later we could even enjoy a picnic lunch as a steady stream of pilgrims passed before our eyes.

In previous years we had pushed on but we stopped at Acebo this year for a change.

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This spot reminded me so much of scenes from home... Scotland.

 

[wayfarer]

20/05/12. Day 31. Sarria - Portomarin. 22 Km

We awoke at 06.30 and decided to head off. As we left Sarria we met loads of Irish pilgrims heading out of town. Some didn’t know about the yellow arrows.

We met three girls from Limerick, Kerry and Cork who had taken a week off work to walk the Camino as they had heard about it from someone at work.

As veterans now we gave them some tips on how best to carry their rucksacks and use their walking poles. We also met two brothers from Belfast and walked with them for a while.





We passed the 100km marker today, this is the minimum amount one has to walk to get their Compostela in the pilgrim office in Santiago.

We had the best breakfast about eight kms or so outside Sarria this morning, bacon, eggs, fresh bread, orange juice and an extra large café con leche and all for about €4.50. We met the three Irish girls here again and when they saw what we were having they ordered the same.

We met Ana again today after several days absence, when we asked her where she disappeared to the last time we met, she told us she felt so guilty about swearing about the church that morning so she popped into one to say a prayer and apologize to God. As usual she is in high spirits. She walked with us into Portomarin.

The trail was busy today with new pilgrims but there was a difference in many of these, they were all plugged in to their iPhones/MP3 Players, head down, no Buen Camino, just walking on at a fast pace. Some only walked a few Kms then got picked up by bus.

When we arrived in Portomarin all the albergues were full so we booked a double room in a small hotel/restaurant in the town Plaza. Ana booked in here as well.

The rooms were very nice but the staff and food less so. As we were having a beer after checking in we saw some pilgrims being picked up by golf cart in the Plaza and being whisked off to their hotels, each to their own I suppose.

Our pilgrim meal was a bit of a disaster, the food was lousy and poor Ana got an email after checking in telling her she had been sacked from her job as a carer back in England. She was very upset and we did our best to cheer her up. We were also joined at the meal by a French Canadian called Danielle, he had walked with Ana for a few days. A nice guy, with a droll sense of humour.

 

[VNwalking]

2017 On the Baztan, it's afternoon, and I'm wilting. Ziga was a lift for the spirits!
2019 On the Vasco, hearing a loud distressed clucking I turned to see this hen on a chicken bridge linking the roost in an old building with a spring hillside full of delicious bugs and tender greens. But you could tell she did not like the heights one little bit - 'cluck...Cluck...CLUCK!" The ruckus died down the instant she got a foot on earth. We both took a big sigh of relief, and I walked on.

 

[tpmchugh]

May 20th 2015. It is my twins birthday. The boy, Christopher, was my introduction to the Camino when he went on his first in 2012. He is 27. I think about my family as I walk from Melide to Arzua. A short day so that I can arrive Santiago on the 23rd. My son Paul who died on that date is walking with me as my guardian angel. I am mostly on my own as Rev Bob is feeling a bit under the weather so will meet me later in Boente but somehow we missed and met up in Arzua. I passed the 50km marker and a sadness descended knowing it was almost over. The conflicting thoughts are crazy. I dont want it to end but I want to get home to my family. Also. my camino buddy from 2013, has moved from Amsterdam to Alicante and wants me to come stay with him for a couple of weeks. I also have my boarding pass printed out thanks to the facilities in the albergue last night so that also makes the end very real. BTW, my buddy from 2013, Mees Van der Sluijs passed away in February past. I miss him dearly as we kept in regular contact, RIP buddy. Although from Sept 2013 I include a pic of Mees

 

[trecile]

May 20, 2019 I walked from Navarette to Azofra, where I stayed at the wonderful Municipal albergue, where they have all single beds in rooms of two, and a lovely courtyard with fountain. But the real highlight of Azofra is the Jardín Botánico de La Rioja, where they encourage you to go barefoot in the cool grass - such a delight for hot, tired feet!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Notes from 15/05/12 Camino Frances.

We had a sleep-in this morning and left the albergue at 08.30 after a good breakfast, and started the walk to Cruz de Ferro. It was a beautiful, clear chilly morning, perfect for walking.

Both of us are feeling really excited about finally reaching the cross and leaving our stones which we had carried from home.

Just as we got to about fifty meters from the cross, a tour bus pulled in and disgorged about fifty or so tourists who immediately walked up to the cross. They formed a big circle around the cross and started to sing then pray, then some more singing, then some speeches, then more singing and praying. This went on for about twenty or thirty minutes and many pilgrims who arrived about the same time as us left in frustration without getting near the cross.

I got a bit impatient and climbed up as far as I could go and pitched my stone, which was a flat beach stone on which I had written all the names of the people I wanted to remember in my prayers. Well the stone shattered when it made contact with all the other stones in the mound! My granddaughter had given it to me before I left home and I was so mad and disappointed when this happened, I took it as a bad omen. Iggy was a lot more patient than me and waited and let them do their thing. Eventually they left to the relief of everyone, we all got to walk up to the cross and have photos taken of each other. It was a memorable occasion but not in the way I had envisioned.

View attachment 75072

We slung our packs and headed off towards Ponferrada which was our intended destination. The rest of the day was the most beautiful day we spent on the Camino, walking through mountain trails, glades and passes with birdsong and the smell of wildflowers.

View attachment 75073

Coming down the mountain was rough enough going and had a toll on feet and ankles but it was worth the pain.

View attachment 75074

We passed Manjarin on our way but Tomas the Templar was busy entertaining a few other pilgrims so we passed on.

View attachment 75075

We stopped in Acebo for lunch, the day was heating up and we met up with Ana, John, from Arizona, and a new pilgrim from Texas called Mary, a tough sixty-nine year old who took a shine to Iggy. She wasn't too impressed with me as we disagreed on most things.

John had left the cross without leaving his stone this morning because of the tourists and was very disappointed as he was carrying his son's ashes to Muxia and thought the Cruz de Ferro would be a special moment for him. I really felt sorry for him.

View attachment 75076

After lunch we headed off again and reached Molinaseca by about three o'clock. As we crossed the old bridge to the town we heard Ana calling us from a riverside cafe down below We joined her, Mary and Annalise for a drink and chat.

After the first drink we decided to stay put for the day and I went off and organised a private room around the corner from the Cafe. We had a great afternoon chatting and laughing about different things that happened along the way.

Jim from New York arrived later and joined us. His ears were very badly sunburned as he only had a baseball cap but Ana fixed him up with some cream. We all had dinner together then went our separate ways to bed. What a great day.

This has brought back great memories for me...one of my very favorite stretches on the Camino Frances!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I’m going to break date ranks a little, but for good reason. On this date - 16 May 2018 - I met Alejandro, a hospitalero in Foncebadon, who would change my life forever. I stayed in his campervan rather than my dorm bed, he walked me up to Cruz de fiero in the morning and he came to meet me a few days later in Triacastela. When I finished the Camino I came back to see him. Cutting the rest of the story short, he ultimately left his job to come and live with me in London and we now have twin boys who are 1 year old! We dream of running an Albergue together one day and bringing up our boys there. We need to gain the courage to take another risk again, like we did when we met, and just do it! Maybe in another year from now...on this day!
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I love hearing about Camino love stories! Awww!

 

[Saint Mike II]

May 10, 2018 - Walked from Aljucén to Alcuescar on the VDLP.
View attachment 74812

WOW - I walked this section of the VDLP on or about the 18/19 May 2013 on my first Camino. How I would love to return.

 

[wayfarer]

21/05/12. Day 32. Portomarin – St Julien. 28 Km

We left Portomarin at 07.30 after a quick breakfast in a little café across the Plaza from our hotel. A cool morning but great for walking as it is a long steady climb out of Portomarin.

Loads of new pilgrims on the trail again today, all plugged in and rushing to the next place to stay. The end of stage for them today is Palas de Rei so we decided to walk a bit further to avoid the rush for beds.

We ended up in the little hamlet of San Julien. The albergue/café/bar is run by a very interesting man and his wife. He told us that he once lived in a cave in Majorca for a few years when he was young. He lived off the land and sea hunting and fishing. They decided to leave when his now wife became pregnant.









San Julian.





Photos from his days in Majorca.



Regaling us with stories.

The food here is really good and plenty of it. We had a great sing song here after the meal. We met up with Kevin from Korea again, he is an accountant, four ladies from Norway and an Australian who all work for the same company in Norway, MJ and Dewey from San Diego, who we had met a few times before, and Nel from the UK who was new to us but had walked from St. Jean at a very fast pace. We didn’t meet Nel again until Santiago and again in Muxia.

We had a great night, too great, but we felt it next morning.

 

[MikeyC]

20th May 2019 on the CF

As you leave Molinaseca there is a stone marker which celebrates the CF and the Japanese Shikoku 88 Temple pilgrimage.
We had walked past it previously without paying too much attention.
In 2018 however we had walked some of the 88 and stayed in a private home as a zenkonyado. The gracious owner and his wife had hosted a delegation from Molinaseca who had erected a similar stone marker just near their home.
Seeing the marker in Molinaseca brought back fond memories of our walks in Japan.

Molinaseca


Shikoku

 

[VNwalking]

Seeing the marker in Molinaseca brought back fond memories of our walks in Japan.

This was on the Invierno, on the first day out of Ponferrada. Zoom in to read the plaque. I was surprised to see it there, ore or less in the middle of nowhere. I wonder if Megumi Shiozawa had anything to do with either of these.


Sorry that was a diversion. Back on track:
A year ago I was having a day, from Zegama, through the Tunel San Adrian to Salvatierra (the dark blotch in the photo is the Tunel San Adrian). What a day that was! It was only marred by a painful fall in the afternoon when I was stumbling around town looking for where to get the key to the albergue.


In 2017, on the Baztan. I love ancient roads and this is a doozy, going through beech forest up and over the pass at Belate. That was a day, too; I have vivid memories of both and likely will for the rest of my life. Like many days on any camino.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

We ended up in the little hamlet of San Julien. The albergue/café/bar is run by a very interesting man and his wife. He told us that he once lived in a cave in Majorca for a few years when he was young. He lived off the land and sea hunting and fishing. They decided to leave when his now wife became pregnant.

Wow, what an interesting story and I loved the pictures.

 

[Lindsay53]

On this day 21 May 2019 I arrived in Muxia, my Camino complete, 38 days from St Jean. I'm so grateful for the
experience and the fantastic people I met.

.

 

[tpmchugh]

May 21st 2015, I am on the road to O Pedrouzo by 7am. I have arranged to meet Bob in the O Burgo albergue. Bob never leaves early because he is an Anglican priest and he has his offices to pray each morning so he waits until everyone is gone and he can pray in the quiet empty albergue. I walked with a Danish lady called Britta. Unfortunately, all she wanted to talk about was the trouble years in Ireland. Having lived through them from 1964 to the late 90s, it was the last thing I wanted to be talking about but that is one of the problems in coming from the north of Ireland. People want to talk about our recent history. Oh well, what can you do but answer her questions. At the first watering hole, Bob catches up and says we should meet in albergue Otero as someone recommended it to him. As I sit their reflecting on my family and because of Britta, my countries troubles, I completely drift away and forget for just a little while why I am here. I am here for my wife. Her health is not good enough to walk the camino. Three weeks after I arrived home from my first, she had a stroke so I will get a compostela with her name on it. You know the song, I Have Walked 500 Miles. Well, thats for her and thats what I called my book. In O Pedrouzo I must mention the meal. Steak on a hot stone still cooking and spitting. Best menú EVER. This day I passed the 24Km marker. Tomorrow I will stop at Monte do Gozo so that I can walk in early on the 23rd

 

[mylifeonvacation]

May 21, 2015 - Camino Portugues
Porriño - Redondela

 

[VNwalking]

2019 - Camino vasco Interior. Ermita de Alaya, half way between Salvatierra and Vitoria-Gasteiz


2017 - The Camino Baztan, Between Lantz and Pamplona.

 

[SabsP]

Last year on the Vasco Interior. After Salvatierra.

 

[wayfarer]

22/05/12. Day 33. St Julien - Arzua. 25 Km

We had a great breakfast at the albergue. We said goodbye to all and headed out, heads were a bit fuzzy after last night. The morning was warm but raining lightly. Our next planned stop is Arzua.

We met the three Irish girls again today and a few new people. The weather cleared up as the morning went on and it got hot.

As we were walking we met an Irish woman who was part of a tour group but had decided to walk on her own. She looked familiar and after a while chatting it turned out she had worked in one of the offices at work and had been married to a work colleague of mine who had passed away a few years before. Its a small world. We parted company, but met up again later as we were staying at the same hotel as her group.



Hostal O Retiro, outskirts of Arzua.

We were well ready for a stop by the time we reached Arzua as it was really hot by then. We stopped at the first hotel on the way into town, the room was lovely.

We met a few more groups from Ireland here, this is obviously one of their stops.

Had the pilgrim meal here which was ok, had a few beers and hit the sack early.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

May 22, 2018: Somewhere west of the Sanctuaire N.D. de Betharram, en route to Arudy (and eventually the Somport Pass):

 

[tpmchugh]

May 22nd, 2015. Stopped in Monte do Gozo. Even though we stayed in the big municipal, the food in the Polish albergue is great, Why is the Polish albergue mentioned in so few guides. While we had lunch, Bob phoned his wife in San Diego. Half way thru the call, he decided he needed to speak to the waitress about dinner for the night so he asked me to talk to his wife while he went in search of answers. I was astonished that she thanked me for slowing Bob down. I never thought of myself as being a camino angel. Others are angels to me but me an angel, no way. Pilgrims help me not the other way round. But seems I can be of some use to others, never thought of it that way. I will walk in on the following morning with Bob, Jesus and my son Paul who died on the 23rd in 1983. He is always with me as my guardian angel. I have mentioned my son before so today I include a photo of him with his younger brother Terence and Santa Claus

 

[SabsP]

The picture does not do the steepness justice! The climb after Subijna de Alava. Gorgeous day. We walked btw...

 

[VNwalking]

Steep uphills always give me the excuse to stop and photograph anything of botanical interest. But this was on the hotter and more exposed South side of the hill where Sabine took her photo, on the way steeply down towards Puebla de Arlanzon. I was stopped dead in my tracks by these Blues:

They're called Azulita or Junquillo in Castilliano, and are actually very interesting plants, in a monotypic genus endemic to the Mediterranean. But that's another story.

 

[wayfarer]

23/05/12. Day 34. Arzua – Vilamaior. 28 Km

Heavy fog and cold this morning but we knew it would be hot when it burned off. We had a nice breakfast at a café in town this morning, the two young waitresses were a bit sullen so our mission was to get them to smile. We had a fifty percent success ratio.

The fog burned off early and the temperature rose steadily.

We ended up having a long hot walk today, about 28Kms. This will mean a short walk into Santiago tomorrow so we should arrive early. We plan to be in about 10.30 and meet Jane, who flew into Santiago yesterday, at the Cathedral.

We arrived at the hostal at about 16.30 hot and tired. We had taken a wrong turn at Labacolla and this added some time and distance to our walk. We followed a yellow arrow that someone had put up pointing to a café or hotel and had to backtrack to find the correct route.

The climb out of Labacolla was heavy going in the heat but we eventually reached our Hostal. The Norwegian ladies and the Australian lady arrived shortly after us.
After the usual shower, beer and laundry we had our usual siesta and we all met up for dinner later.

The accommodation and food here is excellent. It’s a family run Hostal and I would recommend it to anyone, Casa de Amancio. The young waiter who served us had very good English and looked after us very well so we tipped him generously.



Casa de Amancio

Happy to be so near the finish but sad that it is coming to an end.

 

[tpmchugh]

May 23rd, 2015. I Have Walked 500 Miles. Praza do Obradoiro at last. It was a long hike but I met some marvellous people along the way. Apart from getting married and becoming a father, multiple times, this has been the greatest thing I have ever done. But then I said that everytime I returned home from the Camino. I have finished with the Reverend Robert Blessing, an army chaplain from San Diego. On a few occasions he has asked for my advice which stunned me. He is the one giving me advice, what do I know to be advising him but he seems to value my words and friendship as much as I value him. Little did I know that shortly after I got home the Holy Father would declare a year of mercy for 2016 and I would return to go through the holy doors along the way and the famous door of mercy here in Santiago. BTW, how lucky am I, everytime I visit this cathedral, they swing the botafumeiro just for me lol. Buen Camino everyone

 

[SabsP]

The etapa after La Puebla de Arganzon where the roads split on the Vasco Interior/ Via de Bayona in Estavillo.
Here you can choose to go on via Briñas and Haro to Santo Domingo de la Calzada or continue to Burgos via Miranda de Ebro, Pancorbo and Briviesca . We took the second route.

 

[wayfarer]

24/05/12. Day 35. Vilamaior - Santiago. 9Km




Monto de Gozo.

There was no breakfast available at the hostal so we were on the road by 07.30. We had flask coffee and a cake at a kiosk near the Pope John Paul 2nd monument at Monte de Gozo above Santiago. It was downhill pretty much all the way into Santiago after that.

We saw very few pilgrims this morning which was surprising, I thought this section would be packed. We met MJ and Dewey as we passed near to the airport but they stopped for a rest and we kept going.

We had a proper breakfast in the outskirts of Santiago. With all the talking this morning we went off course but a local pointed us in the right direction.

As we walked down the last section towards the Cathedral we met Jane who had walked out to meet us. She had paid the piper who plays at the archway to play O’Carollan's Concerto but in all the excitement of arriving and meeting we never even heard it. The three of us walked into the Plaza together and enjoyed the moment, took some photos, met some friends we had met along the way.



Arriving in Santiago.



MJ, Dewey, Iggy and myself.

We went into the Cathedral then and had a look around, hugged St. James, said a prayer for a few people then off to the Pilgrim Office to collect our Compostela.



Looking a bit shell-shocked in the Cathedral.





Back to the Hotel after this, which Jane had booked for us, Had a glorious shower, changed into some fresh clean clothes and back to the Cathedral for 12.00 Mass.

We met MJ and Dewey again after Mass and we all had lunch together, bacon, eggs, fries and beer. Jane then took us to her “secret garden”, a little place she had found the day before, for coffee and a chat. After this we rambled around the town for a while then returned to the hotel for a nap. We couldn’t sleep so we headed out again to do some more sightseeing.

We had our evening meal at the hotel that night, a ramble around and then bed. I slept like a log.

A happy and sad day. Happy to be finished but sad its over.

The main Camino is over but Iggy and I plan to keep going to the coast, on to Finistera and then to Muxia after our break in Santiago.





Santiago from our hotel window.

 

[VNwalking]

Welcome to Sanitago, @wayfarer!
I've very much enjoyed your posts.

2019 Via de Bayona
Weather is coming...and unbeknownst to us, mud was ahead.
2017 Camino Frances
Beautiful Eunate...

 

[SabsP]

Exception on the one photo a day but want to show till where the mud went that day ( see picture of @VNwalking post #175. And my futile attempt to throw some water over trousers and boots. In Miranda de Ebro on a plaza just before entering a fancy restaurant. They didn't blink an eye when they saw me...

 

[tpmchugh]

May 24th, 2015. Its very strange to be sightseeing instead of walking. Went to Mass this morning, after all it is Sunday. Ahh they said, Terry is here again so get that botafumeiro swinging . As I said yesterday, it always seems to be swinging when I go to mass. Not long left now as I fly home to Ireland on the 26th and Bob gets the train to Madrid. I will return home via Ireland's off shore island, britain

 

[SabsP]

Last year we had a day off on the Vasco Interior and visited Haro.
I visited this town years ago on a regular holiday.

Although my company last year was wonderful and the town has some great pintxosplaces to go to, it always feels strange not to walk.
IMHO it is nicer to have a short etapa but walk daily on a Camino then to have a complete day off.
Seeing the travelling we had to do from Miranda de Ebro to Haro this was not possible in our situation.

 

[VNwalking]

2019 Via de Bayona - Haro
If I had this to do again , I would walk to Haro on the Vasco and then walk the 23 km back to MdE on the GR99 - as Sabine said, it was strange not to be walking. It was also a deep dive into what felt like another reality altogether from my usual habitat, all about seeking and indulging whatever sense pleasure there is to be had.
That said, the Parroquia Santo Tomas was beautiful!

 

[wayfarer]

25/05/12. Day 36. Rest Day, Santiago. 0.0Km

We had a sleep in until about 08.30 then headed out after breakfast. We plan to go to the 12.00 Mass at the Cathedral and see the Botafumeiro being swung. The Cathedral was really busy so went in at 10.50, the earliest I have ever been for mass in my life.

We saw Ana in the crowd but lost her again, we also met Nell, the Norwegians, Mary from Texas and several more we had met on the walk. Iggy got a big hug from Texas Mary, I had to make do with a handshake. It was a lovely mass and we saw the Botafumeiro being swung, something that doesn’t happen every day. Iggy was delighted as he wanted to see this before we left Santiago. We were lucky as we were told a tour group had paid to have it swung.






We finally caught up with Ana after mass and we all had lunch together, she gave me a guide for the walk to Finistera and Muxia as she has decided not to walk it herself. We all went back to Jane's “garden” again for a few drinks after lunch. Ana and Jane plan to take an early morning bus out to Finistera to see the lighthouse, then Ana returns to London to look for work and Jane is getting the train to Valencia to visit my son, who works there, and his partner who is from there. We start on our walk to the coast.
The rest of the day was spent rambling, having coffee, eating, meeting people we met along the way and having chats.

 

[Rich1]

May 25th...
On this day in 2015, I arrived in Santiago de Compostela for the very first time

 

[MikeyC]

This day last year. Vega de Valcarce on the Frances.
The only time we came across them. The Jacotrans boys hard at work.

 

[trecile]

May 25, 2019. Burgos to Hontanas. Took a picture of this iconic Camino tree

 

[tpmchugh]

May 25th, 2015. Bob and I took a bus trip to Muxia and Finisterre. We would have loved to walk it but we dont have the time. It is a day trip I would highly recommend if you have not got the time to walk

 

[SabsP]

Last year Vasco Interior . From Miranda de Ebro to Pancorbo. When you read that the only possible barstop that day is a soulless selfservice in a gasstastion. Then a local lady guides you to a cooperativo/ community bar in Ameyugo.

Generous and warm welcome! Wonderful people!

 

[wayfarer]

26/05/12. Day 37. Santiago - Vilaserio. 35Km




Photocall outside the Parador. (Not our hotel. )



It rained heavily all night but had lightened off by morning. We had breakfast at the hotel, put on our wet gear and walked down to the Cathedral Plaza. We said our goodbyes to Jane and started walking to Finistera.



And we're off again.

It was showery and humid all day, we had the wet gear on and off several times. We seemed to be climbing all day but I think we were just getting back into the rhythm again after the rest days.

We reached Negreira, 22kms out, early afternoon but after a stop for lunch we decided to keep going for another bit to shorten tomorrows walk.

We met very few pilgrims on the trail today, a big change from the main Camino.

We arrived in Vilaserio at 18.15 well and truly tired. The albergue had no private rooms, just open dorms with bunks but it was warm and clean. We got back into the old routine, shower, shave, laundry, nap and then dinner. Dinner consisted of bacon, eggs and chips with wine or beer in the bar next door, the staff in the bar were the same as in the albergue so I guess they own both. We each got nine slices of bacon, two eggs and a huge portion of chips, they don’t stint on the bacon or eggs in Spain. We had a few beers after and hit the bunks at about 21.00.

A few pilgrims who were at the bar earlier rolled in drunk around 23.00 and woke everyone in the dorm, again a big change from the main Camino.

 

[trecile]

One of my goals last year was to see the Meseta in the spring. I wasn't disappointed! These are some pictures of my walk between Hontanas and Población de Campos on May 26th

 

[rappahannock_rev]

May 26, 2018. I crossed over the Somport Pass, into Espana. This snap was taken as I descended from the pass to Canfranc Estacion.... The most astonishing scenery!

 

[alhartman]

Fun blast from the past to check records; I have done a surprising (to me) 4 caminos in May
26 May:
2005-Arca
2007--Cacabelos
2013 Aroue at Ferme Bohoteguia
2016 Vilar de Mazarife
Only 7 photos from 2005 tho. So the Samos shot.

 

[SabsP]

Pancorbo to Briviesca.

 

[wayfarer]

27/05/12. Day 38. Vilaserio - Logoso . 24Km

We had breakfast at 08.00 this morning and hit the trail by 08.30. It was really wet today, as wet as any day we spent on the Camino and then some. We were quickly soaked inside and out but we had no choice but to keep going. After seeing an advertisement for a new hostal posted along the trail I rang ahead and booked a double room for us, this was about 3 kms further on from Olveiroa where we had planned to stay.

All was well when we arrived, the girl asked us if we minded sharing a bathroom with the next room, no problem. Then everything went pear shaped, four German pilgrims arrived and after a conversation with the girl, they spoke good Spanish, she told us someone had double booked and our room was going to the Germans.

There was then a major argument between the girl, her father and his wife, the upshot being they prepared a room for us in the unfinished section of the hostal, there was still sawdust on the floors but at this stage we didn’t care. They still charged full price though.

Dinner was OK but the service was slow and sullen, the girl told us that this was a new venture for the family but she and her mother were left to do all the work while the father talked to the guests who could speak Spanish and the son, her brother, just drank with his friends in the bar. I wonder how long that venture will last. We were told breakfast would be at 07.00 sharp.

It was impossible to dry our clothes because the heating was not switched on in the new section so it will be wet/damp clothes again tomorrow.

 

[wayfarer]

Just a footnote to the post above:
This experience and another one in Ciruena, both after long wet days, were the only two bad experiences we had on the whole Camino, and they weren't actually too bad in the great scheme of things. Two out of some 34/36 albergues/hostals/hotels was not a major glitch by any means.

 

[Davey Boyd]

2018 I had a delicious lunch in the restaurant at Ponte Maceira on the way to Muxia/Fisterra...View attachment 74897

I have walked past there many many times. Never once seen the restaurant actually open!

 

[VNwalking]

I missed yesterday, so here is Pancorbo...an amazingly beautiful spot!

And today, onward towards Briviesca!

 

[grayland]

On May 1, 2012 I started over the Napoleon Route after arriving the day before in St. Jean From Le Puy ..about 800km.
The 32 Day walk from Le Puy was almost all in medium to heavy rain . The early morning was fine but turnEd to sleet by Orisson.

After staying overnight in SJPP we left early to continue on the CF to Santiago and stopped for a coffee and Take away sandwich in Orisson and then continued on toward Roncesvalles. It became bitter cold and then pretty heavy snow that continued on past Roncesvalles. Snow and very cold weather on May 1st.

 

[wayfarer]

The spring and early summer was pretty bad along the Camino all right in 2012.

 

[wayfarer]

28/05/12. Day 39. Logoso - Finistera. 28Km

We were up and dressed in our damp but bed warmed clothes by 07.00. We headed down for breakfast only to find the place in darkness and the kitchen locked, after waiting about fifteen minutes or so we decided to leave and have breakfast on the road. This plan came adrift when we found the front door also locked, the family obviously lived elsewhere. This is a completely crazy thing to do if there was a fire or any other emergency during the night. The son arrived at about 07.30 and opened up and was not a bit put out when we let him know that we were not happy about being locked in as well as him being late for breakfast. They really have a lot to learn about running a business.

We walked another 3kms to Hospital and had a great breakfast there with a lovely woman who ran the only café we could find. She told us that this was the last place to eat or drink for the next 15 kms so we packed the grub in.



300 mts after this café the route splits, left to Finistera and right to Muxia. We went left.



The day heated up which was a welcome change after all the rain yesterday. The trail today was mainly through woodland and open heath land.



We finally crested a hill and saw Finistera away in the distance. I text Jane to let her know where we were.

Walking down from Alto Pedro was very steep but with beautiful views. We met four Irish guys coming up against us. They had walked to Muxia, then to Finistera and were walking back to Santiago, the reverse of our walk. At the bottom of the hill we came to the town of Cee, a beautiful town with lovely beaches. We walked through and stopped at the next village, Corcubion, for lunch and beer at a café overlooking the beach.

We finaly arrived in Finistera in the early afternoon and booked into the first place we saw which was out of town but overlooked the beach.



Showered, shaved, did laundry, changed into clean clothes and headed into town for second lunch and to pick up our Finistera Compostela which is available at one of the albergues in town.

We met a few people we knew as we walked around. Finistera is a typical seaside town, full of shops selling beach paraphernalia, a bit like Tramore or Bundoran.

After lunch we headed back to our room, sorted the laundry and had a nap. Later in the evening we walked to the lighthouse to see the sunset which is a Camino tradition.



On the way to the lighthouse we passed the Kilometre Zero waymarker, this is the official end to this section of the Camino.



It was cool and breezy at the lighthouse and again we met some more people we had met along the way. Some were burning items of clothing which is also a tradition, it is supposed to symbolise the burning of the old life and the starting of the new. In practice it was probably because pilgrims of old burned items of their clothing that were tattered and lice ridden after the long walk.



Almost sunset at Finistera.

The pilgrims who had moved my washing in Las Herrerias were there as well drinking and being noisy but we ignored them. As the evening wore on they got louder and louder. Eventually we got fed up with it and decided to leave and head back to town, there was still an hour left ‘till sunset but it was going to be a long hour.

We had a lovely meal at the docks area on the way back, this was accompanied by copious amounts of wine and topped off with coffee and dessert.

The price will be paid tomorrow, but that is tomorrow.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

May 28, 2015. The short walk from the Monastery at Samos to Sarria is about as charming as the Camino gets -- anywhere! Not hyperbole! I walked it for the second time on this date in 2015, and had the most wonderful chat with a shepherd somewhere near Veiga.

 

[Richmond Gardner]

May 25, 2019. Burgos to Hontanas. Took a picture of this iconic Camino tree

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Love this tree! Every time I see it

 

[Richmond Gardner]

One of my goals last year was to see the Meseta in the spring. I wasn't disappointed! These are some pictures of my walk between Hontanas and Población de Campos on May 26th
The red color in these photos really are amazing
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